Sen Morimoto release surprise EP 'BONK!'
SEN MORIMOTO
RELEASES SURPRISE EP
BONK!
LISTEN HERE
Chicago artist Sen Morimoto has released a surprise EP, BONK! via City Slang & Sooper Records, a collection of outtakes from his brilliant 2023 album Diagnosis. The five song EP also includes a live from WXPN version of Diagnosis, the title track of the 2023 album. Sen notes of the release:
“Tasked with creating a radio friendly version of the title track to Diagnosis, I wound up censoring the only expletive on the whole album with the sound of a frying pan (the kind you might hear in an episode of Tom & Jerry). BONK! (the cops, the banks, the legislature) is a collection of songs from the Diagnosis sessions that didn’t make the final track list. I think I needed to tour the record and get to understand the album in another context to finish these. The final track on the EP is a live take from our radio session at WXPN in Philly. What joy it brought me to finally belt “Fuck the cops, the banks, the legislature” on the radio. The live take features my touring band: Ryan Person, Kaina Castillo, Kurt Shelby and Elijah Bradford.”
Released November 3rd, 2023 Diagnosis marked a fundamental shift both sonically and thematically for Morimoto. Exploring a wide range of genres and musical influences— alternative pop, dark rock, bright jazzy-infused pop, glistening orchestral soundscapes, and even subdued singer-songwriter sounds are detectable within the musical revelation of the album. The topical shift also brought exploration of childhood, American identity, nostalgia, and the insidious nature of late-stage capitalism— a notable change from his previous introspective works such as his 2018 debut Cannonball! and the 2021 self-titled follow-up. The release saw praise and support form the like of The New York Times, Pitchfork, NPR, i-D Magazine, FADER, and many more.
Watch the video to EP track ‘American TV’ below
Sen will be touring the East Coast this summer in support of Diagnosis. Kicking off 20 June in Milwaukee, the 14-date excursion will make stops in DC, Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, Detroit, and more (full dates below) before wrapping up 7 July in Paw Paw, MI. Tickets for the tour are on sale now and can be found HERE.