22, a Million

Electronic · 2016 · 10 tracks · 34m

22, a Million

A beautiful, fractured collage of acoustic folk and digital decay. Justin Vernon dismantles his singer-songwriter identity with tape loops, glitchy samplers, and radical vocal proc

Experimental rebirth

Digital degradation and fractured tape loops splinter the band's acoustic foundations, transforming intimate songwriting into a series of glitching, anxious transmissions. Recorded at April Base studio, the album routes traditional instrumentation through a custom-built harmonizer to warp the lead vocals into a shattered, multi-layered choir. What remains is a tense, beautiful collision between organic warmth and mechanical static, capturing a songwriter rebuilding his entire sonic vocabulary from the ground up.

22, a Million · vs · Bon Iver

Existential+1.8σ

The writing leans notably further into existential than the rest of the catalogue.

Tracklist · 10 Tracks · 34m

01

22 (OVER S∞∞N)

2:48

02

10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄

2:24

03

715 - CR∑∑KS

2:12

04

33 “GOD”

3:31

05

29 #Strafford APTS

4:05

06

666 ʇ

4:12

07

21 M◊◊N WATER

3:08

08

8 (circle)

5:09

09

____45_____

2:46

10

00000 Million

3:54

Moments Worth Waiting For

03715 - CR∑∑KSThe vocal on '715 - CR∑∑KS' is entirely unaccompanied, delivered as a stark, heavily processed chorale of synthesized harmonies.

0210 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄A harsh, distorted low-end pulse and skittering electronic percussion drive '10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄', signaling a sharp departure from traditional folk rhythms.

The album's electronic experimentation is heavily influenced by the primary songwriter's prior collaborative work with Kanye West.

0433 “GOD”A warm, acoustic piano loop anchors '33 “GOD”' before being repeatedly interrupted by sudden bursts of vocal samples and digital noise.

Sits BesideSee all

Untrue

Shares processed, noise_textured, glitch, vocal_layering (signature)

Muddlin Gear

Shares processed, glitch, noise_textured, anxious (signature)

Grits Kissed

Shares glitch, indie folk, cabin_in_woods, downtempo (signature)

LA Series 6

Shares glitch, noise_textured, downtempo, fog (signature)

M3LL155X

Shares processed, glitch, art pop, haunting (signature)

Talkin' Jazz

Shares glitch, noise_textured, saxophone, downtempo (signature)

Speak for Yourself

Speak for Yourself

Shares glitch, vocal_layering, art pop, downtempo (signature)

i,i

Shares processed, vocal_layering, indie folk, cabin_in_woods (signature)

Zoomer

Shares processed, glitch, art pop, downtempo (signature)

Drifts

Shares glitch, indie folk, cabin_in_woods, downtempo (signature)

Reviews

Critic Consensus

Critics widely praised the album as a deeply felt, adventurous release, highlighting how its intricate electronic manipulation beautifully frames intimate songs about vulnerability and uncertainty. The collection was warmly received for its compellingly cryptic lyricism and its ability to translate personal crisis into an expansive, expressive musical journey.

The Guardian4/ 5 stars

“The flashes of brilliance in Justin Vernon’s dark night of the soul are frustratingly few on his cryptic, effects-laden third album”

Slant Magazine

“22, A Million synthesizes archaic and future styles to address and remedy the ailments of the present”

Rolling Stone4/ 5 stars

“Vernon remains an oblique lyricist, but the knottiness can be compelling”

The Quietus

“In Bon Iver’s resurrection, now, the lights are dim, the lineaments shielded by darkness, the voice heavily processed”

Pitchfork9.0/ 10

“Behind the arranged glitches and processed voices are deeply felt songs about uncertainty”

NME4/ 5

“This is a febrile folktronica album which confounds and astounds in equal measure, melting your heart one minute and agitating your eardrums the next, but always baffling and beautiful”

Under the Radar

“As with his work that precedes it, the impact of Vernon’s 22, A Million far outlasts that moment when the record stops playing”

The Independent5/ 5 stars

“An astonishing record that grapples with the infinite”

Tiny Mix Tapes

“The band’s most impressive record to date, surging forward with oddities that, while certainly nothing new to adventurous listeners, bridge the gap with satisfaction”

The A.V. ClubB+

“This is a wildly informed album, and that also works to its advantage”

PopMatters

“All of it’s layered complexity at least turns heads and demands further attention”

AllMusic4/ 5 stars

“It’s an impressive feat of reinvention that manages to keep Vernon’s emotional core fully intact no matter how far the music strays from established Bon Iver territory”

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