In the spring of 2020, a folk musician named Mike O’Hehir returned from playing out on the road to his home on the East Coast with a vision. He found himself on a new musical path blending his folk roots with elements of indie, psychedelic rock, reggae, and world music, specifically cumbia, Peruvian psychedelic rock, and an African influence, which I didn’t catch the name of but to my ear sounds like Zamrock, that’s Zambian psychedelic rock. The result was a single called “Here Before,” which O’Hehir released under the name Coyote Island. O’Hehir put out two more singles in 2020, “Hello Silence” and “Golden Rule.” All the while, Mike tried to put a band together but struggled to find members.
Two years later, O’Hehir teamed up with fellow producer Nick Coolidge to create an EP dubbed “Origin Stories.” The finished product was an eight-song record that was primarily indie rock with elements of the less mainstream genres still present, but less prominent. The EP was well received by Coyote Island’s growing fanbase, and for good reason. It’s smooth as hell and tighter than my jaw after I power slam ANOTHER massive pothole on I-65. “Origin Stories” caught the eye of Ineffable Records, who signed Coyote Island, still at this time comprised exclusively of Mike O’Hehir.
By the time 2023 rolled around, things were looking golden for Coyote Island. The band had gained three new members: Ryan Benoit, Amir Rivera, and Garrett Roy Jones, and had found themselves in the throes of recording a studio album. The record was made meticulously, with each song being recorded track by track, one instrument at a time, although part of the reason for this is that O’Hehir still played the majority of the parts on the album, as recording started before the final quartet lineup was solidified. Finally, in June of 2023, Coyote Island released “Holy Illusion,” an eleven-track album that leans heavily into the reggae aspect, essentially flipping the ratio of reggae to indie that “Origin Stories” had. The album features several other bands from the Ineffable roster, such as Surfer Girl and Blvk H3ro, each of which adds something of their own to their respective song, which gives the album the flavorful spread of genres that early Coyote Island singles had.
After “Holy Illusion” released, Coyote Island hit the road, doing tours all over the States. They found they had found a particularly large following on the West Coast, especially among the reggae crowd. As the band continued to tour, the crowds continued to grow. The band's mixture of styles and tendency to jam on a song when the crowd needed a curveball attracted a dedicated fanbase. A community that was based upon a love for music and fueled by the band's electrifying live performances amassed.
As the year went on, the tours began to slow down; the band had more than earned a break. O’Hehir became a dad, and so Coyote Island took an intermission from the road. During this time, work began on their next album, “Shadow Magic.” The process took its toll on O’Hehir. The act of creating is a spiritual thing; to pour your soul into your craft in an attempt to make something that resonates with your fellow man can be as grating as it can rewarding. O’Hehir became overwhelmed with fears that this new record wouldn’t hold up to “Holy Illusion.” The terror paralyzed him. Then, guitarist Amir Rivera came forward with a song for the album “Trust the Path.” It was exactly the thing O’Hehir needed to pull him out of his slump; the band went right to work on Rivera’s tune, cutting a single version with The Hip Abduction, which would be the first completed song on “Shadow Magic.
Now the race was on. The band was back in the studio, going at it harder than ever before. This time around, the recordings were done as a group instead of piece by piece, something that gives the songs a fuller, more blended sound. Coyote Island felt as though they had been typecast as a reggae band at this point. They wanted the new album to be a statement against this. Something that said they were in a class all their own, firing on all cylinders in their own lane. In August of 2025, the band's sophomore album, “Shadow Magic,” dropped, taking fans by storm. I don’t think we have seen Coyote Island do such a perfect blend of their many musical tastes since their first single. You have a base of indie rock, then you add spacey synths, groovy hand drums, rambling guitar solos, tinkling keys, and funky bass lines, and you end up with an absolute knockout record.
Since August, the band has been traveling the country on tour. They just finished up a stint opening for the one and only Elevators, and soon, as in tomorrow, will be setting off on a headlining tour around the East Coast and Midwest. If you are a fan of indie music, reggae, jam bands, or even just a person who is open to something new, then this is a tour you can’t afford to miss. Coyote Island has a now extensive catalog of tunes, each of which is a journey all its own. They’re months deep into touring now, so they’re sharp; on top of their game. Get your ticket, go see them play, feel the energy rise from the crowd, and experience the psychoactive bond of a room full of people high on a jam.
