GOODMONSTER
Find Beauty in the Dark on The Wolf Is Young
Led by Dylan Reisch, Goodmonster’s latest work captures the unease and beauty of adulthood in motion — where nothing is ever fully settled, and even silence carries weight. From kitchen-bench songwriting bursts to carefully carved moments of restraint, The Wolf Is Young emerges as both a sonic arrival and an open door into whatever comes next. We caught up with Goodmonster to talk about symbolism, space, and the strange, ever-present pull of the unknown.
The Wolf Is Young explores mortality, devotion, and the pressures of adulthood. What initially drew you to these themes?
Growing up, navigating our 30's, starting a family, getting a 'real' job... this is most people's lived experience. But the night has a weird, alluring whisper, and life has a way of continuing to surprise us. The Wolf Is Young is a snapshot of all these elements.
The title feels symbolic. What does the wolf represent to you personally?
The idea that we still have growing to do. And there's danger in that, and a bit of fear associated with it; but so much potential, too.
There is a tension between restraint and release throughout the EP. How did you approach that balance in your songwriting?
We're always looking for the tension of saying just enough, whether with words or with our instruments. The first drafts of most of these songs are wordier, and busier; we generally write more then cut down from there. Exceptions, like Scream (written in one session at the kitchen bench) are rare flowers that only grow in darkness.
Your sound blends folk textures with more expansive, atmospheric elements. How do you maintain intimacy within that scope?
Well... if we're doing it right, it's through lyrics about personal struggle and relatable concepts. An acoustic guitar on its lonesome is also a cliche that carries a lot of oomph. Sometimes playing quieter gives the listener a chance to lean in.
Atmosphere plays a big role in the record’s emotional weight. How did you shape that through your production choices?
There's kind of no such thing as absolute silence. We played with that idea on the record, where a gap between instruments playing was the chance for ...something... to peer through. Maybe a breath, or the memory of a sound, or something a bit weird and indescribable, whispered. Ebb and flow; where there is nothing, when something happens, you find a devastating contrast.
Do you see this EP as a defining statement for Goodmonster, or part of a larger evolution still unfolding?
The Wolf Is Young is a realization of a sound we have been chasing. Prior to this, the last few EPs have all been testing out what genres fit us best; we've felt close with some of what we've achieved, but now we've landed. Listeners can expect the next release to be sonically parallel to this one. Also, no promises. It's good to play in the sunshine sometimes.