Bon Iver Retreats To A Farm

As far as unexpected success stories go, the tale of American group Bon Iver takes some beating.

Working alone in a rural cabin, Bon Iver leader Justin Vernon began crafting spectral acoustic ballads in his spare time. Recorded in the hush of winter, listening to the resulting album is an intensely personal experience - you can almost hear snowflakes tapping on the cabin's window.

Bon Iver's debut album 'For Emma, Forever Ago' was released last year, and became a surprise success. Critical ravings lead to considerable hype around the album, which became a slow burner but nonetheless hit charts around the world.

Read an interview with Justin Vernon reflecting on 2008 by clicking HERE!

Since then Vernon has barely put a foot wrong, playing some sensational gigs including a concert with his high school jazz band.

Unused to media attraction, Justin Vernon has now retreated to a rural farm to get a break from the limelight. Speaking to American magazine Pitchfork the songwriter said "my brother and I bought an old 70s ranch house on this ten-acre farm in Wisconsin back in October, so I've just been staying there for weeks."

"It's about three miles from where we grew up. It was fun to be on the road, but it was really necessary to come away from it because you start to spin so fast and it doesn't stop."

Vernon also revealed that he has been collaborating with Wisconsin group Collections Of Colonies Of Bees. "We started collaborating three years ago and just this year we started to realize we had nine or 10 tracks almost done. So we got together up at my studio and finished it. I sing on it, but there aren't a lot of lyrics. It's mostly choir stuff".

"It's definitely more on the experimental side of things. I don't know if we'll play shows because it's all really textural and landscape-y, but I think it's coming out in September."

The Bon Iver singer also paid tribute to the high school jazz band who backed him recently. "It was really about this band and how fucking incredible they are. We're actually working on proper mix downs and proper videos from the show because they have some of the best high school musicians in the country - just monster, monster musicians. It was hard work singing with them, they made me step it up."