Moon King

{{Short description|Canadian musical artist}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Moon King

| image =

| caption = Moon King performing at

| origin = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| genre = Synth-pop, electronic pop, dream pop, indie rock

| years_active = {{Start date|df=yes|2012}}–present

| label = Arbutus Records

}}

Moon King is the synth-pop project of Canadian songwriter and producer Daniel Benjamin.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2015/04/13/the-secret-is-out-on-moon-kings-secret-life.html|title=The secret is out on Moon King's Secret Life|date=13 April 2015|work=thestar.com}}

Moon King's music has been described as dream pop, electronic pop or indie rock.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/videos/watch/dream-pop-pair-moon-king-wander-toronto-in-their-v|title=Dream-Pop Pair Moon King Wander Toronto In Their Video For 'Impossible|work=nme.com}} Recently the project's sound has shifted to include disco, synthpop and house music.{{cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/music/features/moon-king-s-disco-revelation/|title=Moon King's disco revelation|date=1 August 2017|work=nowtoronto.com}}

Daniel was born in Toronto, Canada, and as a teen was involved in the city's DIY music community, playing in numerous bands and organizing events including several all-night concerts at a circus rehearsal warehouse, and on the Toronto Islands.{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/spiral_beach_bounce_ball_overseas|title=Spiral Beach Bounce Ball Overseas|work=Exclaim.ca}}

In the early 2010s he became closely affiliated with Montreal label Arbutus Records, and began frequently performing as a touring musician with Grimes,{{cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/music/grimes-2011-06-19/|title=Grimes|work=NOW Toronto Magazine - Think Free}} Sean Nicholas Savage and Doldrums, while beginning to write and produce his own music.{{cite web|url=http://www.chartattack.com/news/tracks-news/2015/01/13/now-hear-moonking-doldrums-woodhead-purityring/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150606224049/http://www.chartattack.com/news/tracks-news/2015/01/13/now-hear-moonking-doldrums-woodhead-purityring/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 6, 2015|title=NOW HEAR THIS: Huge new tunes from brother bands Moon King and Doldrums|work=Chart Attack|date=29 September 2023 }}

Fucked Up guitarist Mike Haliechuk released two early 12" EPs, Obsession I and Obsession II, on his label One Big Silence.{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2013/04/moon-king-oblivion-ii-ep-stream-one-big-silence/|title=Hear Moon King's Shimmering, Sharp-Edged 'Obsession II' Record Store Day EP|work=Spin}} Performing live with guitarist and vocalist Maddy Wilde, as well as a rotating cast of backup musicians, Moon King toured heavily from 2013-2015, supporting artists including Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Austra, TOPS, Majical Cloudz, Mr Twin Sister and Alvvays,[http://lastgangentertainment.com/blog/records/2014/moon-king-signs-to-last-gang-records-debut-lp-out-in-2015-announce-world-tour-w-alvvays/]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://www.thefourohfive.com/music/news/article/moon-king-announce-uk-european-tour-142|title=Moon King share UK/EU tour dates - News - The 405|work=The 405}}{{cite web|url=https://www.volumeet.com/m/54a6cd35460608e0498b4a9f|title=Austra: Our Canadian tour starts this Friday with Moon... - Volumeet|work=Volumeet}}{{cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2015/04/moon_king_playe_1.html|title=Moon King played two NYC shows, going on tour with Mr. Twin Sister in July (dates)|work=brooklynvegan.com|date=21 April 2015 }} and releasing an album, 2015's Secret Life. {{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/17435-moon-king-apocalypse/|title=Moon King|work=Pitchfork}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2015/04/07/hear-moon-kings-awesomely-psychedelic-debut-album|title=Hear Moon King's Awesomely Psychedelic Debut Album|author=Larry Fitzmaurice|work=The FADER}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/nme-video/dream-pop-pair-moon-king-wander-toronto-in-their-video-for-impossible/4170176543001|title=- NMETV Latest Music Videos and Clips - NME.COM|author=NME.COM|work=NME.COM}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/16642/1/moon-king-the-weirdly-wound-sound-duo|title=Moon King: The weirdly wound sound duo|author=Dazed|work=Dazed|date=15 July 2013 }}

At end of 2015 Daniel relocated to Detroit, Michigan, and spent the next year immersing himself in Detroit's dance music and DJ culture, which eventually began to influence his own recordings. Eventually a collection of new material found its way back to Arbutus Records in Montreal, who offered to release it. Hamtramck '16, named for the Detroit-area neighborhood, was released in the summer of 2017, documenting Moon King's shift towards disco and dance music.

This was followed by 2019's Voice Of Lovers,{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/moon_king_readies_voice_of_lovers_album|title=Moon King Readies Voice Of Lovers Album|date=Feb 2019|work=exclaim.ca}} and The Audition in 2021, a disco album about learning to become an actor.