Mike O’Hehir, the man at the heart of Coyote Island, is an old soul, but the music he’s crafted with his band and growing collection of diverse collaborators is as fresh as anything going today. From the breezy and bouncy mix of Caribbean beats and contemporary pop production that blasted “Here Before” into the post-pandemic public consciousness to the meditative and moody organ that makes “Shine through the Darkness” a glimmering beacon for lost souls, his songs are mood enhancements and attitude adjustments — perfect for a generation of music lovers looking for a path forward.

Now, to follow the breakout success of their 2023 album “Holy Illusion,” Coyote Island have released a string of singles highlighted by “Trust the Path,” featuring the Hip Abduction, in anticipation of the release of the full-length “Shadow Magic,” coming August 15. Much like everything to come from a band named for the coyote, often depicted as a wise and playful trickster in indigenous cultures, the sound is hard to pin down. It opens warm and inviting, walks into a skittering chorus, then brings in thundering drums and an ethereal guitar lead.

“You don’t have to please everyone/ You gotta listen to your soul now,” O’Hehir offers to open “Trust the Path,” and that sentiment is core to the Coyote Island ethos. As he has moved from itinerant troubadour criss-crossing the United States to rooted family man, he has put together a band fully invested in exploring the possibilities offered up by everything from reggae to folk, Afrobeats to Gypsy jazz, cumbia to psychedelia. Guitarist Amir Rivera, a co-writer on “Trust the Path,” is versatile and wily. Fans know anything can happen when he comes strutting toward the front of the stage. And the rhythm section of Garrett Jones on bass and Ryan Benoit on drums navigate the often complex rhythms in a way that makes them feel comfortable and familiar. Not that you have to be some kind of musicologist to appreciate what Coyote Island is doing.

Like Khruangbin or Father John Misty, Vampire Weekend or Talking Heads, they take these authentic traditions and spin them into the future, bringing you along with them as they follow their own path, trusting that they’ll figure everything out along the way. Or won’t. It’s that sort of curiosity about the world that turns clubs into tent revivals, festivals into mystical experiences. 

The coyote is elusive, by nature. You sort of have to let go of the wheel and see what happens. With new music on the way that will challenge anyone to predict what comes next, O’Hehir and crew find themselves creating deep connections to people via a shared vibration everyone can only hear for themselves: “It’s all about you,” he likes to tell folks. “You have to dance in authenticity.”

Mr. Mota is a 4-piece Reggae Rock band from Boulder, Colorado. They are currently based in Brooklyn, New York.

Mr. Mota combines the energy of reggae music with their own distinctive spin, they create feel-good anthems that connect with listeners everywhere. Drawing on their passion for live shows, Mr. Mota delivers a sound that’s timeless.

While attending the University of Colorado Boulder, the band formed in May of 2021 at a university graduation event. One show was all it took for the group to gain traction, quickly leading to numerous offers to play throughout Boulder. From there, they landed on the name Mr. Mota and hit the ground running, booking shows wherever they could ski; across Colorado and the entire Rocky Mountain region. It’s safe to say that Boulder’s Fox Theatre played a vital role in Mr. Mota’s growth.

As the years went by, Mr. Mota gained more traction, leading to their first tour in the summer of 2023. They independently booked and headlined over 40 venues across the Midwest and East Coast, performing at notable spots like Mercury Lounge (NYC), Nectar’s (Burlington, Vermont), Portland House of Music (Portland, Maine), and Charleston Pour House (Charleston, South Carolina). The momentum from this tour led ultimately to a Winter 2024 Northeast US tour. With new releases on the horizon, Mr. Mota is ready to take their music anywhere and everywhere.