So I’m sure you’re wondering: Who or what is a MONAKR? Well, first press play. Then come back and read the description. I’ll wait.
So here’s the skinny on this familiar yet unfamiliar sounding troop, mysteriously known as MONAKR:
Chicago’s M O N A K R was born from such a notion in the grey of Winter 2014. It is a collaboration featuring Saam Hagshenas and Jonathan Marks of Hey Champ, two time Grammy-nominated vocalist Matthew Santos, and Dan Brunelle of Gemini Club.
Now that’s a bit of a supergroup, no? I think it would qualify. Well, this is second release off their upcoming Calling Out EP, which is scheduled to impact on June 16th. Want to learn the full backstory on the group? Well, hit the jump to check that out as well as checking out the album title track “Calling Out.”
Hagshenas had often approached Santos, who sang the hook of Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar,” about lending his voice to a Hey Champ production, but the timing and music was never right until 2014, when Hagshenas wrote “Diamond” after losing his uncle to cancer. Santos added his vocal flair to the track, and the result led the two to decide this project should live beyond a single song.
Drummer and co-producer Marks was then tapped to lend his talents to the group. Finally they approached Brunelle, whose band Gemini Club had shared remixes and stages with Hey Champ for years. A lineup complete, the band born of whispers came to light.