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Two-time Polaris Prize nominee Zoon (Zoongide’ewin), the musical project fronted by songwriter Daniel Monkman, has returned with a captivating remix of their single “Astum” (ft. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson) from artist and producer Yonatan Gat.
As Monkman wrote of the new remix: “I had the privilege of connecting with Yonatan and the Stone Tapes crew over the last few years, getting together with other indigenous artists has been a dream of mine, I’m truly grateful for the work that Stone Tapes has done to lift up indigenous voices. Yonatan is a force and when he got excited about astum and remixing I knew that it was going to be something special.”
In 2023, the first version of “Astum” (ft. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson) reached #1 at CBC3, #3 on the Indigenous Music Countdown, and received ‘Best of the Year’ mentions from CBCMusic & Exclaim.
The album from which “Astum” originates, Zoon’s critically received 2022 release Big Pharma EP, is an astonishing sonic landscape that surprises and transports listeners. On the project, Monkman collaborated with Polaris Music Prize inaugural winner Owen Pallett to compose sweeping string arrangements. Grammy nominated Michael Peter Olsen played on the new record, as did Zoon’s drummer Andrew McLeod (Sunnsetter). Grammy Award winning Mark Lawson mixed the album, and in a burst of creative collaboration, Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo played on album track “Niizh Manidoowig (2 Spirit).”
The record’s release led to recent support dates with The Zombies, The Rural Alberta Advantage and Jeremy Dutcher with the album reaching #1 on both the earshot and NACC Canada charts and #30 at NACC 200. The record (as well as singles “A Language Disappears,” “Manitou,” “Gaagige,” and “Dodem”) received press support from Pitchfork (7.7), NY Times, NPR (All Songs Considered), KEXP, CBC Q, All Music (4 stars), Globe & Mail, Exclaim! (9/10).
Stay tuned for more from Zoon, coming soon.
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