Q&A with CardNoire
CardNoire
The Path That Leads Back To The Stage.
CardNoire is a genre-bending, multiple-hat-wearing, internet-subculture obsessed artist. While deeply personal in its conception, his latest single, "Digital Romance", has elements that can resonate with us all. Penned pre-pandemic, having been "hanging out on tinder one night", his song is about that pre-covid world of passion, romance, and lust.
As a teenager, a love for the blues, punk, and indie was soon updated by a brief stint in music college and fused with the worlds of jazz, emo, and progressive metal. The result being that CardNoire has a sonic palette about as diverse as it gets. In "Digital Romance", we hear futuristic genres, like Vaporwave and Futurefunk combined with reverberating 80s-drum sounds. It all sets the scene for quite an epic pop-punk vocal. It's fair to say that this track makes both a dramatic and captivating listen that is hard not to put on repeat.
Impressively, while CardNoire grips us with a unique world of sounds, lyrically, he also keeps us on the edge of our seats. In a style reminiscent of Matty Healy (The 1975), CardNoire throws us constant intimate clippings of his life. Whether it's lyrics like: "staring at my screen, a dirty daydream" or "seeking clarity, we use it to drown our insecurities", he hits us with a personal moment again and again, and it's impossible not to give this song your full attention.
By this point, I'm sure you can tell that CardNoire is a fascinating individual. Thankfully, we were lucky enough to ask him a few questions. Read below to learn about his influences, his process as an artist, life under lockdown, and a quirky fact you may not know about the artist.
IndieWavves: I can hear so many genres in your music. There are hints of progressive rock, jazz, emo, and synth-wave. Are there any genres you don't draw on?
CardNoire: There isn't much I don't like musically. I always try to add elements of all my influences if I have to get the song sounding "right."
IW: The new single "Digital Romance" sounds different from your other music. It has a really atmospheric 80s feel with reverb-drenched drums and cascading synths. Were there any specific differences in how you made this track?
CN: I don't have a uniform writing process. It just never felt like something I could do. That being said, I had an idea that once I started recording, it came out completely different from what I had in mind. I originally had a beat in my head. I wanted to write something more chill, relaxed, almost emotionally detached, a departure from the more emotional rock tracks that had writing centered around my decaying personal life. I was kinda tired of overthinking everything, and I just wanted to write something a little different from the batch of songs I'm currently trying to release. The minute I started playing around with some different drum samples to put down the rough track, I suddenly got hit with the urge to change the track's sonic context and started working on a tribute to my teenage infatuation with all things vaporwave.
IW: Generally, what is the process behind your songwriting? Do you start with lyrics, maybe real-life experiences, or do you start with making a beat or a chord progression, for example?
CN: In this case, I finished working on the track first before I even had any idea what the lyrical content of the song was going to be. I was hanging out on tinder one late night, and I guess I just started writing the lyrics after someone took their time responding to me. But I try to mix it up. Sometimes lyrics come to me while I'm trying to sleep, and then I spend all night trying to capture the idea before it fades. At times a real-life situation hits you like a train from out of nowhere, although lately, I'm not a huge fan of writing that way. I really don't know why it just feels weird to process things into song at times. To fully answer your question, though, I have no idea. It just happens, and I don't really know how to describe it.
IW: As an artist, do you find the pandemic environment creatively stifling? This song sounds like it was written about a pre-covid world, full of real-life experience. Do you miss writing about those experiences, or do you find yourself with much more time for making music?
CN: I'm not really proud of this answer, but I haven't been able to write much over the pandemic. My primary writing tool is playing guitar, and I've been hit with a nerve injury in my left hand that needs to heal over a decent period of time. I haven't been feeling like myself. Lately, I put pen to paper down a decent amount but definitely not at the productivity level I usually can maintain.
IW: You also seem to be a great example of a modern artist conquering all the music industry parts. Do you find it easy to always act as your manager, publicist, songwriter, social media manager, etc.?
CN: I wear many hats lately, and I enjoy them all quite a lot. Doing tedious managerial work like writing emails to press outlets and partners is the least fun of it all, but even then, I enjoy and appreciate the motivation of the hustle. It definitely helps keep the momentum flowing. At times it feels very daunting, but I try my best to power through it all!
IW: Tell us a fun fact we might not know about CardNoire?
CN: I never really "planned" on pursuing music. I always was a musical kid. I played piano and guitar growing up and was the lead in a few musicals, but I always considered music more as a side passion until I played a proper show with my band during the summer after 10th Grade. I was quite a square child in that way. I was heavily involved in my high school's debate team and was in many ways an all-around nerd, but I always felt slightly out of place until I truly discovered that the right path for me was the one that led me back to the stage. I love performing live, and I love the energy from the audience on the floor! Hopefully, the next few years will be wild with the resurgence of concerts and shows. I also have been passing the extra time at home playing Call of Duty: Warzone! I try to get in some rounds every day just to chill out. Hit me up if you play!
Written by George Barnett