Bon Iver, the project led by Justin Vernon, has always delved deep into the soul. He has crafted haunting music with songs like “Re: Stacks,” known for capturing raw emotion, giving listeners a glimpse into the depths of Vernon’s struggles with depression. With SABLE, Vernon returns to the essence of Bon Iver—creating a space for honesty, reflection, and healing.

Though SABLE, is just three tracks long and clocks in at under 15 minutes, its brevity does nothing to diminish its impact. In fact, the album’s short runtime feels intentional, written with deliberate precision. It crashes over you like a towering wave, leaving you submerged in its depths. But as you reach out, struggling for air, your fingers brush against the threads of a rope. You realize that even in your darkest moments, you’re not alone. That’s what Bon Iver does so well, he takes you to the brink, then offers a hand to help you rise back up.

The opener, “THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS,” introduces the album with a rumination. “I’m afraid of changing,” Vernon sings, a sentiment that echoes our universal fear of the unknown. Yet, the phrase “rings within rings” suggests a deeper understanding—that we are a mosaic of all our experiences, with layers of both light and darkness. It’s an invitation to embrace every part of ourselves, including the aspects we try to hide.

The second track, “S P E Y S I D E,” offers a moment of stark self-awareness. Vernon’s voice carries a raw honesty as he admits, “I know now that I can’t make good.” There is a deep sense of regret and recognition, as if he’s looking back on the impact of past actions and grappling with his inability to make amends. “Put me where you stood,” he sings, suggesting a longing to understand the pain he may have caused from another’s perspective. It’s a reflection on the ways we can hurt others—even unintentionally—while still searching for redemption. Musically, the track retains a minimalist arrangement, allowing Vernon’s voice to pierce through with a vulnerable clarity. Allowing you to feel his lyrics scrap against your soul.

“Awards Season” rounds out the album with a pointed critique of the music industry and a return to Vernon’s artistic roots. The opening line, “The song I have always pandered to,” hints at the tension between creating art for oneself and succumbing to external pressures. Yet, in this track, there’s a conscious stripping away of those expectations, a reclaiming of the music as his own. The instrumentation builds throughout the track. Starting in the opening verse with acapella and crescendoing to include a soulful saxophone, piano, and trumpet, creating a rich yet unobtrusive backdrop that amplifies Vernon’s voice, which remains the album’s emotional core.

The music of Sable is not made for mere entertainment; it is a deeply personal expression. There is a starkness to the album, as though Vernon has peeled back all layers of artifice to reveal something truly honest. This feels like a return to the kind of music Bon Iver first became known for—a therapeutic process that speaks as much to Vernon’s own healing as it does to the listener’s.

Bon Iver’s discography is a collection of songs meant for those moments when you feel submerged, when the weight of the world presses down, and you need a reminder that you are not alone. SABLE, is no different. There’s a beauty in its simplicity, a completeness that offers solace and understanding, while recognizing the struggles and complexity of being human.

Order SABLE, by Bon Iver HERE