Spotlight - NEONNOONE
Please introduce yourself and share a bit about your background.
My name is NEONNOONE, and I'm an artist based in Miami, Florida. Our band has been creating music for 4 years, though our first track "For A Film" just celebrated its 11th anniversary. It took some time to finalize the concept and gather the right people in the right place.
What inspired you to start playing and making music?
Several influences played a significant role in our musical journey:
- Twin Peaks was a major influence - when it aired in the 90s, there was nothing even remotely close to how cool it was.
- European movies, particularly the work of great Italian composers like Angelo Badalamenti, Henry Mancini, and Ennio Morricone. These were very prominent in the USSR, where two of our band members were born and raised.
- Russian classical music, including composers like Sergei Rachmaninoff and Piotr Tchaikovsky.
What were the driving forces or pivotal moments that inspired you to pursue music?
The realization that music is the only form of art that speaks directly to your feelings, bypassing everything else - regardless of your national, ethnic, or cultural background. It truly is a universal language.
How would you describe your style of music?
Dark Jazz, Doom Jazz, Jazz Noir, and Ambient Jazz come to mind. But really, it's cinematic Post-Jazz - a merger between Jazz and Post-Rock.
How is your personality reflected in your work?
Our work fully reflects our personalities. All band members love jazz, cinematography, and improvised music.
Describe your creative process when you write new music.
Melody comes first, feeling comes second.
What is the name of your latest release?
"Noir & Jazz & Dark & Slow..." - it's pretty self-explanatory.
What was the inspiration for that release?
Our inspiration came from various sources:
- Art-Deco vibes of Miami Beach
- Dark and seedy bars thrown out of time
- Neon lights on deserted streets right after rain
- Dark windows and a neat drink alone on the rooftop or fire escape
What challenges or unexpected moments did you encounter during the writing/recording process?
We experienced an intriguing moment when the theremin started playing all by itself in the empty dark basement of BC Studio in Gowanus, Brooklyn. You might think it was just some electrical interference, but we'd half-jokingly insist it was a ghost trying to communicate.
What strategies do you find most effective for promoting your music?
Talking to fans and working with similar artists to build a community around the genre in general, not just our music. The power is in camaraderie.
How do you engage with your fans online and offline?
We primarily engage through our Bandcamp page. We receive many personal emails and try to answer every single one.
What upcoming promotional activities or releases are you most excited about?
We're looking forward to releasing our music on vinyl. We have a feeling this kind of music would sound gorgeous with some surface noise and crackles.
How can folks contact you?
You can reach us through our website: http://doomjazz.com
