(Jagjaguwar) CD & LP
Even amidst the sparse arrangements & minimal aesthetic of For Emma, Forever Ago, it was always apparent that Justin Vernon had a keen sense of tonality, dynamics & texture. On the eponymous second full length from Bon Iver, Vernon’s affinity for free noise, synths & vocal manipulation come to the forefront – this is not the paired down affair of For Emma – instead, horns, harmonizing & 80s-inspired ballads rear up & colour Vernon’s already-stunning songs.

His connecting voice – whether clean or auto-tuned – maintains the intense intimacy of past projects, but songs are stretched out to cover new ground, from skronky free-jazz jams to the sweeping, epic 80s emotionalism of “Beth/Rest”. A massive step left from For Emma, Vernon has managed to evolve Bon Iver’s sound into something cohesive, emotional but at the same time, experimental. No doubt one of 2011’s best.