Oganesson (Remixes)

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Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

Collaborators and friends from Tortoise's lengthy and illustrious career give their unique takes on the band's 2025 single “Oganesson"—the first new Tortoise offering since 2016, foreshadowing a larger body of work to come—on Oganesson (Remixes): poet and activist Saul Williams, renowned mastering engineer Heba Kadry, The Black Keys' Patrick Carney, indie heavyweights Broken Social Scene, and percussionist, producer, and composer Makaya McCraven.

Description

Tortoise has released Oganesson Remixes, an EP containing five remixes of their recently-released single “Oganesson.” The EP was released June 24 on all digital music platforms, and on vinyl September 5. 

The Oganesson Remixes EP follows the March 2025 release of the “Oganesson” digital single, which was the first new music released by Tortoise since 2016. The EP includes the original version of “Oganesson” alongside five new remixes of the track created by collaborators and friends of the band, including poet and activist Saul Williams, prolific mastering engineer Heba Kadry, The Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, indie music icons Broken Social Scene, and percussionist, producer, and composer Makaya McCraven. The Oganesson Remixes EP comes ahead of a new album by Tortoise, which will be released this fall via International Anthem and Nonesuch Records.

Tortoise is widely considered one of the most influential music groups of the last 40 years, with a wide-reaching impact on the contemporary music scene. Pitchfork says: “Imagine a graphic showing all the bands the five members of Tortoise were in before they came together and then all the bands they went on to play with after. At the top of the funnel you have groups ranging from dreamy psych-rock to earthy post-punk crunch, including Eleventh Dream Day, Bastro, Slint, and the Poster Children; on the 'post-Tortoise' end are groups focusing on electro-jazz and twangy instrumental rock like Isotope 217, Chicago Underground, and Brokeback. In this graphic, Tortoise is the choke point, the one project that has elements of all these sounds but is never defined by nor committed to any of them. Instead, Tortoise floats free, a planchette moving over a Ouija board guided by 10 sets of fingers, where everyone watches the arrow float in one direction but no one is quite sure how it gets there or who is doing the pushing.”

The band, originally formed in Chicago, comprises Jeff Parker, Dan Bitney, Douglas McCombs, John Herndon, and John McEntire.

Initially hailed as pace-setters of the then-emerging, so-called “post-rock” sound, the Chicago Tribune called Tortoise’s sound “mood music that refuses to be shoved into the background, as inviting as it is challenging.” Releasing just seven albums since 1990—including classics like 1996’s Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1998’s TNT, and 2001’s Standards—Tortoise has steadily and intuitively evolved across its life, creating genreless music that is as timeless as it is ahead of the curve.

The band’s legacy goes beyond its recorded output, as well. Per the New York Times: “While Tortoise's albums have experimented with the editing and overdubbing possibilities of the studio, the band thrives performing in real time.” Rolling Stone deems Tortoise “a live marvel,” while Pitchfork further says the band’s performances reveal that “at heart, they’re a supremely fun band, wide open to all sorts of sonic possibilities.”

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Tortoise
Engineered by John McEntire 
Recorded at 64 Sound, Los Angeles, CA, on Feb 3-10, 2024, Electrical Audio, Chicago, IL on August 25-30 2025, Soma Electronic Music Studios, Gladstone, OR, Feb 18-22 2025
Mixed by John McEntires at Soma Electronic Music Studios, Gladstone, OR
Mastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters, Los Angeles CA

Written by Jeffrey Lawrence Parker, John McEntire, Daniel John Bitney, Douglas Andrew McCombs, John Herndon, Saul Williams (2),

Album Status
Artist Name
Tortoise
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Jeff Parker, guitar (1-6)
Dan Bitney, synthesizers (1-6)
Douglas McCombs, bass (1-6)
John Herndon, percussion, electronic percussion (1-6)
John McEntire, drums (1-6)
Saul Williams, remixer vocals (2)
Heba Kadry, remixer (3)
Patrick Carney, remixer (4)
Broken Social Scene, remixer (5)
Makaya McCraven, remixer (6)
 

reissues?
new-release
Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
96/24 HD FLAC
Price
6.00
UPC
075597895209
Slug
oganesson-remixes-hd-flac-ep-44-1khz-24bit
Label
MP3
Price
5.00
UPC
075597895216
Slug
oganesson-remixes-mp3-ep
Label
LP+MP3
Price
17.00
UPC
075597895179
Slug
oganesson-remixes-vinyl-ep-mp3-bundle

News & Reviews

  • Dan Bitney of Tortoise, whose first new album since 2016, Touch, was released on International Anthem / Nonesuch Records last fall, stopped by for the Nonesuch Selects video series, in which artists visit the Nonesuch office, pick some of their favorite albums from the music library, and share a few words on their choices. He chose recordings from Jeff Parker; Hurray for the Riff Raff; Cécile McLorin Salvant; Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, and Brian Blade; Nonesuch Explorer Series; Hamza El Din; and Kronos Quartet and Terry Riley. And you can get all of Dan Bitney's Nonesuch Selects for 25% off the everyday low prices in the Nonesuch Store here through Sunday!

  • Touch, Tortoise's first new album since 2016, is now on all streaming platforms, following its recent vinyl and CD release. The band has also shared an animated video, by Selina Trepp, for the album track "Rated OG." Tortoise will perform with the Chicago Philharmonic at The Auditorium in Chicago tonight and has a three-night stand at NYC's Bowery Ballroom this weekend.

     

  • About This Album

    Tortoise has released Oganesson Remixes, an EP containing five remixes of their recently-released single “Oganesson.” The EP was released June 24 on all digital music platforms, and on vinyl September 5. 

    The Oganesson Remixes EP follows the March 2025 release of the “Oganesson” digital single, which was the first new music released by Tortoise since 2016. The EP includes the original version of “Oganesson” alongside five new remixes of the track created by collaborators and friends of the band, including poet and activist Saul Williams, prolific mastering engineer Heba Kadry, The Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, indie music icons Broken Social Scene, and percussionist, producer, and composer Makaya McCraven. The Oganesson Remixes EP comes ahead of a new album by Tortoise, which will be released this fall via International Anthem and Nonesuch Records.

    Tortoise is widely considered one of the most influential music groups of the last 40 years, with a wide-reaching impact on the contemporary music scene. Pitchfork says: “Imagine a graphic showing all the bands the five members of Tortoise were in before they came together and then all the bands they went on to play with after. At the top of the funnel you have groups ranging from dreamy psych-rock to earthy post-punk crunch, including Eleventh Dream Day, Bastro, Slint, and the Poster Children; on the 'post-Tortoise' end are groups focusing on electro-jazz and twangy instrumental rock like Isotope 217, Chicago Underground, and Brokeback. In this graphic, Tortoise is the choke point, the one project that has elements of all these sounds but is never defined by nor committed to any of them. Instead, Tortoise floats free, a planchette moving over a Ouija board guided by 10 sets of fingers, where everyone watches the arrow float in one direction but no one is quite sure how it gets there or who is doing the pushing.”

    The band, originally formed in Chicago, comprises Jeff Parker, Dan Bitney, Douglas McCombs, John Herndon, and John McEntire.

    Initially hailed as pace-setters of the then-emerging, so-called “post-rock” sound, the Chicago Tribune called Tortoise’s sound “mood music that refuses to be shoved into the background, as inviting as it is challenging.” Releasing just seven albums since 1990—including classics like 1996’s Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1998’s TNT, and 2001’s Standards—Tortoise has steadily and intuitively evolved across its life, creating genreless music that is as timeless as it is ahead of the curve.

    The band’s legacy goes beyond its recorded output, as well. Per the New York Times: “While Tortoise's albums have experimented with the editing and overdubbing possibilities of the studio, the band thrives performing in real time.” Rolling Stone deems Tortoise “a live marvel,” while Pitchfork further says the band’s performances reveal that “at heart, they’re a supremely fun band, wide open to all sorts of sonic possibilities.”

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Jeff Parker, guitar (1-6)
    Dan Bitney, synthesizers (1-6)
    Douglas McCombs, bass (1-6)
    John Herndon, percussion, electronic percussion (1-6)
    John McEntire, drums (1-6)
    Saul Williams, remixer vocals (2)
    Heba Kadry, remixer (3)
    Patrick Carney, remixer (4)
    Broken Social Scene, remixer (5)
    Makaya McCraven, remixer (6)
     

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Tortoise
    Engineered by John McEntire 
    Recorded at 64 Sound, Los Angeles, CA, on Feb 3-10, 2024, Electrical Audio, Chicago, IL on August 25-30 2025, Soma Electronic Music Studios, Gladstone, OR, Feb 18-22 2025
    Mixed by John McEntires at Soma Electronic Music Studios, Gladstone, OR
    Mastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters, Los Angeles CA

    Written by Jeffrey Lawrence Parker, John McEntire, Daniel John Bitney, Douglas Andrew McCombs, John Herndon, Saul Williams (2),

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