By Henry Nickerson | Staff Writer
Just when the world needed a little masterpiece, Bon Iver came out of the woodwork after a four year hiatus to deliver “22, A Million”, the band’s third studio album.
“22, A Million” marks a change in sound for the band, as they venture into sampling, dubs, and autotune. Looking to avoid the Twenty-One Pilots/ My Chemical Romance/ The Kooks third album slump, singer Justin Vernon looks toward experimental tracks to compliment the vintage Bon Iver sound that provides foundation for the record. This pays off big time, as the band utilizes this release to mark a shift in their music, much akin to Radiohead’s “KID-A”, or Vampire Weekend’s “Modern Vampires of the City”.
One can hear the influence of artists Vernon has collaborated with over the past couple of years like Kanye West, James Blake, and Jay-Z in many of the tracks. Songs like “22 (OVER S∞n)” and “29 #Strafford APTS” stand as testament to Vernon’s artistic development, using samples that compliment familiar hooks heard in “For Emma, Forever Ago” and “Bon Iver”.
If you are looking for an identical sound to that of Bon Iver’s first two albums, this album won’t be for you. However, if you are looking for a bold crossover of folk and choral-electronic vibe, you may just be misunderstood enough to fall in love with “22, A Million”.
Key Songs- “22 (Over S∞n)”, “8 (circle)” “__45__” and “29 #Strafford APTS”
If you liked this, you might like these- “This is All Yours” (Alt-J), “Modern Vampire of the City” (Vampire Weekend), “Year in the Kingdom” (Josh Tillman)
