Volcano Choir — UnMap

UnMap

Jagjaguwar/Sonic Unyon

Phil Villeneuve (CHARTattack)

10/30/2009 2:09pm

This uber-cool collab between from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and A Collection Of Colonies Of Bees is an electronic wonder. Not electronic in terms of dancefloor power — of which this album has none — but in the way that it's subtle technological details are so precise and beautiful and odd that UnMap ends up sounding like an acoustic album without comparison.

Vernon's layered vocal arrangements are reminiscent of Björk's Vespertine. They're delicate and provide backbone to often whispering, woozy songs. ACACOB's instrumental work smartly takes their math rock roots and slows things down to allow the music to unfold in waves.

It's a very moody, ambient record that could soundtrack a magical forest coming alive at night with all its fireflies, night creatures and creepy calmness gradually springing to life. Add a swamp deep in those woods with an old voodoo witch singin' gospel and you get an idea of what you're getting yourself into.

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