Bon Iver – SABLE, fABLE

Baroque Pop | Indie Rock | RnB

88%

 

The only thing longer than my list of albums to listen to, is the number of games on my wishlist. There are only so many hours in a day after all, and as many games take 40+ hours to complete, there’s just no way I can find the time for them all. Among those I’m most keen to make the time for, are a few highly polished remakes of some iconic, critically acclaimed titles – Silent Hill 2, Resident Evil 4 and the like. New releases that try to improve on a beloved formula by updating the visuals, ironing out the dated elements which haven’t stood the test of time, and adding some fine tuning and quality of life improvements for modern audiences. All of this, without marring what makes the game a classic in the first place. Preserving the spirit of the original, maintaining the same atmosphere, hitting the right story beats and eliciting the same emotional response. In my mind at least, SABLE, fABLE feels like a project with a similar mission. 

Though Justin Vernon is far from a household name, Bon Iver may be one of the most important acts of the past couple of decades. Each of his first three records were hugely influential to a generation of artists. Each one leaving a mark, a trail of artists who drew inspiration, almost completely distinct from each other. Describing yourself as a fan of Bon Iver could mean something completely different depending on who you’re talking to. Do their thoughts wander to the raw, log cabin folk of For Emma, Forever Ago, the grand sweeping chamber pop of their self titled record, or the sample rich electronica of 22, A Million. 

This latest record feels as though it draws past eras together. Not as a scrapbook cluttered with loose odds and ends the way that i,i often felt, but something more akin to those aforementioned gaming remakes. Recapturing the magic of a classic while also fine tuning it with all the wisdom and know-how that has accumulated in the years since. The sparse introspective folk of ‘S P E Y S I D E’ and haunting a cappella of ‘AWARDS SEASON’ instil just as much reverence in me as any cut from For Emma, and in spite of the flawless, crystal clear production, it still exudes that raw and authentic quality that Bon Iver has been missing since then. The aptly fleeting ‘Short Story’ manages to capture the sweeping, cinematic majesty of their self titled across its brief run time, while ‘Walk Home’ pairs 22 style samples and hip hop beats with lush lap steel and some of Justin’s most soulful vocals to date. The genre-hopping ‘Everything Is Peaceful Love’ flits between electronica and RnB before ending on a soft country twang, and the record even finds the time to build upon i,i‘s Bruce Hornsby brand of heartland rock on album highlight ‘From’. 

All that said, fABLE isn’t just a re-treading of old ground. In between hitting familiar beats it’s able to form an identity of its own. This is Bon Iver’s most soulful release; something your hear subtly in the warmth and clarity of the production, the expression in Justin’s voice, and also more overtly in the gospel inspired vocal arrangements. Moments like ‘I’ll Be There’ and ‘Day One’ make the record feel almost spiritual, the latter especially thanks to guest vocals from Dijon and Flock of Dimes. Expanded vocals aren’t a silver bullet – Danielle Haim does little to rescue the forgettable melody of ‘If Only I Could Wait’ – but when they work they prove to be fABLE‘s greatest strength. The soulful elements are woven into the record in such a way that their presence builds over time. Their warmth seeps into you, like frost thawing in the light of dawn, and by the time you hit the gorgeous contentment of ‘There’s A Rhythm’ you feel like you’re basking in the stillness of a bright spring morning. 

At almost every turn SABLE, fABLE feels like a victory lap for Justin Vernon. A celebration of all his triumphs, captured here in high definition. It’s an album I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to any fans of Bon Iver, regardless of what era first drew them in. You could even argue the point of it being Bon Iver’s best, but for me that would come with a caveat. Those remakes of classic games may be better than the original on paper, better controls, better visuals etc, but they can never be as important. The impact of the original, the wave of inspiration it inspired, is something that cannot be replicated with any amount of polish and fine tuning. A remake’s greatness is only possible in the world the original left behind in its wake. fABLE is a monumental release, one of 2025’s best, but it only looms so large because it stands on the shoulders of what came before.