Geologist Honors Iconic Venue with Experimental Solo Album

In October 2025, Geologist, a member of the acclaimed band Animal Collective, has released a new solo album titled "Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights?" The album's lead single, "Tonic," is named in honor of a Keiji Haino show Geologist attended at the now-closed Tonic music venue in New York.

Geologist's musical journey has been shaped by his early love for guitar-based music, though he admits he was never able to play as well as his favorite artists. A couple of years ago, while trying to develop a solo hurdy-gurdy drone set for tour, Geologist was inspired by a story about Greg Ginn playing guitar solos over a drum machine. This led Geologist to embrace the hurdy-gurdy as his primary instrument, which he felt brought him closer to the sound he admired in Keiji Haino's performances at Tonic.

Geologist's new album features contributions from his Animal Collective bandmate David "Avey Tare" Portner, as well as drummer Alianna Kalaba and several other musicians. The album's eclectic sound reflects Geologist's experimentation with the hurdy-gurdy and his desire to create a unique sonic experience inspired by the legacy of the Tonic venue.