I was going to slap together a review of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey for today, but yours portly and Dr. Wife have been pretty busy getting stuff done around the house. Instead, I wanted to share the press release I sent to the local paper for my upcoming release, Koi Dance.
As readers know, I’m never one to let content go to waste. Why not recycle/reduce/reuse content to save myself some trouble? Well, that’s what I’m doing here. But I also really, really want to get the word out about this release, because I sincerely believe it’s some of my best work.
The album releases this Friday, 7 August 2026, on all streaming platforms and at https://tjcookmusic.bandcamp.com. It’s 90% off (!) with promo code koipond. That means it’s basically $1 for twelve tracks of great music (that promo code is also good for everything on the site).
Now, on to my corporate-ese press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Tyler James Cook – tyler@theportlypolitico.com
https://tjcookmusic.bandcamp.com
Newcomer Releases Koi-Inspired Album: Koi Dance
What: Pee Dee musician and [Town] newcomer Tyler James Cook releases an album inspired by the aquatic denizens of a koi pond, Koi Dance.
When: Friday, 7 August 2026, on all streaming platforms and at tjcookmusic.bandcamp.com.
Cost: Free on all streaming platforms with subscription; 90% of at tjcookmusic.bandcamp.com with promo code koipond.
Musician, composer, educator, writer, and koi-keeper Tyler James Cook is proud to announce the release of his twelve-track instrumental album Koi Dance.
Koi Dance, a labor of love composed over the course of 2026, is a programmatic musical journey through a backyard koi pond, with each of the aquatic creatures showing up for their visit to the pond, from the majestic koi to the tiny rosy red minnows to the meditative snails (naturally, the stately “Japanese Trapdoor Snails” show up last, but they bring a party with them). Even a goofy “Sturgeon” shows up from the river to join the festivities.
After the creatures assemble, the “Pond Ball” commences, and the fish and snails enjoy the “Moonlight Shimmer” across the pond’s surface. As the night wears on, the aquatic friends turn contemplative, pondering God’s Glory.
Finally, the koi, the minnows, the snails, and the loaches settle down (and the sturgeon heads home) as the sun rises.
Cook and his wife moved to [Town] earlier this year. The home they purchased had an active koi pond. The fish immediately inspired Cook creatively, and he has taken a great interest in their care and feeding. Since obtaining the pond, he has added thirty rosy red minnows (who have had multiple “fry,” or babies), three weather loaches, some Ramshorn snails, and nearly sixty Japanese Trapdoor Snails.
Cook composed the music initially on manuscript paper, then added instrumentation in the music composition Noteflight, before mixing the pieces in Audacity. The music ranges from classical- and Romantic-era-inspired pieces (“Koi Dance,” “Pond Ball”) to playful musical experiments (“Rosy Reds,” “Snail Drop”) to religious meditations (“Ashes on the Water,” “Aquatic Geometry”).
“The title track, ‘Koi Dance,’ is–with all humility–one of my best works,” Cook noted. “It draws inspiration from Czech Romantic composer Bedřich Smetana’s ‘The Moldau‘; that piece also features a flowing theme that depicts the movement of water.”
“Overall, I am very pleased with this work, and I am eager to share it with the world. Even if you don’t like fish, you’ll find something to love on Koi Dance.”
Koi Dance will be available on all major streaming platforms, like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc., on Friday, August 7, 2026. It is also available for purchase as a high-quality digital download from Cook’s Bandcamp page, tjcookmusic.bandcamp.com, for 90% off with promo code koipond. The digital download includes full PDF manuscripts of every piece, as well as original artwork for each track.
“[Town] really made this album possible,” Cook said. “Something about those koi really sparked my creative juices. God’s Creation is wonderful, and it is a privilege to be a steward of one small part of it.”
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