At Miami Music Week, we had a fantastic opportunity to meet with Noise Cans. Thank you to his assistant Shannon, as well as Leanne Allen, Shelby Pinckard, and Maya Blakemore from Listen Up for making this connection! 

Noise Cans is, as his facebook page says, “a mashup of caribbean beats with modern day electric sounds…Drawing inspiration from the native Gombey.” Gombey was developed by the slave population in Bermuda. They wore masks to protest the injustices of their slave masters without fear of retribution. 

Here is the exclusive My House Radio interview with Noise Cans. If it reads more like a conversation than an interview, it’s because that’s how it went. We hit it off, vibed, and had an awesome conversation:

MHR: Tell us a bit about Caribbean house

NC:  It’s like people speaking from sound, right? Where it’s not just traditional house — I feel like it’s genre bending in a way. You know, like there’s so many different kind of offshoots …variations of sound, which kind of makes me feel even more excited, because I think the Caribbean hasn’t really been — I hate to use the word exploited — but I feel like the sounds or elements of people that are creating from that space have never been looked at. I think because it’s either been reggae or it’s been soca and it’s been very niche to what they create, right? And so I think for me, you know, it’s almost wanting to take a step out and kind of look to see how can I incorporate elements of the culture and sounds that I’ve grown to listen to.  And how do I incorporate those within the music that I like, which is electronic. 

MHR: So with Caribbean electronic music, do you feel like you’re kind of at the forefront of a new genre? Or sub-genre?

NC: I mean, I would love to say that. I mean, you know, if you think about it, there’s not that many of them, right? I mean, if you had to equate it to anybody, I guess you can kind of think of Major Lazer. He’s probably been one of the kind of iconic artists to start that. I mean, there’s been other people that I feel have dabbled in the space in terms of getting other Caribbean artists on records. But there’s not too many people who have really made it their thing. I think from I’ve never really veered from it, you know, I think when people say well you should do this you should do that and you should do the other it’s very easy to get caught up in that, but I think I said for me because like I consider myself an artist right, not just musically but I mean I’m sitting here in a colorful mask

MHR: You’re the work of art as well aren’t you?

NC: So I feel like I’m the art and how I present it is the art too. And I think for a minute: You know, it’s it’s funny. I was talking about this on this panel. It’s very easy to try to fit into what is the trend. And I’ve always been this way, sometimes to my detriment.  I’m like, fuck that, I just want to do my own thing. I just want to create within my own space, whether it’s popular or whether it’s not. But I think it just feels true to me. And I feel like, as an artist, that’s where I want to live. That’s how I want to create, that’s how I want to present my art.  And if 20 people love it, That’s awesome. I know what to build from if, you know, 20 million people love it. I think that’s a blessing within itself too. But I think when it doesn’t feel good to me, then I have a problem. I have a problem of loving and owning it. And I think that’s kind of where I am now.

I put out this record once. And it’s almost like buying an engagement ring, knowing you don’t want to marry the person, right? But you’re doing it because of whatever. So, yeah. I put this record out. It was like this emo kind of pop record with this English guy who my manager at the time, It was a great record, but it just wasn’t for me and I didn’t own it. The record did nothing, but I didn’t really care. And I think that for me was the turning point.  That’s kind of when I said, you know what,  I need to do things that are true to me, regardless of who loves it. Because if not, then I feel like I’m soulless in the sense of the energy and vibe that I give to the world and for anybody to feel the vibrations that I’m giving.  You know, so anyway, I don’t even know if those were the questions. I just feel like we went off on a bit of a vibrational tangent.

MHR:  You know, it’s great that you answered that way because the world needs to know…, and when you know you do go off and you start following other trends, you get away from your true self. The Caribbean has always been left out. But yet, as you know, even with some of the people in South America, they don’t get as much, publicity as let’s say Europeans or people in the United States, and it’s good to hear that you’re doing something fresh to bring about an identity to your culture.

NC: Well, thank you. It’s an interesting journey. But I think it feels a lot more, when I can sit in it and live in it and understand that regardless of what happens, this is what I want to do, because I feel like you’re still rolling the dice anyway. I mean, this mask is symbolic of my culture. So we’re representing those things. from how it looks, then the feeling should also resonate because I want other people to feel and have that same kind of attraction and understanding and feeling towards it.

MHR: Tell us about the evolution of your style and persona. What were your influences? How did you come to evolve to this persona?

NC: I had a ton of influences. I mean, the mask is symbolic of Gombey culture, which is very significant. It’s called Gombey in Bermuda, but in a lot of the other islands, there are various terminologies for the same thing, right? And it kind of celebrates now.  This symbol…during slavery, you would wear it when the slaves were allowed to celebrate so there’ll be no retribution towards your performance. So when you think about its rooting from Africa and how things were built and come, we’re all related in that space of Africa, right?

So when you think about the drums and you think about all of these elements, sound wise, we’re distant and simply close cousins. So for me, the style of it, here is a very interesting story. This was the year Daft Punk won all of the Grammys.  And I was at home and I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do from a creation standpoint.  I was just starting to mess around with the project. I was creating some music and I actually had a partner in the booth at the time.  Things didn’t work out as sometimes they don’t and then you kind of move on, and when you move things accelerate and then the Grammys happened with Daft Punk and it was a story afterwards. People were like, do we know who Daft Punk really is? And then a spark went off in my brain.   

Just to give you a little background, I was in this very interesting place when the project started. I was in a horrible relationship, and the character was therapy. Because I was trying to find my way. And it’s nothing against the girl, she was great. I think it was just two people in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying to make the right thing happen and it didn’t. But I think at the time, I needed something to make me feel good as I was journeying through this space.  And it was the music. I think I’d always wanted to create this hybrid of sound. Because obviously growing up and having dancehall culture, sneaking out of the house to go to their parties and do all these other things, you just had this feeling of culture–within that, a dancehall culture, sound systems, which is the origin of Caribbean music.  And out of that, I decided that I want to do something that’s symbolic of my culture, of everything up to that point that had bred me. And I was like, shit, the Gombey. That’s very symbolic of my culture, right? You know, and, and when you think of the sound and the element and how they perform and how it moves through and it’s people in costumes and colors and all these other things, it’s this very vibrant, like masquerade, which is very similar to carnival and all these other things.

And so it just came about in that way that I want this to be, to be my style and my imagery and because it’s giving back to the foundation of who I was and where I’m from –Bermuda. I felt like there was no one really giving or an artist that was really paying homage because there’s not that many artists that come from Bermuda. I think Calibud, the reggae scene. Outside of that, no one has really done anything internationally. And so for me, I think it was very much being proud of the culture. And this is my variation of what it is. 

And so I think to go back to what I mentioned earlier, if the music doesn’t feel good to me, I feel like I’m not giving back to the culture the way that I perceive this to be. So the style of that, it’s like when I dress, it’s very bright. It’s like, you know, very vibrant. It’s very much in that element of wanting you to feel good, even from our first interaction.

Lee Scratch Perry is a huge inspiration. You know, he was a very eccentric reggae artist, and as much of a visionary as he was, you know, a lot of people didn’t understand him because he was a little left of center.  And that’s how I see where I am with this. I want to leave a mark. 

MHR: Could you please talk a little bit about your background and how you got your start musically?

NC: Well, I’ve always been in music. I played some musical instruments when I was young, I was in the school band. I was actually the percussion band leader. Um, all of my family is in music. 

I think it just came to a point where, because of the sounds I heard in my head as I was going through this transition I was like, what is a cool and interesting way for me to pull from the elements that I love musically and culturally and add this to the sounds and things that I like with house and electronic music. Then, I remember I saw on Instagram one day–true story–I saw like Major Lazer playing in like Chile or something for like 60, 000 people and I was like, what the fuck?  I was like, I know these guys, I could do that, you know what I mean? And so, I ended up at ADE and I ran into my former manager who was managing a bunch of the guys out there like Party Squad and a bunch of other guys. I was in that mix. And, um, I was like, yo, I’m doing this project and, you know, I see this cause I’m visionary. I can paint the picture before it’s there, and sometimes it’s a gift and a curse. Because sometimes you’re chasing the picture and not dealing with what’s in front of you at the time. And I just said that I want to create, and he was said to make a mix first on what you think that vibe and that sound should be.

And I made this mix and put it on SoundCloud, and I’ve gotten a couple thousand streams and I was like, oh shit, it’s like a sound! Then I did a few more and it kind of caught on again and then I made a record with a girl by the name of Lady D from Amsterdam. She was actually signed to my former manager’s label at the time. That was my first record and Lady D sent it to Steve Aoki, and Steve signed it.  And so just like that, it was moving. And then I think from there, it just kind of continued to grow and blossom and then I’m actually touring with Steve.

So that was the beginning of kind of Noise Cans was and you know, and since then I released a project with Yellow Claw on their label. And then I did, um, a few records on Showtek’s label. 

MHR: It’s good to hear that you’re staying true to yours because with all trendsetters, music is viral. And it attracts those that like it plain and simple. Sometimes you can go into a club and completely bomb but then you go the next night and everybody there gets it.

NC:  Right. Next thing you know, you got a few thousand there. And that’s the thing: You have to build and continuously kind of cultivate your community and your vibe. And I think, you’re on these tours or you’re playing these shows or you’re around these people and you’re not even envious of what they’re doing, but it’s almost like, shit, I’m like right there, like I can see it!  But your work is your work. So I can’t run from my work and the things that I still have to do because who I am and what I’m creating. I’m not there because I’m doing what they’re doing or trying to do what they’re doing. I’m that different card that they bring in, or that’s a part of what that is. I remember one of the members of Yellow Claw told me: “yeah, bro, stay to what you are.”

I put this emo record out, and I knew it wasn’t gonna do anything. But everybody else around me was like, Oh, that’s the one, that’s it. And I’m just like, no, I don’t feel that. And it’s true. The record did nothing. But, whatever. You learn from what those things are. It’s an evolution.

I ended up back in Bermuda during COVID. And I was just kind of spent because I just didn’t feel it, right? I just felt like I was chasing my tail. And that feeling doesn’t really feel good. We’re fortunate to do the things that we do, right? We’re fortunate to be in spaces to bring joy to people’s lives.

But if I’m miserable, I can’t bring you joy if you’re coming to see or have me entertain you. It doesn’t work like that, you know? And so, I was in Bermuda, and I really just detached from pretty much everything. I needed to, foundationally, reboot myself. 

And so that’s how the project that we’re about to put out this summer came about. So, the project is called Many Moods of Curtis. Curtis is my middleman, and so I related that back to my younger self.

I’m very much into therapy and stuff like that. So, I speak to the moments and how things made me feel in those times. And I think vibrationally, musically, these are all of the things that were part of my younger self and what I’m giving to the world. So it’s variations of all Caribbean diasporic sounds, but it’s mixed with like some trap, it’s mixed with some tech house, it’s mixed with some Amapiano beats, and afro.

MHR:  And that combination that you’re talking, that you’re describing, It’s very original.

NC: It is. I’m not an afro house DJ, you know, but I like the sound, right? I wouldn’t particularly say I’m a trap DJ, but some of my biggest records have been kind of, you know, reggae trap records. So how can incorporate all of these sounds that I like and put them into one space. This is how my mind thinks and this is me as the artist And if this is me giving you my truth, then this is just what it is And I’m actually very excited about it.

It sounds great. We actually have a record coming out next week with a reggae artist, a dance artist by the name of Busy Signal. I don’t know if you’re familiar with them, but um, but we have Busy Signal on a kind of like afro house vibe. It’s a super dope record.

What I like to do is take Caribbean artists and put them in different spaces to expand themselves differently. I’ve got another one coming out in April with an artist by the name of Jesse Royal and he’s on a straight house record. And people have said – that’s Jesse? Because you won’t expect that, right? He’s a reggae artist. And I think that’s the place and space where I like to live, to give you the artist in a different way.

MHR: So how do you define yourself, you’ve kind of said what you’re not, how would you define what and who you are?

NC: That’s, that’s a good question, multi hyphenate, I don’t know. You can make it up right now if you want. I would say I’m just a Caribbean dance artist. I play everything within my sets.  I’m not afro and i’m not trap. It’s a multi faceted sound that I put into a set when I play.

MHR: Sitting here, listening to you, I see you as a trendsetter. 

NC: I’ll take that.

MHR: Yeah, I see you as a trendsetter We live in a generation now where rap music, a lot of the rap, the new rap is, it all sounds the same. Every single song sounds the same. Same beat, same stops, even the voices with auto tune and everything else. And it’s good to hear somebody fresh like yourself bringing in a new sound. And I know it’s not an easy task. Being a trendsetter like that, do you find it difficult to get gigs around the world and to take that sound to other places?

Yeah, you know, not everyone gets it. Again, this is a business. So people look at it from a that standpoint, especially a promoter. It’s like, well, what’s working for me in this space? If afro house is the vibe and the sound now, then I need to ride that because that’s where they’re making their money, right?

A lot of what I’m looking to do now is looking to build my own. I started a label called Masquerave Records. And so with that, it’s like wanting to open it up to all the artists and DJs and producers who are in similar spaces like me and how they want to create, but also creating the opportunities to play and build these kinds of homes for you to come in.

I feel like if you build it, then they’ll come right, and I think it goes back to my first point. I have to stay true to what my mission is, because if I stray from my mission then it’s almost like I’m defeated.  We never know kind of what life brings. I was having this conversation earlier with somebody earlier: so many times the expectations of what we think something should be ruins the moment that we’re in to really build something.

MHR: You know, I sit here, I listen to you, and do you know who you remind me of? Black Coffee and Bodhisattva when they were first coming up and they were doing the Afro house scene. Because, in America –and we live in the New York area–house has always been defined as this one thing, you know, Louie Vega, Todd Terry, Eric Kupper… Then, all of a sudden here’s this guy comes along and he’s trying to break into the scene, you know. And he’s got his own vibe and everybody knows, you know, they say, Oh, he’s from Africa, they don’t know anything about it. But he built it, and not only that, he took it back to South Africa and brought up other artists as well, you know. And I see you building this…

NC:  Well look, I will take that. Because he’s done amazing things. He’s done a lot of amazing things, man. I’m honored that I could even be announced within his presence. But, that’s what it’s about, right? That’s what it’s all about. If I’m blazing a path for others, why can’t I give them the knowledge or the keys or the opportunities to do as well?

Because we all have our own vibes and our own energy in terms of how we want to move through it. So, it’s an amazing journey. And I think I’m excited about the space that I’m in because I feel like I’m rooted in my spirit. You know?

MHR: Do you feel that you represent your island and where you’re from?

NC: I do. I think I represent my island. I would like to think I represent the whole of the Caribbean, you know, in a sense, the sound, the island, the cultural expression, you know, and just continuously pulling and pulling from what is our culture, even though sonically. it might not be the sound that they’re used to.

There still is this audience of people there that go to Ibiza, go to Coachella, go to these various festivals. I played Mercury Beach one year, which is this really massive beach party in Guadalupe. Probably 10,000 people on this beach. And the first night I co-headlined it with these Caribbean artists. And at first I was like, are you sure? Because it was straight reggae, you know? So we like did a hybrid set and killed it. And it goes back to expectations and what you said earlier. Not everyone’s always going to feel your pace and your temper. 

You never know who’s listening and who and what is your audience. And I think things are merging and moving such in a way that I think people are understanding the Caribbean more and more in terms of what sound is and what the palette is now, right? So even being able to see me represent them in elements and sounds that they like, I think is a beautiful thing because it’s still pulling from the elements. Some of that sound, some of their artists still giving homage to the culture. 

MHR: So could you tell me more about your event on Saturday? You touched on Masquerave, but the event on Saturday [during Miami Music Week].

So Saturday, I wanted to put the sound and the elements and put other DJs that play similar and might not have the opportunities. I was able to get the Miami Botanical Garden. I wanted to step out a little bit and put it in an arena that people can enjoy and feel like you’re on an island, right? We’ve brought in a few different elements, like some stilt walkers, and some lighting, just to give it the feel that, we are paying homage to the culture.

This is the first year doing it. I’m aiming to do it annually. This is my flagship event that we’re looking to move around eventually as the sound continues to grow.

So people now have a place to come and see it and come and feel it and come and vibrate with it. Because again, if you build it, they will come. I just can’t wait to say tomorrow, man, here we are.  It’s like, if I want that, and if that’s my belief, I have to create it to make them excited.

MHR:  You mentioned ADE earlier. Do you feel like Masquerave would be something that would work at ADE? 

Yeah, I mean honestly I think it can work anywhere. I know this summer we’re gonna do one in Bermuda, and Christmas we’re gonna do one in Jamaica. But you know, I just want to set up these little parties — things that allow people to be excited and feel like they’re a part of something as it continues to move. You kind of never know where it might end up.

MHR: So you’ve talked about your releases. You talked about the Masquerave. What else do you have going on in 2024? It’s a lot already, I know.

NC:  Honestly, right now, I would say those are the two key factors. I think now being back in this space, being consistent, with the music and their releasing. Having my own label now has kind of aligned me to do so — really build and push things forward.

MHR:  Other than what we’ve asked you, what would you want our audience to know about you that perhaps we haven’t touched on?

Um, that I like long walks on the beach. It’s good for creativity, you know? [laughing] I mean, just to check us out, just to give us some vibe, give us some energy, you know.

I think we’re very true and real about the things that we’re doing and what we’re giving to the world. And I’m thankful to platforms like yourself that are allowing artists to really showcase and really be themselves. We continue to give good vibes and give good energy, you know, and I want people to continue to tap in and feel that as well.

But I do like long walks and there’s a beach right here. Do you have any other questions?

MHR: Yeah, I just have one more question. If I had a magic button and I could boom, push it. What do you see yourself in 5 years?

That’s a good question. I see myself, you know, I see the label flourishing. I see having multiple successful artists that I’m continuously grooming and bringing to the forefront. I see myself  hopefully being a household name and being known — being recognized not just by your peers, but by the sound that you’ve created, and people are believing in that and they’re kind of moving through t, and being a fixture in their playlists, within their sets, within whatever it is that they’re doing.

MHR: Awesome. Sounds good. Yeah. Thank you so much for your time.

NC: No, honestly, thank you guys. It’s such a pleasure. I’m very appreciative when people can take the time to just talk.

MHR: Absolutely. We started the conversation without the interview. We just started talking, which is great.  Energy is energy, right? Energy is energy. I feel like it’s good for me to sit down and talk. I’m not just the owner of the radio station. I’m actually a DJ myself and I play all over the world, so I know how hard it is to get out and create the sound and make that connection with people. Yeah. And it sounds like you’re on a very, very great path, and I wish you big success.

HUGE thank you to Noise Cans for your time and your thoughtful answers to our questions. With best wishes for HUGE success,

James Hall, Owner, My House Radio FM

Michele Sensale, Communications, My House Radio FM