NØELLE – Crush
Manchester-based, Welsh-Ukrainian artist NØELLE shares ‘Crush’, the first single from her forthcoming EP Are We There Yet?, out 8 July via CDR.
Pushing the boundaries of live electronic performance through immersive technologies in the fields of spatial audio, motion reactivity and more, NØELLE has quickly established herself as an innovative voice within the UK’s electronic landscape, including creating the first virtual spatial audio live show in Fortnite.
Her EP for CDR, Are We There Yet?, is an introspective record that looks both inwards and outwards: exploring personal setbacks and frustrations alongside wider questions around the rise of AI and social isolation through social media
In NØELLE’s words, the EP “came mostly from my frustration of fighting against this better version of myself that will never exist. Looking back, I feel like a lot of us are falling into the trap of social isolation through social media and this kind of digital overlay that sits on top of our view of ourselves and the world around us which distances us further away from real connections with real people.”
“One thing that stuck out in particular was the rise of AI. Having always been obsessed with hyperrealism and the sort of Houdini-style 3D visual worlds I love to create alongside my musical worlds, it really sucked when everyone was suddenly able to generate these same visuals I’d been learning to make for YEARS with a 30-second prompt. Watching all of my favourite creators have to justify whether their work is real while questioning whether we’re even engaging with real people or if our entire online presence is talking to bots had me questioning: how do we find space to really connect with each other within this period of dystopian-level technological growth? And is watching the same AI replicated slop really where we want to go with all this?”
NØELLE has been building a sound world that’s high in vibrant colours and emotions since 2020, but Are We There Yet? feels like it levels up from her previous singles in every department. Originally learning in Reaper before moving to Ableton, she describes Are We There Yet? as “the first EP where I’ve felt genuinely excited and confident in the sound world I’ve made”, with the EP’s tracks being built in tandem with their live versions of the songs and with a newfound love of granular synthesis at the core, right down to the drums. With a title that could be taken several different ways, Are We There Yet? questions our relationship with the technological world amongst an epidemic of social media-induced isolation.
An innovative live performer, NØELLE has worked in collaboration with Sound on Sound, I Love Manchester, MiMU Gloves and Ableton, and performed live at SUPERMASSIVE, Band on the Wall, Sounds from the Other City and more.
Following PIGMNT’s recent EP Ginseng on CDR, which gained support from DJ Mag, Bandcamp and more, Are We There Yet? marks the next release in a huge year for the label as it continues to spotlight forward-thinking electronic artists through its Pathways programme.
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