A short talk with Noah23 on street politics, getting trapped in nostalgia, and occultism.
Diogo: Noah, you've been around since the early '90s. What is your opinion on the underground Hip-Hop that has been released in Ontario during the past decade? How does it reflect the spirit of the times?
Noah Brickley: To be honest with you, I don't really have that much of a connection to what the rest of Ontario is doing with Hip-Hop. I took some time off performing so I haven't been as tapped in as I would usually be. I can say that I listen to lots and lots of Toronto Rap, but mostly street music, not underground Hip-Hop as much. I would give a big shout-out to my man Patience from Flight Distance and RIP to my good friend Bender. Some of my favorite artists out of Toronto are Duvy and Lil Monte, who are actually enemies. Toronto has a lot of street politics.
Diogo: What do you mean when you say "they're actually enemies"? The "street" has always played a big role in alternative communities, and the music certainly takes inspiration from this element. Do you think the opposite also happens? Are these "street politics" influenced by the music itself?
Noah Brackley: Yes, of course.
Diogo: In what ways has your own style evolved since the beginning of your career? What are the main differences between pre-hiatus and post-hiatus Noah23?
Noah Brickley: Well, I actually took a hiatus twice. The first time was for 2012 and the main one has been the last 5 years. I haven't performed live or released anything that was actually new. The only thing I've been doing is videos here and there. I guess the main difference in my older music is that it was more dense, lo-fi and hyper abstract. I've been doing this since the '90s so my sound has evolved many, many times. I get kind of angry when the old fans don't like my recent music, and I think they are just trapped in nostalgia and don't want to let me grow as an artist. I feel all my evolutions were very organic.
Diogo: When you state that all your evolutions were very organic, do you mean that it's impossible to separate the art that you create from certain stages in your life? In this case, "organic" would translate to "authentic", right?
Noah Brickley: Yeah, exactly. By nature, I definitely tend to go through different eras of life and influence and I like to embrace the creative energy that comes along with it. Sometimes fans might be looking for a certain version of me and find a different sound than the one they wanted, but I always feel personally reconciled with the diversity in genre and style.
Diogo: Why did you decide to start a record label? What do you think is the most relevant album released by Plague Language?
Noah Brickley: Plague Language was what I envisioned as a crew and a label but it never really got to expand into its potential. Most of the other members are no longer making music. I do have plans to reignite the label and brand with clothing and merchandise. I'd say the most relevant album by Plague Language is my upcoming album in 2023 called Ikosi Tria, or, from the past, it would have to be Quicksand. I also really love Atoms of Eden by Orko.
Diogo: Of all your side projects, which one do you remember most fondly?
Noah Brickley: I really like the album I did with Livestock called Weird Apples, that's one of them.
Diogo: You describe yourself as an "occultist". How does this factor influences the creation of music?
Noah Brickley: Occult means "hidden" so basically I like to study things that are unknown, disregarded, or mysterious. This involves alchemy, word magic, astrology, and psychedelic drugs which all tend to have a heavy influence on my music and the themes therein. I believe there's a supernatural connection to the words and language we use as humans. Plague Language.
Diogo: You talk about a "supernatural connection" that is present in the words and language we use as humans. Do you feel that we, as Beings, aren't exploring this "tool" to its full potential?
Noah Brickley: There's always more to discover. Perhaps with AI and new fractals of communication, self-referential mathematical languages mixed with gematria and poetics we could take things up a notch.
Diogo: Out of curiosity: would you be kind enough to describe your most enlightening trip to date?
Noah Brickley: Sure. The most intense trip I have ever had would be on 5meo DMT (the Toad). I had a complete whiteout from reality and died. I experienced conscious existence outside of physical reality and my life has never been the same. I also have had a super strong breakthrough on regular DMT in which I was uploaded with celestial information at high velocity inside the computer of ancient technicolor alien intelligence. Psychedelics have changed my life for the better and actually helped me quit opiate addiction as well.
"23 'Til Infinity" | Noah23
Noah23 will release a new album called Ikosi Tria in February 2023. Until then, he will share a new video on the 23rd of each month for 23 months. Stay tuned.
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