MNISOTA is a Toronto, CA based, ambient experimental/rock/electronic textured collective. An amalgam of musicians, producers and filmmakers, MNISOTA, can be found at the intersection of art and enterprise, reality and contradiction. Comprised of core musicians – Damien Smith, Dave Guenette, Fayola Leach (NON) and Josh Hansen, the group defines their unique sound as collectively achieved through collaboration and creative blending.
MNISOTA’s debut LP, ‘Memory Is Muddy Vol 1′, is a world soundtrack that transcends time, location and genre. Layers of past, present and future are captured in sound evoking human vulnerability, metropolitan anxiety and organic vastness. A myriad of unlike vibrations finding common ground and existing in a familiar, but alien world. MNISOTA leads the listener through a future landscape where past perils are manifested into creativity and re-birth; without restrictions, rules and limitations. A changing of guard without the war.
MNISOTA’s debut EP, “S/T” (2017) showcased vast soundscapes fused with eclectic melodies and unique instrumentation. Its list of guest performers include acclaimed, South-African/Canadian, Zaki Ibrahim and Juno award nominee, Tanika Charles on feature track, Sound That Nothing Made – a pulsing, hauntingly beautiful song that builds tensions within a linear motif, lead by Ibrahim and backed with the soulful textures of Charles. Pirates Blend alumni, Michael Rault, (Wick Records/Daptones), lending his signature voice on No Hurry – a trudging, half-time feel 6/8. And legendary poet/actor/musician, Saul Williams, featured on the six minute long closing track, The Farm – an apocalyptic drone, narrated by Williams’ poetry, accompanied by the soaring, cinematic vocals of Ibrahim. Tracks found their way on to the silver screen with film placements including The Farm in Anisia Uzeyman’s 2016 feature length film, DREAMSTATES (2016), Palace Arms in Charles Officer’s short sci-fi drama, The Truth About Rainbows, and 16v8 in Officer’s produced short drama, 100 Musicians.