The “amorphous collective” known as Bon Iver has announced a new album, i,i, a title that, like 22, A Million before it, will soon become the scourge of so many copy editors. Recorded in Texas and Wisconsin, the 13-track album doubles down on the collaborative spirit of its recent singles with a robust list of guests that includes James Blake, Moses Sumney, Bruce Hornsby, Velvet Negroni, Francis And The Lights’ Francis Starlite, and The National’s Aaron and Bryce Dessner.
A press release for the album speaks to a seasonal motif, marking i,i as the autumn of a cycle that includes For Emma, Forever Ago (winter), Bon Iver (spring), and 22, A Million (summer). It’s also confirmed that previous singles “Hey, Ma” and “U (Man Like)” will be included on the album, as will new songs “Jelmore” and “Faith,” which are just as sumptuous and strange as you might expect. Stream them below.
“It feels very much like the most adult record, the most complete,” frontman Justin Vernon says in a statement. “It feels like when you get through all this life, when the sun starts to set, and what happens is you start gaining perspective. And then you can put that perspective into more honest, generous work.”
He adds, “The title of the record can mean whatever it means to you or me. It can mean deciphering and bolstering one’s identity. It can be how important the self is and how unimportant the self is, how we’re all connected.”
i,i arrives on August 30 via Jagjaguwar. Head here for info on the band’s upcoming tour dates with Feist, Yo La Tengo, and Sharon Van Etten, and check out the album’s artwork below.