This first year out of a double-decker pandemic slumber has been anything but quiet for our little trio of musk oxen. In fact it’s been one of the busiest years of Sontag Shogun’s lifetime; and there’s much more to come…

Let’s take a moment to revisit the highlights of a half-year gone and give you a little preview of what’s to come later this year and beyond. Thanks so much to everyone who has supported us, come to see us perform, and helped us grow — we couldn’t do any of this without y’all!

Flutter & Scrape

In January, we emerged with a recorded work re-engaging with some of the room-based sonic practices that informed our 2017 record Patterns for Resonant Space. Only this time, we laid out objects and instruments around a room, with 10 microphones capturing everything linearly and spatially, and improvised some music and soundscapes within. Thanks to the incredible curatorial team at Flag Day Recordings for issuing Flutter & Scrape on CD.

“Lament” (Live-Ish from Home)

Later in January, we got together virtually to reconstruct a live video version of one of our oldest pieces, “Lament” from our respective homes in New York, Los Angeles, and Montreal, using rakes, rocks, tape loops, voice, and oh yeah that wooden instrument with the white and black thingies, what’s that called again?

A Remix for Haco

In March we were invited by our dear friend and collaborator, Haco, to contribute to a full album of remixes of her spectacular record, Nova Naturo, alongside artists like

Valo Siroutuu with Lau Nau

In April we launched one of the most widely-acclaimed records we’ve ever done (and the most fun!), with our Finnish collaborator, the undeniable musical genius, Lau Nau. The album is called Valo Siroutuu (“The Light Scatters”), and it came out on vinyl LP (via Beacon Sound), on a limited edition CD (via the Japanese label Ricco Label), and in art book form.

*Foxy Digitalis* called it “one of the year’s most enchanting collaborative records..”

We Played Inside Trees & Flowers in NYC

On Air at The Lot Radio with Youngbloods

In April, Jesse reunited with our homies from our former label, Youngbloods, in a two-hour DJ set on Brooklyn’s The Lot Radio featuring tracks from us, our friends, and our influences.

We Nailed the Road

To launch Valo Siroutuu in proper, we three numbskulls met up with Lau Nau for a few dates on the US West Coast in May. And then we ventured off into the desert and into the redwoods to play some more shows as a trio. We had an absolute blast, wrote some new music, and peed in the forest a bunch.

Sontag Shogun x Lau Nau live at Aladdin Theater on May 15th, 2022.

Stay tuned, we’ll be sharing some live videos soon!

And Then…Jeremy Released an Album & had his own Tour

As if two tours at once wasn’t enough, Jeremy went back out on the road three days after Sontag tour ended, traversing the mayonaise-and-dill-scented roads of The Baltic States, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, in support of his recently released album, August Tape Sketches out on Meakusma.

Looking Ahead // Late 2022 & Beyond

Expect a Thom Yorke Cover Soon…

Sontag is currently working on a forthcoming cover version of Thom Yorke’s “Dawn Chorus” — a staple of our live shows throughout 2019. Expect a single release in the near future!

Listen to our live version of this song from Casa Del Popolo in Montreal.

We’re Heading Back to Japan!

Catch us in the land of the rising sashimi this coming October! Here’s a look at our tour dates, a more official announcement will follow soon enough:

OCT 7 - Kobe

at Guggenheim House, with Haco

OCT 9 - Nara

at sun + moon + star, with Haco

OCT 10 - Shiga

at Shuyukan

OCT 12 - Nagoya

at KD Japon (K.Dハポン-空き地-), with Tsutui Kyoko, Usui Yasuhiro, & Ikeda Yusuke

OCT 13 - Kanazawa

at Shirasagi Art 白鷺美術

OCT 14 - Tokyo

at HIGH Koenji, with Anoice

OCT 15 - Niigata

at Experimental Rooms, with Haco

OCT 16 - Tokyo

at Atelier Fluss, with Yuki Murata

2023 Touring

With invites from The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska, PT.FWD in Bloomington, Indiana, The Trillium Salon Series in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and more to present new work, we’re looking to be back on the road domestically in 2023 starting in March.

We’ll share those dates with you soon, we promise.
Hope you’re having a great year — we know we are! Bye for now,

Jeremy, Jesse, & Ian