Track-by-Track: Wildlife Control Intricately Uncover ‘Love. Champion. Mountain. King.’

A decade after their self-titled debut captivated the indie music blogosphere and college radio, Wildlife Control returns with Love. Champion. Mountain. King. The Grammy-nominated musician and producer (they/them) have been a driving force in shaping the New York shimmer pop sound, with their debut album becoming the top self-released record on the NACC/CMJ Radio 200 chart. Known for their genre-defying blend of indie rock and innovative video production, Wildlife Control has garnered praise from outlets like WIRED, with viral hits like the stop-motion video for “Analog or Digital.” Their performances have captivated audiences, from sold-out shows in New York and San Francisco to featured slots at SXSW and Bottlerock.

Love. Champion. Mountain. King. is a deeply introspective work that explores the intersection of humanity and technology. The album opens with the song “Your Name Is Love,” inviting listeners into the perspective of an AI character reflecting on its origins. As the record progresses, the lyrical themes shift from youthful simplicity to more complex stories of love, loss, and the universal human experience. Wildlife Control’s signature sound draws on musical influences from the last five decades, wrapping contemporary subjects in a timeless musical package.

Created during the pandemic, the album represents a new chapter for Wildlife Control. They recorded every instrument on the album, from guitars to synths to brass. In their own words, the title ‘Love. Champion. Mountain. King.’ is a direct reflection of the artist’s given name at birth, symbolizing self-discovery and identity. The album was mastered by Joe LaPorta and follows the release of four successful singles. As Wildlife Control prepares to tour internationally later this year, Neil Love of Wildlife Control joined us for a Track-by-Track rundown of the new LP.

1. “Your Name is Love”

“The translation of my Sanskrit name is ‘love’ so that inspired this intro track. It’s meant to capture that feeling that parents have when they look at a newborn. In this case I used that emotion to set the stage of a supernatural A.I.-inspired character who was in mind throughout the process of making this album. And you can hear that side of things sonically in the vocoder-esque acapella singing.”

2. “Make Me Feel”

“One of the first emotions that we think of that transcends technology is love. ‘Make Me Feel’ was a song I initially wrote when I was much younger, based on that intense feeling, and leaning into all the cheesy, almost naive metaphors to describe the feeling. This was perfect for the growth of the main character as they experienced what it means to be human. From a production standpoint this track also sets the stage of the analog drum machine, FM synth bass, and DX7 that would be the common sonic thread throughout every track, in addition to the vocals of course.”

3. “Team You”

“In addition to love, intense loyalty towards our closest friends and family is something that we feel early on in our emotional development. This song was inspired by something I used to say to my daughter to let her know I always had her back. It made a perfect opportunity for growth in the storyline of the album. And sonically gave me a chance to have a ton of fun.”

Wildlife Control ‘Love. Champion. Mountain. King.’ album artwork

4. “Dream Dream Dream My Friend”

“Years ago I used to sit on the edge of my son’s bed and sing him to sleep. When his grandfather passed away, I wrote this song to help him know everything would be ok and that his grandpa would live on in his heart. This song is all about hope and aspirations, two emotions that continue to build on the growth of our character throughout the album. Sonically this was a chance to bridge some of the upcoming modern production elements to classic rock arrangements and sounds, which are things I’ve always loved and I thought suited the song well.”

5. “Your Blood on My Lips”

“Obviously, by this point, emotions start getting a little more complex in our character’s journey. This is the last track on side A of the vinyl. I wanted to build some anticipation for the record flip to side B. I wrote this song for a very close friend when she was going through a difficult time. Blending emotions like despair with hope requires a delicate balance so there’s a lot of subtle arrangement and production techniques that are meant to preserve a certain mixed emotion throughout the track.”

6. “Another Hit”

“To be human is to experience the highs and the lows, along with the never-ending struggle to conquer our demons. This song is meant to symbolize our character hitting rock bottom. There are many forms of addiction, and most of us have experienced something we wish we could quit, but we just can’t. Often it’s irrational, and perhaps that’s what makes this the most human experience of all. Producing this was intense and fun because of the juxtaposition of the floating chorus with the heavier rock verses.”

7. “Little Soul”

“This is a song that will always be very meaningful to me personally. It’s also one where I feel like I could produce a million different ways and it would still hold up and be a great track. For this reason, it felt like I needed to include it on this album. It made for a perfect segue out from the despair of the previous track and into a more balanced ending for the album. I originally started writing this song before my first child was born as a way to capture the intense anticipation. I’ve subtly refined it over the years and this electro-rock version is now my favourite.”

8. “Just One Afternoon”

“It’s that feeling of being a totally grown adult and having a crush. I wrote this song about a beautiful woman I barely knew. Years ago, I recorded a demo of it on a CD and gave it to her, hoping to maybe get a date. Got the date, a couple of years later, got married, and now have two amazing kids. I guess she liked the song. This version is a little different from the demo, tailored to our album character experiencing a more mature version of love than the beginning of the album.”

9. “Be Different”

“We put out a version of this song as a single a decade ago. That version was much heavier and I always felt like the lyrics got buried. Around the time I was working on this album, I was finding myself coming back to this old song. It naturally weaved its way into the set and became a great capstone for the album. Really showing emotional growth through the journey of these songs. I wanted the production to take a feeling that is very open and vulnerable and turn it into a feeling of strength and conviction. I love this version and hope that it helps others who have experienced feeling like an outsider know that they belong.”