Thanks to the inexplicable popularity of my Submit Music page, I always have a digital backlog of albums, EPs, singles and videos awaiting my perusal. Here’s a recent must-hear from a New York singer-songwriter who goes by the handle Nouhi’s Nomad — and who has created a debut album that toes the line between West and East, pop and rock, classic and contemporary, and much more. As usual, I included the Bandcamp link so you can buy the music straight from the source. Tell ’em I sent ya. And if you’ve got something I need to hear, send it my way. If I think you’re half as good as you think you are, I just might include you next time.
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nouhi’s Nomad has come of age and is ready for the world to know. The multi-hyphenate musical artist is releasing his self-titled and self-produced indie-rock LP. Nouhi’s Nomad is a culmination of years of inspiration and experience packed into just 37 minutes. Despite being an indie-rock album, he defies the strict classification of the genre. Personal narratives lay atop a soundscape of inspiration — his Persian heritage, Vampire Weekend, and classical opera training, to cite just a few — creating a nuanced portrait of an artist in his own musical language. Like mosaic tiles, each of the 12 songs, no matter how different they seem, stitch together into a captivating and cohesive experience. It is the story and maturation of an artist in his own words.
“This is a very intimate project, all of these songs represent landmarks in my life,” he says. “All of it stems from who I am. Ultimately, [Nouhi’s Nomad] is a way to get to know me as a person, as a musician and as a human being.”
His lyrics bring listeners on a journey through his life and the moments that shaped him — his childhood summer home, his first relationship, and his collegiate experience. But even the process of writing these songs qualifies as pivotal moments. Wading is the first song he ever wrote and properly recorded, which changed and grew over two years of production and finally appears on the LP. “I want to emphasize the vulnerability in sharing these songs…they might have an upbeat melody to them, but the lyrics still have this sense of coming of age, of nostalgia to them.” The LP is a result of a labor of love, one that began in 2017, with different parts of Nouhi’s Nomad’s soul in its stitches. Beyond the music and lyrics, every aspect of the project, from the sound mixing to the album art, has his own touch. His production skills, which he honed in college, are meticulous to create a pointed sound and style in each single.
Nouhi’s Nomad began as a purist when crafting his songs — no backing vocals or synthesizers. But as the creative process went on, he allowed numerous techniques and influences to take hold. While his final sound is modern and current, echoes of the ’60s and ’70s psychedelic strings, ’80s rock, ’90s ska and surf rock, and mid-2010s indie nostalgia reverberate throughout. But no matter the influence, Nouhi’s Nomad adds his own spin. And Love Is draws upon Mike Posner’s Iris for inspiration. And Number 4 is a case study in Vampire Weekend’s aesthetics, inspired by the time he spent covering their songs early in his music career. Tracks like Pasagard and Angeezeh allow his Persian musical influences to shine, drawing upon contemporaries like Mansour. Nouhi’s Nomad has a song for fans of almost any genre or artist to enjoy, which serves as a testament to his versatility as an artist. “My songs are somewhat unique, bound together by the instrumentation and my voice.”
Listen to Nouhi’s Nomad below, and learn more at his website, Instagram and Facebook.
