Volcano Choir is an assembly of Wisconsinites: Jon Mueller, Chris Rosenau, Jim Schoenecker, Daniel Spack, Thomas Wincek & Justin Vernon; old friends & frequent collaborators.

Justin Vernon is of course better known as the man behind Bon Iver, & the critically acclaimed For Emma, Forever Ago album. The Unmap album is the debut full-length from what is effectively a collaboration between Vernon & the “other fellas”, known as Collections Of Colonies Of Bees.

Unmap predates the meteoric rise of Vernon’s Bon Iver project, with original writing dating back to ’05.

Unmap was recorded over a weekend late in ’08 at Justin & Nate Vernon’s recording studio in Wisconsin.

With influences ranging from David Sylvian & Steve Reich to Mahalia Jackson & Tom Waits, it’d be fair to say their chief influence is music itself – you can hear it in the care applied to each moment of Unmap.

With the vibe of some intimate backwoods gospel plus a spirit of patience & thoughtful repetition, the music Volcano Choir have captured on Unmap is as dynamic as it is lovely.