Longboat: A Journey of Endless Innovation
Longboat isn’t just a musical project, it’s the creative universe built by Seattle-based musician Igor Keller.
Keller began as a jazz tenor saxophonist, gigging around Seattle and driving a big car packed with gear from show to show. But as the local jazz scene faded out, he understood he had to look toward a different future. At first, he set his sights on film scoring. However, one creative detour led to another, and soon he found himself settling into a new world — pop music.
But Keller’s version of pop has never been ordinary. He writes about everything except love. Instead of heartbreak and romance, he focuses on untouched topics: technology, the Cold War, modern absurdities, January 6th,and the running commentary of a character who mirrors his thoughts. For Keller, avoiding love songs isn’t a limitation. It’s a challenge. As he often says, creativity is about expressing ideas that haven’t already been expressed a thousand times.
Since 2011, he has created as many albums as he could fund, ultimately releasing more than 30 full-length projects. He creates in a style called “electronic blues,” a blend of innovative pop, jazz-influenced melodies, electronic textures, and witty storytelling. Along the way, he has worked with live musicians who help shape Longboat’s evolving sound, even though most writing, performing, and recording happens in his own hands.
His newest project, The Merry Blacksmith’s Song Bucket, arrived on October 31. The album opens with “Monster Zero,” a sci-fi-inspired track born from Keller’s love of Godzilla movies. It also marks his first time using a vocoder, adding a new layer of texture to his already adventurous sound. Recorded shortly after his previous album Word Gets Around, this new release continues Longboat’s mix of short-story songwriting, humor, and daring experimentation.
Through it all, Igor Keller remains one of the music industry’s most curious creators: restless, and endlessly committed to pushing Longboat into new territory.
