Listen to Bon Iver's New Album 'SABLE, fABLE'

One of the advantages of living near the international dateline is Aotearoa gets major releases before nearly anywhere else on the world. The Grammy Award-winning project of US songwriting star Justin Vernon, Bon Iver's new record SABLE, fABLE launched locally onto streaming platforms last night, preceded by intriguingly geo-located special listening events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch (where fans could hear the album in advance at specific spots in each city), a testament to his enduring popularity down under.

Bon Iver's first official long player in six years is conceived as a triptych (an idea reminding this listener of Tall Dwarfs 3 EPs) preempted by 2024's SABLE, EP and significantly expanded upon with nine lush new works. Recontextualising that EP as a prologue to the SABLE, fABLE song cycle, Vernon journeys from pared-back minimalist intimacy to lovingly arranged multi-instrumental majesty, an arc in which "darkness turns to salmon-colored beauty, and sadness transforms to unbridled joy".

Co-produced by Vernon and Jim-E Stack, contributors to the album include Danielle Haim on the skittering / soaring electronic balladry of 'If Only I could Wait', while Dijon and Flock of Dimes pitch in on glitch-pop singalong 'Day One'. Experience the new video for 'If Only I could Wait' animated by Daniel Zvereff and director John Wilson's clip for 'Everything Is Peaceful Love', open your ears to SABLE, fABLE below, and head along to your local record store this Saturday to grab an irl copy...

'SABLE, fABLE' is out today via Jagjaguwar, available to order on 2 x vinyl LP, compact disc and cassette HERE.