Sep 11, 2009 3
Volcano Choir – Unmap.
‘Volcano Choir’ is the name oddly given to Justin Vernon aka Bon Iver’s latest release, a collaboration project with the group of instru-mentalists from Collections of Colonies of Bees. And if ‘odd’ is a term that can ever be validly applied to the classification of music, then this absolute gem of a release brilliantly falls into that abstract category. No booming volcanic basses or baritones are found here in this medley of sound- instead we are treated to the high-pitch soul and trademark wistful tone of Vernon’s voice that so indelibly marked itself into our collective listening conscience with the seminal ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ back in 2007. Yet despite the meteoric rise of Bon Iver’s debut album, ‘Unmap’ is a release that seems to effortlessly eclipse the contemplative magnum opus that topped everyone’s ‘Album of the Year’ list with similar ease 12 months ago.