When it comes to music experimentation, nobody does it better than Igor Keller. He always finds new ways to surprise his listeners and his latest album, The Merry Blacksmith’s Song Bucket, released on October 31, 2025 under the name Longboat, is no exception.
At the center of it all is the lead track, “Monster Zero.” Inspired by classic Godzilla films, the song captures Keller’s signature blend of storytelling and sonic playfulness. He’s long been fascinated by the idea of reinterpreting pop culture through his own lens. As he explained, the song was born from his love of monster movies and a desire to create his own version.
Monster Zero opens the door to a world where imagination meets musical invention. The track, full of unexpected turns, even hides a surprise ending. Keller hinted that listeners will be “rescued by an unlikely instrument,” and now fans can finally find out what that means.
This new project builds on his “short story” songwriting approach, but this time with a deeper sci-fi thread built into it.
Throughout Longboat, Igor Keller continues to reinvent himself. With The Merry Blacksmith’s Song Bucket, he explores the space between jazz-inspired pop, electronic experimentation, and his self-described style, “electronic blues.” It also marks the first use of a vocoder, an audio effect or electronic device that analyzes and reshapes the human voice.
Under his Longboat project, Keller writes, performs, and produces most of his material himself, occasionally joined by live musicians who help shape his evolving sound. A former jazz saxophonist turned pop experimentalist, he fills his songs with sharp commentary on modern life, technology, and human connection.
As Keller shared, his ideas often appear out of nowhere — “inspiration just kind of shows up one day.” That spontaneous creative process, paired with his disciplined execution, keeps his music endlessly fresh.
Innovation and imagination are the heartbeat of independent music, that’s what Igor Keller wants to deliver with the help of his music and Longboat.