Bon Iver - 10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄

Sibling ’22 (OVER S∞∞N)’ links back to Bon Iver’s past, but the second track to be lifted from his new album is in a completely different headspace. Folk, Arca-style electronica and even gospel share the same platform. Uptight handclaps are the only constant - the rest is brilliant bedlam. It also contains the most ridiculous lyrics of Justin Vernon’s career. So many to choose from, but the unintentionally hilarious “I been sleeping in a stable, mate” is a highlight. And don’t be surprised to see the occasional “Fuckified” tattoo in the future.

But through all the extremes of ’10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄’, it somehow works. Vernon is blessed with one hell of a voice. Glaze it in however much vocoder you want, it still sounds like him. And with that all-purpose tool, he can thread together wildly different musical styles without coming off as stuffy or pointlessly experimental. He can dish out bizarre song titles and get away with it. On this song, he’s using that full artistic license for a bigger purpose. Rarely does music sound both so bizarre and so exciting when it first comes out. Elements of this feel alien, and that’s quite the feat in 2016.

Photo: Cameron Wittig & Crystal Quinn, courtesy of Jagjaguwar.