The question posed in Nomi's press release is "Can Nomi bridge the gap between Indie and Mainstream?" Now, we're not talking about the 'indie' associated with converse wearing, polo necked, guitar slinging, shoe gazers of the Arctic Monkeys mold. No. We're talking real, lo-fi, grass roots, independently minded in every aspect 'indie.' And in this, Nomi certainly has the credentials. She's been writing music since she was twelve. She has developed her own music label, Park Side Records, a bona fide independent. She writes her own music. She has turned her back on a manafactured, mainstream pop outfit. She even has a link to British music royalty having worked with Oasis producer Owen Morris. But what about the music? Isn't it all about the music? Lost in Lust is Nomi's debut album after her 7 track EP, Hustler. It may not be indie as most know it, but it has a slant and a swagger all it's own. Incorporating New York beats and samples, Nomi lays her own melancholy, defiant verse over the top, giving a feminine, rarely seen insight into life as a young female Brooklynite.
Had her sniffin' line for line, just to feel she's alive.
Starting with the misleading, unaffecting intro, Nomi quickly slides into "Streets of Brooklyn," a catchy, bold calling card, incorporating string drenched backing and sensuous, breathy vocals to drag the listener into the melodramatic world she hangs the album on. Unfortunately, the initial momentum is lost on track three, "One of the Hardest," which suffers from cluttered, muddy production in the backing department. This leaves it sounding like a song looking for more, which is a shame as it has one of the more personal lyrics on the album. Things come back into focus on "Beast" and "Broken Heartless," as the operatic style of Lost in Lust becomes more apparent. Through these two songs it seems as if Nomi is writing her own one woman version of Rent but without the cheesiness; a snapshot of life on the streets of Sunset Park, Brooklyn. These songs are crying out to be used on film soundtracks, filtering through the background as the moody, troubled, yet ultimately redeemable and heartfelt hero comes to terms with their differences and escapes their impoverished, lonely background. Hey, it's my script. It'll make a million one day. Unfortunately, due to the underground, independent nature of Nomi's work, these types of songs are destined to be covered by higher profile, far less interesting artists, ie, Pussycat Dolls' bland, lifeless cover of Tori Alamaze's far superior "Don't Cha?" And there, unfortunately, lies the downfall of the independent artist; unfettered vision with no exposure. Still, with songs like "You Revive Me," maybe that exposure could broaden. A laid back, tightly arranged song, it incorporates some of the more interesting lyrics on the album, side stepping the usual route of love and bypassing it through analogies of satellites, machine eyes and anatomy. Though sounding somewhat more generic at first, "Hooked On Your Love" shows itself to be one of the more affecting tracks, boasting a jump up and down, insanely catchy chorus. I imagine this song would be an absolute killer live. The last two tracks though stand out as the most impressive, capping the debut with a definite eye to where future recordings might be heading. "Demon's Call" nestles itself in a grand, impassioned and dramatic backing and this is where Nomi sounds the most comfortable. Almost Portishead in it's lushness, the UK influence that must have stuck from her stay there comes to the fore. Yet it remains purely American in it's presentation, conjouring the mood of desperate, frayed inner city streets, adding to the whole 'concept' feel of the album. The title track, "Lost in Lost" ends things on a succinct and perfectly arranged high. This is the definitive Nomi song, a narrative burdened with desire, backed with a heavier groove that would make George Clinton proud. If Nomi is the movie, then this would be the theme song.
Why would you leave any part of you out on these streets?
Having never been to New York, I'm going to work on the assumption that Nomi is the real deal; an updated, break beating, Wu Tang Clan inspired Sade. By way of Sunset Park, of course. She offers a fresh perspective on a style of music that has settled into a predictable cycle of tics and rhythms, a style that is now offering nothing more than masturbatory verse on money and the pursuit of bling. Nomi infuses her street poetics with sermons on the pursuit and inherent pain of love and unfettered lust. Can't recall Ol' Dirty Bastard trying that. Is it indie? That I don't know, but it's most definitely independent; of intent and of spirit. The recent stint of gigs in support of CocoRosie and Nomi's appearance in the "You Are My Sister" video clip for Antony and the Johnsons does nothing to hurt her already considerable credibility either. A new album is being recorded at the moment and a live band, incorporating Antony's drummer and a theremin player is being formulated. Theremin? Theremin and street beats? Where could you go wrong? From an interview with Life and Soul magazine, Nomi was quoted as saying, "I'm not in this to be a 'star.' I just want to be able to make a living doing what I love to do and that's music, creating, being an artist." Indie indeed.
