Album: 22 – A Million
Artist: Bon Iver
Reviewed by: Sarah Scott
At the end of Bon Iver’s second album, there was an experiment with more heavily processed vocals, “Beth/Rest”, tucked at the close of the project. Almost an afterthought five years ago, this style of vocal is fully explored on “22 – A Million”. The album alternated between meditative, softer sound and select up-tempo tracks like “10 d E A T h b R E a s t”.
“29 #Strafford APTS” and “8 (circle)” are more reminiscent of Bon Iver’s past sound than the rest of the new project. That said, fans will still feel the themes that first attracted them: soft, poetic, semi-cryptic narratives and a calming overall tone. Though “22 – A Million” brings slightly more antagonism and more complexity in its production, Justin Vernon still interwove his hypnotic ambience into each song. The whole album plays like a layered, personal mantra, leaving lyrics and sounds rolling in your head long after the last track.
