Recommended Albums of 2025

🎧 Album Review: Sable, Fable – Bon Iver

📀 Tracklist

  1. Things Behind Things Behind Things
  2. S P E Y S I D E
  3. Awards Season
  4. Short Story
  5. Everything Is Peaceful Love
  6. Walk Home
  7. Day One (featuring Dijon & Flock of Dimes)
  8. From
  9. I’ll Be There
  10. If Only I Could Wait (featuring Danielle Haim)
  11. There’s a Rhythm
  12. Au Revoir

Bon Iver’s Sable, Fable is an atmospheric, genre-bending project that weaves dark ambient textures with subtle electronic flourishes and poetic, sometimes cryptic lyrics. The album feels like a dream caught between shadow and story — its production is layered and immersive, pulling the listener into a space where glitchy beats meet fragile melodies.

Highlights include the haunting opener, which sets an eerie tone, and the standout mid-album track that blends distorted vocals with hypnotic synths. The storytelling is abstract but evocative, rewarding repeat listens for anyone who appreciates soundscapes over straightforward hooks.

Some moments feel slightly repetitive, and the experimental nature might alienate listeners craving catchy choruses — but for fans of moody, boundary-pushing records, Sable, Fable is an intriguing listen that reveals more with every play.

⭐ Verdict:
Atmospheric, bold, and a bit elusive — Boivor’s Sable, Fable is a rewarding journey for those willing to lose themselves in its shadows.

Score: 7.5/10

🎵 Album Overview

SABLE, fABLE (stylized as SABLE, fABLE) is the fifth studio album by American indie-folk project Bon Iver, led by Justin Vernon. It was released on April 11, 2025 via the Jagjaguwar label. The album serves as a continuation of the SABLE EP (2024), including those three tracks as the opening part of the full version Pitchfork.

The album runs 41:37, exploring two distinct halves: the minimalistic, folk-rooted SABLE side followed by the more vibrant, contemporary fABLE side, blending R&B, pop, and soul influences into Bon Iver’s signature emotional songwriting.

🛠️ Production & Label

  • Label: Jagjaguwar
  • Producers: Justin Vernon and Jim‑E Stack (collaborator since 2022). Additional production contributions by BJ Burton, Brian F. Joseph, and Samuel Tsang.
  • Recording Locations: April Base (Fall Creek, Wisconsin) and Hive (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) — April Base had undergone renovations prior to these sessions.

Notable guest contributions:

  • Dijon Duenas, Flock of Dimes, and Danielle Haim (features on tracks 7 and 10)
  • Additional musicians: Kacy Hill, Jacob Collier, Greg Leisz (pedal steel), Rob Moose (strings), Michael Lewis (saxophone), Ben Lester, Eli Teplin, Trever Hagen, and more.

🧠 Concept & Style

  • SABLE EP (three tracks): A deeply personal prologue rooted in vulnerability, reflection, and emotional processing during the pandemic era Bon Iver.org
  • fABLE portion: A brighter, more celebratory exploration of newfound love, emotional clarity, and relational openness. Its sound is richer and more ornate than previous Bon Iver records Bon Iver.org

Justin Vernon described SABLE as the clearing of emotional space, while fABLE represents growth, connection, and hopeful new chapters. The album’s lyrics and production reflect this arc from darkness to light.

🏷️ Additional Info

  • Genre: A hybrid blend of indie folk, art-pop, soul, R&B, and pop elements.
  • Critical Reception: Widespread acclaim, with a Metacritic score of 83 indicating “universal acclaim”
  • Chart performance:
    • #1 on US Top Rock & Alternative Albums (Billboard)
    • Top 5 in New Zealand and Sweden
    • Top 10 in Norway
    • Top 20+ across multiple international charts including Australia, Japan, Spain, Portugal.