twin coast: Siblings Break Genre Norms

Brother-sister duo Kira and Reid Isbell grew up to a soundtrack of the Grateful Dead and Big Black. Now, they’re drawing inspiration from the innovative artists that came before them to create music of their own.

Enter twin coast. Though just celebrating its first birthday, this band is wise beyond its years. Through their recent EP, noie! noie! noie!, Kira and Reid are cultivating a distinctive approach to the alternative rock subgenre, shoegaze.

Planting Seeds

As children, the Isbell siblings were familiarized with their parents' massive music collection, coming of age in a world of rock and punk.

“[Our parents] definitely were the same as us, where they sought out different music than what’s just on the radio,” says Kira.

These roots influence Kira and Reid today, seeping into twin coast’s sound. From the Scottish alternative rock of Jesus and Mary Chain to Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett, the Isbell siblings continue to be emboldened by artists willing to push the boundaries of music.

“We're inspired by innovation,” says Kira. “We do things like play our instruments how you wouldn't expect. Or, recording noie! noie! noie!, we purposefully left in things that would be considered mistakes or faults to just create something very authentic.”

Finding Their Voice

While Reid spent his adolescence with a guitar strapped to his back, Kira picked up a pair of drum sticks for the first time less than two years ago. Motivated by the hope of twin coast on the horizon, she learned quickly.

So quickly, that just a few months later, Kira and Reid were under the lights of a small coffee shop, performing their very first show as twin coast.

This past April, noie! noie! noie! was released. Tastefully noisy, their latest EP plays with a strong dose of distorted guitar, droning symbols and a rock base. Paired with heavy feedback between each song and buzzing vocals, the record feels like a stream of consciousness.

Stepping Beyond Shoegaze

Many are quick to pigeonhole twin coast into shoegaze, a ‘90s subgenre characterized by guitar pedal effects and seemingly far-off vocals, all creating an “ethereal” sound. While Kira and Reid aren’t afraid to exist within this world, they’re also swift to acknowledge where their music strays from shoegaze’s well-trodden path.

“I wouldn't describe us as just shoegaze, because we do take inspiration from so many other bands and different styles of music,” explains Kira. “I think that comes out in our music and our noise sections when we perform live.”

Utilizing an abrasive approach to guitar and an array of industrial and folk influences, twin coast is on a mission to swim against the shoegaze’s most popular tropes.

“We've played with a lot of shoegaze bands and they have like 10 reverb pedals and eight delayed pedals, and that's how they get their big sound,” says Reid. “[For twin coast], it's a lot more minimal. We use just the volume of the amps as the power.”

Creating Sound From Scratch

twin coast knows exactly who it is. In order to bring that persona to life, Reid produces all of the band’s music.

“I feel like you get the most creative control when you're the one also recording and mixing and mastering it,” he explains. “We get to create what we really want to sound like.”

While Reid does the bulk of the writing, Kira never fails to add her own color to each piece.

“Usually she ends up changing the whole feel of the song in a completely different way than I would have thought,” says Reid.

As siblings, the two have cultivated a unique creative partnership.

“I feel like we really understand each other well,” explains Kira. “We give each other a lot of creative freedom and we aren't scared to communicate and push back on each other.”

Contributing to Their Community

Kira and Reid have been a part of Chicago’s music scene since they were kids, tagging along on trips to the city to see their parents’ favorite bands perform live. This longtime presence has led Kira and Reid to add their own contribution to the community: Static! Revival.

Established just last year, New Static! Revival Now is a music festival that celebrates the young people behind Chicago’s thriving DIY music scene. This year, twin coast is collaborating with New Now creator Eli Schmitt to bring the festival back for its sophomore debut. Held at Schubas Tavern on June 20, twin coast will be performing alongside bands Sharp Pins, TV Buddha, Uniflora and Donkey Basketball.

Looking Ahead

While twin coast may be young, the Isbells have a clear vision for the band’s future. According to Kira, it’s simple:

“Just keep creating. Keep performing. Keep staying true to ourselves.”