Music

It's OK to Feel Things About Bon Iver's Excellent New Singles

"Faith" and "Jelmore" will appear on the upcoming album 'i,i,' which is out August 30.
JT
Chicago, US
bon ive's new album
Photo by Graham Tolbert and Crystal Quinn

In June, Bon Iver put out two new singles, “Hey, Ma” and “(U) Man Like” that hinted at an upcoming LP, and today it's finally official. The forthcoming release is called i,i, and is Justin Vernon's fourth album under the moniker. According to a press release it's his "fall album," and it completes a cycle: "from the winter of For Emma, Forever Ago came the frenetic spring of Bon Iver, Bon Iver, and the unhinged summer of 22, A Million." To pair with the announcement, he's released another pair of songs, "Faith" and "Jelmore."

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These tracks feel like the immediate and familiar in Bon Iver's recent catalog. That's a good thing considering the glitchy, often-overwhelming, and weirdly-titled songs on his last album, 2016's 22, A Million, which was full of bewildering moments. But these new songs like feel like classic Justin Vernon. Though it features the electronic production tricks of his recent discography, it’s so welcoming that it’s why Vernon is one of music’s most enduring figures.

For his part, Vernon probably agrees writing in a press release of the upcoming LP: "[i,i] feels very much like the most adult record, the most complete. It feels like when you get through all this life, when the sun starts to set, and what happens is you start gaining perspective. And then you can put that perspective into more honest, generous work.” Recorded between Vernon's April Base Studios and Texas' Sonic Ranch, i,i features a core band of Sean Carey, Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner, Andrew Fitzpatrick, Mike Lewis, Matt McCaughan, and Rob Moose. Listen to "Faith" and "Jelmore" below. i,i is out August 30.