EPK
Bio
Shadow Animal is the musical alter ego of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Christopher Ryan.
Shadow Animal creates genre-agnostic music that explores the relationship between hope and hardship. His eclectic sound may be considered along the lines of indie-rock, neo-folk, or singer-songwriter. However, Shadow Animal incorporates multiple genre influences including ska, jazz, hip hop, blues rock, and spoken word. Shadow Animal simply cannot be placed into a box. The project's debut full length album, Dreams We Build, was released in October of 2025.
Christopher's music has been played on radio stations worldwide. In 2019 he was selected as an Artist in Residence at the Atlantic Center for the Arts where he worked with Grammy Award winner Larry Mitchell. In 2021, Christopher took second place in the COMBO Songwriting Contest. In 2022 he was a Showcase Finalist in the Rocky Mountain Songwriting Contest. In 2025, his "Distant Diamonds" music video won the Best Music Video award at three international film festivals. (Cine Sepia Reels Carnival, Dreamz Catcher International Film Festival, Indie Cine Tube Awards)
His 2025 album, Dreams We Build, was recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Andrew Berlin (Gregory Alan Isakov, Rise Against) and mastered by Latin Grammy winner Jason Livermore (Molotov).
Music
Press Quotes
[T]he lyrical depth and the performance presents itself as a necessary and deeply purging listen...This album is music, true music, and poetry, true poetry, and taken all together is a pleasure.
-Americana Highways | October 16, 2025
The production values are meticulous, highlighting Shadow Animal’s ability to create clarity and warmth even within a sparse arrangement. Each instrument feels alive within the mix, serving the emotion rather than showing off technicality...“Swing For The Fences” stands as a masterclass in emotional storytelling through minimalism. Its power lies not in grandeur but in honesty, in the way it merges spoken vulnerability with melodic grace.
-Rockermag | JOctober 29, 2025
The [Another Night] EP effortlessly rides that indie rock/singer-songwriter line with cinematic guitar layers, heartfelt vocals, and just enough spoken word texture to feel intimate without dragging you into over-styled territory. [...] All in all, Another Night feels honest, fully formed, and more “soundtrack to your real life” than anything else on my indie radar right now. Highly recommend giving it a few spins and stashing it in your regular rotation.
Shadow Animal returns with Another Night, a striking new EP that showcases...refined indie rock sensibilities through detailed arrangements and marvelously executed performances. Released on May 9th, the EP offers a rich listening experience filled with cinematic textures, intricate guitar work, and emotionally resonant lyricism.
-Thoughts Words Actions | May 29, 2025
A brand new single release from Shadow Animal delivers such a unique honesty and perspective with a very relatable sentiment… “Everybody Wants" has an amazing build to it. It feels alive and breathing in its arrangement, and the array of instrumentation is part of what makes it feel theatrical and cinematic… This is the kind of track you think about hours after it's ended, and you may just have to go back and listen again to satiate that feeling.
-The Sounds Won’t Stop | March 21, 2025
The vocal delivery is one of the song’s strongest features, sounding passionate and filled with a kind of desperate sincerity. Each word feels like it is delivered with every ounce of the singer’s strength, as though there is no guarantee of another chance to speak...Shadow Animal demonstrates here a capacity for combining intensity and vulnerability in a way that is compelling and honest.
-Rockermag | September 16, 2025
Between suspended moments and frenetic rides with almost tribal rhythms, a deep singing accompanies us through soundscapes that are at times rarefied and melancholic, at times more rhythmic, at times excited and impetuous, in an up and down of moods, "Everybody Wants" is the new song by Shadow Animal that presents itself as a very short suite of only 2:38
--QALT Media, 2025
Notable Venues and Performances
Globe Hall • Larimer Lounge • Hard Rock Cafe Denver • Broadway Roxy • Black Rose Acoustic Society • Atlantic Center for the Arts• King Performing Art Center • Swallow Hill • Sie Film Center • One Month Festival • Rocky Mountain Loopfest • Sunshine Studios Live • Dickens Opera House
