For this music enthusiast, nothing could be more rewarding or humbling than actually sitting down with an artist, and simply listening to what they have to say. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, the very same people who control a listener’s emotions with their music are also quite capable of engaging audiences with enlightening conversation. I believe this is due to the fact that musicians, like any type of artist, have a particular understanding of other human beings on this earth. Whether they are aware of it or not, these people create something that not only stirs emotions within themselves, but, more importantly, within others as well. An artist will pour their own feelings, their own desires, and their own experience into a composition that the listener will then use to define these same concepts within themselves.
It’s kind of funny when you think about it this way. Maybe that’s why so many crazed fans feel “connected” with their favorite musicians. Artists will use their own experiences to define other’s. It’s kind of creepy but, at the same rate, it’s fascinating, and makes perfect sense.
After all, isn’t having a general understanding of one’s audience a key component in the success of an artist? The number of fans one possesses would surely serve as some sort of indication as to how well one’s art form resounded amongst the masses. Granted, this may not always seem to be the case however, I’m inclined to believe (based on my own experiences) that many popular music fans have lost the ability to discern between skilled and unskilled compositions. This is assuredly why we hear people on the radio, or television, shamelessly reviewing the new Ke$ha album instead of any music released by our favorite musicians (…unless Ke$ha is your favorite musician. If this is truly the case, do us all a HUGE favor and stop existing forever).
Generic people have generic feelings. That is why generic music exists and is popular to begin with. Most people are generic.
Are you?
Well, if you answered “no” to the above question, then I beckon you to read on and meet the next artist I had the pleasure to observe under my magnifying glass, in a segment I like to call: The Artist’s Introspection. Below, you will find a promo mix in which to listen as you read on about Noya, an emerging electronic dance producer with a story as authentic and eclectic as the music he produces. So grab a refreshment, maybe burn a few trees (if you got ’em), take a seat, and press play on that mix before you dive headfirst into my second installment of The Artist’s Introspection with Noya.
(I wholeheartedly encourage you to listen to this mix in its entirety, as it is my belief that the progression of song selection is a large part of makes it great. You’ll see what I’m referring to at about minute fourteen. Get ready folks.)
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FTW: What is your name? Where are you from/where are you currently living? How old are you?
AN: My name is Adam Noya. I am from Natick, Massachusetts, and I’m currently living in Framingham, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. I am 27 years old.
FTW: Did you always foresee yourself making a career out of music?
AN: Oh yeah, there was no other option. Looking back, if I ever thought otherwise along the way, I was only kidding myself.
FTW: What other musical endeavors have you been involved in?
AN: I started playing the drums when I was three and began the violin at five. I played French horn for a bit, then I played guitar in a band from 2000 to ’06, which was an absolutely awesome experience. I loved it. Finally in 2004, I started producing electronic music and never looked back.
FTW: You go by multiple monikers while producing electronically, right? What are they?
AN: I have two aliases, Noya – my more personal, melodic stuff and Blvck Alive – my “die in a fire”, harder productions.
FTW: What’s the reason for your music’s divergence into separate entities?
AN: I’ve noticed through my experience in dance music that everything is very rule oriented, and a lot of people are making aliases just to make ONE subgenre of music. So, I’m using both projects to explore different areas of electronic music that I’m interested in, since it’s such a broad genre to begin with. My Noya stuff is more melodic and commercial – big pads, synth leads, female vocals, the whole 9. Blvck Alive is more underground and geared toward heavy dubstep, electro, mid tempo, and trap music. Having both projects allows me to produce whatever I want, whenever I want, and with Blvck Alive, there’s another brain involved so I’m not just producing with my own musical sensibility. Another thing I really like about Blvck Alive is that Mike and I play out as a duo, so it’s a fun opportunity to murder the dance floor while feeding off another DJ. I love having both – I can take you on a journey or make the musical embodiment of the word “hate,” perfect creative freedom.
FTW: What do people need to know about Adam Noya, the person? Now, how about Noya, the producer?
AN: They need to know that I make really bad jokes and spend an nauseating amount of time either producing, or in the gym. I like to keep the producer side of my personality vague and let the listener define who I am and what my music means to them. Choose your own experience!
FTW: What is unique about your approach to producing electronic music? What do you do differently?
AN: Genres are not a religion, they are just guidelines. Tell that to a hipster, and their head might explode. I wouldn’t say I do anything too differently. I am after all, in a chair, in front of a computer, like the majority of electronic music producers. If we happen to find out about a producer that produces in space ,or underwater like Dethklok, my mind might cave in.
FTW: Touché sir (little does he know about my latest project taking place AT THE CENTER OF SUN! Shit’s gonna be hot, fo’ real).
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After becoming acquainted with Adam, I observed that he possessed several qualities I feel will aid in his success as a professional musician. For one, I noticed that he humbly maintained a certain confidence in each and every one of his responses. Not only was I speaking to a producer who could respond to my inquiries without hesitation, but it appeared as if he had already placed a great deal of time into anticipating the questions he might be asked. He always had plenty to say regardless of my inquiry.
To me, that’s a good thing. It generally reveals a few specific aspects about the person in question.
I would attribute this to the notion that Adam, unlike many unfortunate souls on this earth, actually lives with his eyes open. He seemed to be the type of person that’s always absorbing useful information from his surroundings, connecting the dots and formulating opinions or making decisions based on what he’s already observed. I felt as if he knew exactly what he wanted to say about any given subject.
Life is all about anticipation. In every aspect of any system, there exists a pattern, or in most cases, a slew of them. From the dawn of mankind we humans have observed these “trends” and used them to obtain a better understanding of the world around us. Smart, observant people notice these patterns long before the daft ones do. They are able to put together the big picture by connecting concepts that at first, may seem unrelated. Based on the things I heard and learned from Adam Noya, it appeared as if was one of these people. Mr. Noya is a self-actualized man who know’s exactly what he wants.
I then went on to ask Adam a few questions derived from less “pressing” matters.
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FTW: Ok, we’ve got a scenario for you. It’s the Zombie Apocalypse, and you have to make your final stand. Now, we need you to pick:
a. Your weapon of choice
b. Your location of choice (where to make the stand)
c. Song of choice (to play on repeat during your epic struggle)
…GO!
AN: That’s easy. A. Dual lightsabers, B. On a beach, C. to “Blood Fire War Hate” by Soulfly. The beauty of it all is that I’m either going to kill them off entirely, or swim away before they take me down. I’m a survivor.
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Alright, now let’s see how he dealt with something a bit more rhetorical…
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FTW: If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
AN: Uh yeah. It makes a tree crashy sound. Pshhhhh, duh.
— — —
All goofiness aside however, I still had plenty to ask this multi-platformed production prodigy. On with the real questions.
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FTW: After listening through a lot of your music, we noticed that plenty of your songs feature electric guitar. Is that you playing those riffs?
AN: Yes, that is me playing those riffs. I’ve been playing guitar for about 14 years and it is definitely one of my favorite instruments.
FTW: In terms of rock music, who are your biggest influences? Which of these influences (technique wise) appear the most in your own productions?
AN: Hands down, my biggest influence is Max Cavalera and everything he’s ever done. You could say I went to the “Max Cavalera School of Songwriting.” I was always a big fan of his complete disregard for the concept of genre boundaries. Music is music, and there’s always a way to be innovative and original considering how many varieties there are in the world. I’ve always thought that being narrow minded about music is an extremely depressing and limiting way to exist.
FTW: I see that you have a bunch of different releases on a bunch of different labels. Is this something that you hope to continue as you progress or, would you prefer to find a home on a single label? Or maybe just a select few…
AN: I dabble with different labels because it gives me an opportunity to take different approaches per release, since most labels have a brand and culture that they like to stick to. Ultimately, I would like to be on a major label like Atlantic or Warner Bros., and eventually progress to doing film soundtracks. I am definitely playing long ball and I have a long road ahead of me but, I think in the end, the journey would be well worth it. EDM is an awesome passion of mine but, I do eventually want to work with top notch vocalists and musicians, and be more creative.
FTW: Do you prefer to produce in the studio or play your music during live sets?
AN: I used to hate playing out because when I started, there was a cold sweat inducing, dance floor clearing, massive difference between my tunes and the other tunes I would throw in a set, haha. Thank the gods that’s not the case anymore. That being said, I would rather be in the studio producing. It’s a crippling addiction, and even when I try to take a break, I will write songs in an almost comatose state. I do not remember writing my “Eternal” EP that came out last year. It could have been the weed but, I’m going to go ahead and blame my music addiction instead.
FTW: What are the top three productions you’ve created that people NEED to hear?
AN: Man, that is a tough one. I’m not too sure these will forever remain in my top three but, I would have to pick:
1. Blvck Alive (my project with DJ Michael Savant) – Full Force
2. Noya – The Source (Featuring my main man and sax killer Jacob Hillard)
3. Noya – Eternal (I love the message in this track)
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The more I spoke with Adam Noya, the more interesting the man behind all that music came to be. Like any of the interviews I conduct, I proceeded to asked Adam a few more personal questions in hopes that prospective fans might ascertain a better understanding of the dude that is both Noya and one half of the production tandem, Blvck Alive.
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FTW: We heard you like video games, any truth to this?
AN: I LOVE VIDEO GAMES. They are my adventure time when I’m stuck indoors. I’m a huge fan of first person shooters especially. Third person perspective games are still ok but, I prefer games that take place from my own perspective, especially with how advanced gaming technology is becoming. I grew up with Doom and Dark Forces, so games like Halo 4, Battlefield 4, and Black Ops 2 (still my current fav) are just mind blowing to me. I love getting my kill on!
(Boom, headshot)
FTW: Tell us about your stint in film school? What was that like? Has it affected your music at all? If so, how?
AN: Are you into hipster break up videos at all? Because that would sum up one part of it pretty well…
It was awesome. I learned a lot and I got to spend that time at SCAD, down in Savannah Georgia. After school, you could go to the beach and drink margaritas in March. Film school is actually how I got into Dubstep and Drum and Bass in the first place. Upon realizing that I spent most of my efforts on the music and sound FX portions of my projects, I switched majors and wound up graduating with a BFA in Sound Design.
It was actually in my sound and media class that I met my good friend Ed Drummond. He was/is a very talented DJ from the UK and he got me turned on to Drum and Bass and Dubstep. So this, right here, is actually all his fault. I had grown up listening to Moby, The Crystal Method, The Prodigy, Juno Reactor, and DJ Shadow, who is actually the one who got me producing back in 2004. It was really this period of time (college) that sealed the deal and gave me the insatiable hunger to produce. Also, my MIDI teacher Rob Miller, he really pushed me to bust ass and go that extra mile because he saw something in me. So, you could definitely say that film school and my experiences there are the sole reason as to why we’re having this conversation right now. Best decision I’ve ever made in my life. Regardless of how the current economy is for artists, I don’t regret a minute of it.
FTW: If you could change one aspect about yourself, what would it be?
AN: I’d like my hair back, haha. I have dreams where I have long hair and it’s pretty depressing when I wake up. I’m also tired of being called Vin Diesel!
FTW: If you had 24 hours to live, how would you preoccupy that time?
AN: I would spend that time with the love of my life, Amber. She is my other half. Also, I would get incredibly baked…because it’d be the appropriate thing to do.
FTW: I’m sorry could you repeat that? I’m so ripped right now.
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It was so refreshing to conduct an interview with an artist that had so much substance to his person. Adam Noya is by far one of the most down-to-earth, authentic producers I have had the privilege to chat with. I truly admire his unwavering passion for music and his determination to actualize a dream he’s envisioned throughout his entire existence on this planet.
As you are probably already aware (or at least you should be), Adam was kind enough to prepare an exclusive mix for the site in addition to answering my stupid questions. Taking into light a good deal of what Mr. Noya explained during his interview above, the mix does an excellent job of showcasing the exact difference between his two production projects: Noya and Blvck Alive. I have no idea whether or not this was his intention, but Adam’s progression of song selection throughout the mix will kindly take a curious listener by the hand and tangibly define what both of his aliases actually sound like.
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FTW: Couldn’t help but notice you spliced a few clips from Chappelle’s Show into your mix for us. Are you as big a fan as I am?
AN: Easily one of the greatest television shows of all time, hands down. I really hope he comes back to the entertainment industry but, if not, I can still watch the episode where Tupac is clearly still alive, and somehow calling out people in the club while the song is playing live, haha.
(“I wrote this song a long time ago, a real long time ago. Feel me!? I wrote this song a long time ago. It was the dopest song I ever wrote…in ’94”)
FTW: Have all of the originals you included in the mix been released officially? Did you include any forthcoming projects?
AN: All of the originals have been released and are currently available on Beatport, iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc. There are definitely tunes in the works but, they are all currently in their embryonic stages. I’m going to take my sweet-ass time on these before releasing them into the wild. In fact, I’m currently working on an album right now for Subterra Records. It’s been a while since I released a full album and I miss being able to tell stories throughout a group of songs. This one is going to be insane, stay tuned!
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Even after berating this musically ambidextrous, Massachusetts-based producer with a myriad of complex, engrossing questions, I left the interview one final, rather troubling question regarding Adam’s music. Unfortunately, it was the kind of question that he will never be able to answer. Come to think of it, I don’t think any one person could truthfully give a reasonable response to what I am about to say next.
Why, after a 10 years of producing electronic music, and a quarter of a century’s worth of experience playing music in general, is Adam Noya not far beyond his current status in the world of EDM?
Unless everything he said to me was a complete lie (which I sincerely doubt it could be), there is no reason why someone with his musical prowess isn’t gaining the recognition he deserves.
I’m certainly not claiming to have the most flawlessly refined musical palette in the world (not by a long shot) but, for the past two years of my existence, I have lived, slept and breathed ‘electronic dance music.’ During that time: I helped build and manage another EDM publication from the ground up, I started my own electronic music blog and I wrote feature posts for both websites throughout the process. While sincerely trying to deliver this next statement as humbly as possible, I believe it would only be fair to say that by this point, I have AT MINIMUM developed the ability to differentiate between an artist that wields authentic talent and one that does not.
But, I suppose this is exactly where the interview comes full-circle, and touches down again upon a concept I might consider to be the bane of the popular music industry’s current existence; a true paradox of sorts. I went into a brief detail regarding this matter in my introductory remarks however, allow me to reiterate. To many musicians and unfortunately a smaller majority of music fans, music is an art form.
There’s a reason why my mentally handicapped nephew’s artwork isn’t hanging at the Louvre in place of da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.”
Unfortunately, the masses don’t seem to hold music in nearly as high of an esteem anymore. We’re perfectly fine popularizing garbage and ignoring true artistic endeavors. I’m not quite sure when the mainstream music industry compartmentalized the concept of quality in music but, it sickens me as an avid listener. From a very young age, I vividly remember learning in school about an entirely different academic discipline, one that studied human culture as a whole.
It was called “humanities,” and believe it or not, music, even the popular or “mainstream” versions, was included.
But sadly, now it is not…or at least, not to me anymore. And as long as I’m recanting lessons learned in grammar school, in my high-school British Literature class, I recall learning about another vitally important dynamic to any art form that comprises and drives the very essence of its practice, and those are “allusions.” According to Wikipedia an “allusion” is a figure of speech “in which one refers covertly or indirectly to an object or circumstance from an external context.” I was told that this concept served as the blueprints, mapping out an “evolutionary tree” from which different forms of the same art could be compared or contrasted. Allusions reveal to the viewer where your art is being derived from (respect, reverence and tradition for what has come before) and how, if at all, it is different from what has already been created (uniqueness).
In the grand scheme of things, or at least as far as music is concerned, allusions are the vehicle that take you from the originating genre, let’s call it “A,” to the brand new sound that no one has heard before, we can call that “B.” They are the clearly defined lines that indicate and artist has both respect and ingenuity in what they do. Considering the current upheaval regarding the fruitlessness of labeling certain EDM tracks with a “genre,” I believe this may be another concept we might need to reconsider. Without utilizing our ability to classify a song into a particular genre, we lose an appreciation from where the new, underlying sound has emerged. We lose the syntax for why something should be regarded as a talented endeavor because the “allusion” to what it had once been has been carelessly neglected.
Music as a form of art should remain the way it was classically presented. If this were the case, people like Adam Noya wouldn’t be struggling to succeed in a field that’s number one determinant of success should actually be “musicality.” This mother fucker has been playing the drums since he was three years old. He’s been working on a DAW for ten. The word “befuddling” does not even come close to touching upon the utter lunacy observed in this backwards mentality that has creeped its way into the mainstream music scene.
Taking into mind the full extend of my cathartic rant, and also what you’ve learned/heard here today from Adam Noya, I strongly encourage you to support music in its purest form. Let’s collectively shed out tendencies toward musical assimilation and rejoice in the music of both Noya and Blvck Alive.
If you like what you hear, please do your best to show support where it is due. I trust you can follow the links below.
Oh snap I almost forgot,
Follow Adam Noya:
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/blvckalive
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NoyaUSA
https://www.facebook.com/BlvckAlive
Twitter:
For The Wubz 