SLOW BURN Ogimaa
Zoon on Taking Care, a Real and the life-altering influence of A Tribe Called Red and Beck
IN ANY OTHER YEAR, ZOON’S DANIEL MONKMAN would likely have spent the months surrounding their acclaimed debut album, Bleached Wavves, on the road. This was in 2020, however, and Monkman was stuck at home in lockdown, looking inward. This time of introspection yielded sophomore album Bekka Ma’iingan, a sonically swooning LP full of spacious new age soundscapes, ascendant strings composed by Owen Pallett, six-string abstractions from Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and occasional moments of fuzz-drenched shoegaze.
“Bekka” is the Ojibway word for “slow down,” a direct reference to how they spent that year, while “Ma’iingan” translates as “wolf” and is an expression of self-identity, as Monkman learned at their father’s funeral that they belong to the Wolf Clan. “This album was just about reflection,” Monkman says.
What has been your most memorable or inspirational concert and why?
I saw A Tribe Called Red play in 2017 at Echo Beach, just before I decided to start doing music as a career. I had been to powwows, but not an electric powwow. Something about that — well, actually, a lot about that — was really inspiring and made me feel like I could do it, too.
I would say Adam Sturgeon. Adam is not only such a great songwriter, but also is a knowledge keeper, and a true what we call ogimaa, which means leader. He’s been at it for a long time, and he doesn’t make very accessible music, but he’s stayed true to it for a while. I feel like now, more than ever, his music is just really important.
What advice should you have taken, but did not?
I think, early on, I should have maybe stopped playing music when I was more under the influence. It put a hold on a lot of growing that should have happened, but, instead, I thought I’d be okay. Now that I’m in healing, whenever I see an artist struggling, I’m always like, “Hey, music isn’t everything. You have to take care of yourself.” It’s a lot of sacrifice to make that decision, but you’re always rewarded.
What do you think of when you think of Canada?
When I think of Canada, because I’m First Nations, I think of broken treaties. But I also think of beautiful lakes.
What’s the meanest thing anyone has ever said about your art?
There was this guy named Michael Barclay, this author, who just absolutely hated my debut album. He said that the title track made him feel sick. I actually find that so good, and I can’t wait to meet him one day. I want people to be honest, and if that’s him being honest, that’s great.
What has been your strangest celebrity encounter?
One time, when recording the OMBIIGIZI album [at the Tragically Hip’s Bathouse Recording Studio], Gord Downie’s wife [Kaya Usher] showed up and showed us how to tread water in the pool. We just treaded water in the pool and then played basketball. I think that was the weirdest one, because I just didn’t expect any of that.
Who’s a Canadian musician that should be more famous?
What is the greatest song of all time?
I really like that song “Loser” by Beck. I was into the Beach Boys, and I could have named a couple of Brian Wilson songs [as the greatest]. Brian Wilson spent millions of dollars recording some of those, but when I heard Mellow Gold, I realized that [Beck] made that album for next to nothing.