(Lo and Behold)
MASSIF’S ARTISTS
SLOW DAKOTA
Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, PJ Sauerteig began performing music as Slow Dakota in 2012. After a series of early experimental releases, Sauerteig first found critical acclaim with the sprawling art rock 2016 LP, "The Ascension of Slow Dakota." As a musician, Sauerteig is reclusive is a reclusive performer, and has never toured. Even as he matriculated to NYU for law school, Slow Dakota continued releasing new music—most recently, the haunting single, “Taming Horses at Night,” featuring Margaux. In 2022, Sauerteig scored his first feature-length film—Adam Christian-Clark’s indie espionage thriller, "Diary of a Spy" (XYZ Films). Sauerteig lives and works in Chicago.
PROUD FATHER
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Brendan-Chamberlain Simon began recording music as "Proud Father" as early as 2014—when he and PJ Sauerteig (Slow Dakota) were both students at Columbia University. Simon went on to work for NASA, where he became responsible for "driving" the Mars Rover across the surface of Mars—the inspiration for his debut studio LP, "The View of Earth from Mars," released by Massif Records in July, 2022. Publications like Rolling Stone and American Songwriter were quick to hail Proud Father's "remarkable interstellar album” “spanning eight tracks of cosmic indie rock.” Proud Father currently lives in Los Angeles, and released a heartwarming cover of “Our House” with Hot Moms Club in 2022.
MARGAUX
Originally from Seattle, Washington, Margaux Bouchegnies began performing under the name “Margaux” in 2018. Massif Records released her debut EP, "More Brilliant is the Hand that Throws the Coin," in November 2019. Pitchfork and others praised the "uncannily wise and self-assured" debut, and the 20-year-old Margaux was booked to play Pitchfork Fest that summer. Since then, Margaux has cut her teeth on the road playing with groups like Sedona, Closeby, and the Morningsiders. In early 2023, Massif and Margaux released a couplet of two new singles (“Everlasting Snow” and “Maple’s Loom”) heavily inspired by the work of Emily Dickinson. Margaux currently resides in New York.
NAMEN NAMEN
Hailing from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Namen Namen is a four-piece garage punk band consisting of twins Dylan (vocals) and Ron (drums) and lovers Kellen (guitar) and Zara (bass). After forming in 2020, the group developed a devoted Midwest following through frenetic live shows and early lo-fi releases. Massif Records released the band's debut studio EP in April 2022: “Namen Namen” is a six-song blitz straddling pop hooks with distorted garage oblivion. With their cheeky, handmade merch in tow, the band embarked on its first nationwide US tour in Summer 2022. The four band members are currently pursuing a variety of side projects within the vibrant Northeast Indiana underground community (including Phone Home and Uncle Muscle).