Key Shapes by Wolves Of Isle Royale: A Sonic Trip Worth Taking
Alright, let’s talk about Key Shapes by Wolves Of Isle Royale. Released in 2011 on Founder's Ego (cool label name, right?), this album is a wild mashup of electronic and rock vibes with some avant-garde weirdness sprinkled in for good measure. It’s like someone took a drone machine, threw it into an art rock blender, and hit "puree." The result? Something that feels both alien and oddly familiar.
First off, hats off to Sonny Coccera—he’s basically doing the heavy lifting here. Drums? Check. Percussion? Yup. Electric guitar? You bet. Oh, and improvised instruments too? Dude’s clearly got talent oozing out of his pores. Shoutout also to Jason DiGiacomo for bringing bottles into the mix—yes, bottles—and Roland Daum for making tape recorders and key trees sound less like junkyard finds and more like legit musical tools.
Now, onto the tracks. There are only four songs, but each one feels like its own little universe. I’ll zoom in on two that really stuck with me.
"UFOs Meandering": This track hits you with this low, droning hum that’s equal parts hypnotic and unsettling. It’s like you’re floating through space, watching unidentified flying objects lazily drift by while your brain tries to figure out if they’re friendly or not. The percussion sneaks up on you—it’s minimal but super effective, almost like a heartbeat keeping time as everything else spirals into chaos. By the end, you’re left wondering what the heck just happened, but in the best way possible.
"Consumed By The Storm": If UFOs was all about drifting, this one grabs you by the collar and shakes you awake. It starts off quiet enough, but then layers of noise build up until it feels like you're smack dab in the middle of a storm. Not just any storm, though—a storm where lightning strikes sound like distorted guitar riffs and thunderclaps have been replaced by random bursts of static. It’s intense, man. Like, “I need to lie down after listening to this” intense. But again, in the best way.
What makes Key Shapes stand out isn’t just the music itself—it’s the vibe. Listening to it feels like stepping into someone else’s dream, except their dream involves a lot of strange noises and zero chill pills. And yeah, maybe it’s not something you’d throw on at a party (unless your friends are really into experimental stuff), but it’s perfect for those late-night moments when you want to zone out and let your mind wander.
Final thought: Whoever decided to put bottles and tape recorders on an album deserves a medal—or at least a high five. Because honestly, how many albums can say they’ve got that kind of creativity?
Oh, and fun fact: Wolves Of Isle Royale isn’t even a real pack of wolves. Mind blown, right?
