Indie Rockers Krill Announce First Album in a Decade, ‘Secret Language,’ and Share New Single "Dominate"

Boston-formed indie rock outfit Krill, who recently reunited in Chicago after a nearly decade-long hiatus, have officially announced their first full-length album in ten years. Marking a triumphant return to their longtime independent record label Exploding in Sound, the band is set to release their eagerly anticipated new LP, Secret Language, on November 13. Alongside the album announcement, the band has shared a brand-new single titled "Dominate," accompanied by a music video directed by Heavenly Tedious. This follows their July comeback single, "Commemorative Plaque," which marked their first official new release in a decade and signaled to fans that the critically acclaimed group was finally stepping back into the musical fold.

The new single "Dominate" arrives with a distinct thematic weight, drawing on singer and bassist Jonah Furman’s reflections on growing up during a specific cultural era. In an official press release accompanying the announcement, Furman elaborated on the inspiration behind the track, describing it as a song about growing up in the 1990s and 2000s in the heart of the empire, examining the underlying violence of wanting to win, and analyzing how society teaches children to desire dominance over others. He pointed to a United States television culture characterized by gladiator-like spectacles of rule by power. According to Furman, the track serves as a multifaceted meditation, touching on themes of war, basketball, and childhood experiences, all woven together through the unique sonic lens that Krill has cultivated since their inception.

To celebrate the upcoming release of Secret Language, Krill has lined up a series of high-profile headline shows in major cities including Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia. In addition to these intimate headline performances, the band is scheduled to appear at Some Fest in Maine, giving longtime devotees and newer listeners alike multiple opportunities to experience the newly reunited group live on stage. These upcoming dates build on the momentum of their initial reunion activities, which initially brought the band back together after an absence that began when they officially parted ways in 2015.

The road to this ten-year milestone has been defined by a series of gradual steps and unexpected creative turns. When Krill originally disbanded in 2015—following the release of their acclaimed album A Distant Fist Unclenching and an accompanying companion EP—it felt to many fans like a definitive conclusion to a beloved underground project. In the years that followed, however, the members occasionally crossed paths and maintained their creative footprints. They played a pair of reunion shows, reissued their celebrated debut record, and even released a 2020 album under the moniker Knot.

Looking back, the band now treats that 2020 Knot release retroactively as a true Krill album, explaining simply, "because it’s easier that way." The formal realization of the Krill reunion came about organically when fellow indie act Ovlov invited them to open a show in Chicago. That invitation sparked the creative spark necessary to get the engine running again. Furman enlisted longtime Krill drummer Ian Becker and guitarist Andrew Clinkman to re-establish the core musical chemistry. To help shape the sound of the new material, they brought in Seth Engel of the project Patter to produce and engineer the album, capturing the raw yet intricate energy that defined the group’s early output while pushing their sonic boundaries forward.

The recording sessions for Secret Language also feature a wealth of guest contributions from across the vibrant independent music community, adding rich instrumental textures to the band’s core guitar-bass-drums dynamic. Among the notable guest musicians appearing on the LP are Finom violinist Macie Stewart, collective Tredici Bacci, Fran’s Maria Jacobson, and Trigger saxophonist Will Greene. These collaborations promise to expand the stylistic palette of the album, bridging the gap between Krill’s signature angular indie rock and a more expansive, textured ensemble sound.

The complete tracklist for Secret Language has also been revealed, outlining a nine-song journey that maps out the band’s latest artistic chapter. The album opens with "Porch," followed by the newly released single "Dominate" and the previously unveiled comeback track "Commemorative Plaque." The sequence continues with "Driving," "Snails," "Hawaii," "Karst Fenster," the title track "Secret Language," and concludes with "Theme From Krill 2." As November 13 approaches, anticipation continues to build around how one of underground indie rock’s most distinct and idiosyncratic voices will re-engage with the musical landscape after a ten-year absence.