PJ Sauerteig was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and began recording and performing as Slow Dakota in 2012.

Since then, Sauerteig has released a number of albums, EPs, and singles. His early music (including “Bürstner and the Baby”) was recorded in his childhood home in Indiana; Sauerteig played his grandmother’s piano, with his sister lending vocal harmonies. He first achieved critical acclaim for his 2016 LP, “The Ascension of Slow Dakota.” Later that year, Sauerteig was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in poetry.

Slow Dakota’s music often incorporates spoken word and poetry recordings, drawing on a number of styles including folk, indie rock, classical, prog, and new age. His music draws heavily on rural folklore, fairy tale, and biblical myth. Sauerteig is a reclusive performer—he has never toured, and has only ever played a handful of live shows.

Recently, Sauerteig has turned his attention to composition and film scoring; he scored the feature-length “Diary of a Spy” in 2022, released on XYZ Films.

He currently lives in Chicago, Illinois, where he runs the small record label, Massif Records. Sauerteig founded Massif in 2013 to release his own music, and the music of friends and collaborators.