I'm unequivocally biased, because I assume that anything Bon Iver - né Justin Vernon - is involved with will be brilliant. His debut, For Emma, Forever Ago was stunning, evocative and paradoxically managed to infuse warmth into the chill of its wintry mood.
His latest finds him pairing with Collections of Colonies of BEs on a collaboration that has been in the works since 2005, when the BEs crew toured with Vernon's previous band, DeYarmond Edison.
Where Vernon's previous work drew much of its strength from his soulful, deeply emotive vocals, this disc strips away nearly all of that lyricism, relying on instrumentals and atmosphere to create a sense of richness. Unmap is a group effort, the sound of coming together and discovering something. It's exquisitely textured and experimental, but the music itself is given space to breathe and evolve.Opener "Husks and Shells" is a perfect example of this airiness, adding layer upon layer of reverb-soaked harmonies to an austere, plucked acoustic riff.
Much of this material furthers the direction Blood Bank set upon, and so it makes sense that "Woods" appears here as "Still," a calmer, more expansive reincarnation awash with hushed drums and twinkling keyboards. Vernon's vocals are far more muted, existing alongside the slow-building instrumentation rather than dominating it.
It can be difficult to make instrumentals engaging and able to stand on their own without vocals. But when all the pieces come together on Unmap, it's really magical.
"Seeplymouth" is one of those cuts, taking a jazzy, loose intro and layering on chiming guitars and melting riffs. Suddenly, after a sung passage from Vernon, it hits a cascading, crescendoing climax, all massive drums and voices wailing into oblivion. "Seeplymouth" is nearly seven minutes long but it's totally breathless and enthralling, a true testament to the talent this Wisconsin pairing brings to the table.
Even more strikingly, "Seeplymouth" fades right into "Island, IS," one of the most traditional moments on the album. With keyboards making serpentines in the background, Vernon sings mashed-up, strange-sounding phrases that are intriguingly lovely, much like the rest of this disc.
There are a few moments here that could've been more refined, though. "Dote," for one, gains steam just before it abruptly segues into "Mbira in the Morass," another experiment that ends up being a bit trying. The awkward pace and uneven plucking of the mbira can't provide enough texture to flesh out Vernon's straining vocals.
But for the most part, even a few less than stellar moments don't undercut the true beauty of this album. It's unexpectedly gorgeous, full of movement and vigor without concrete lyrics or catchy choruses. It's not disposable or breezy Top 40 music, but if you're a fan of Bon Iver or if you're just looking for something new and unconventional, Unmap is worth exploring.
