Nice to Meet You: Volcano Choir

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon takes a break with Volcano Choir.

Bon Iver brainchild, Justin Vernon, and Collections of Colonies of Bees have teamed up to form indie/ambient powerhouse Volcano Choir.  The group released their first album, Unmap, in late 2009.  Vocano Choir’s sound, much like Bon Iver, is centrally focused around Vernon’s soft, endlessly overdubbed vocals.  Collections of Colonies of Bees, featuring past members of Wisconsin band Pele, provide a captivating backdrop to Vernon’s vocals; filled with the twists and turns that might be expected out of a group that formed in order to explore traditional folk music when fused with modern technology and process.   

While some tracks seem to flow dreamily on past, others take a more experimental approach and bell, whistles and sounds of all other origins can be heard throughout; however, a huge departure from Bon Iver this is not.  While the music has undoubtedly changed a bit, it isn’t anything I’d classify as drastic.  Oh yeah, and there’s even auto-tune.  How about that? 

Posted by Andrew Scott on Feb 15, 2010 @ 9:00 am

volcano choir, island is, still, justin vernon