Album Details

• Artist: Volcano Choir
• Album: Unmap
• Label: Jagjaguwar
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2009-12-10

Media

Volcano Choir is a collaboration. Everyone has called Wisconsin home at one time or another: Jon Mueller, Chris Rosenau, Jim Shoenecker, Daniel Spack, Thomas Wincek (all in Collections of Colonies of Bees) and most notably Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). The group started writing songs back in 2005 but only now manage to get something out to the market in the form of Unmap. If you are a Bon Iver fan than you will most definitely enjoy Volcano Choir but let it be know that the songs on Unmap are less songs as they are moments in time. There isn't much here that you can sing along too but that doesn't make it unlistenable.

Some notable moments include the amazing autotune harmonies on "Still". Yes, I said amazing autotune. It actually sounds interesting and intriguing here. It's not until almost the 3 minute mark where percussion starts entering the mix. Even the wonderfully airy opening track, "Husks and Shells" sets the glacial pace for Unmap. Check out the free MP3 over to the left of the best track of the set, Island, IS. It has a great subtle groove going with Justin's great falsetto.

Enter Volcano Choir with little expectations and you will be amazed. Don't expect Bon Iver or Collections of Colonies of Bees. Just come into it with an open mind and you might come away with a favorite album.

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