"I’ve got another project which I can’t really say much about at the moment, but things are coming together for that quite nicely and you can expect to hear more about it soon."
As you find yourself listening to the tracks of Tyrone Noonan's forthcoming mini-album I'm A Believer you may feel as though you are experiencing a touch of deja vu, however, fear not, it's intentional. Showcasing his flair for DJing and electronic music, I'm A Believer gives the tracks of his debut full-length album of 2011, I Believe, a fresh sound through remixing and reworking.
Reflecting on the decision to reinvent the album, Noonan confesses, “A lot of people really liked [I Believe], but when it was released it didn't seem like there was going to be much hope for radio play. It's a timeless record, it doesn't really sit in one particular time period, but in making this new album, I was given the opportunity to reinterpret the songs in a contemporary style and setting. I also wanted to prove to myself that those songs would work in this format, which I think they have. I've also always had an interest in electronic music,” he continues, “I've been a DJ for almost as long as I've been a musician, so it was also a chance for me to explore that side of myself with my own music.”
While you'll definitely hear echoes of the past in I'm A Believer, Noonan is excited to present tracks that take on whole new identities. “There's a track [on the album] called All That You Need, which keeps the same jungle-flavoured tempo and melody, but it's been completely re-harmonised, and all the chords are completely different – it sounds amazing. Richard Padron – who is this Cuban guy who helped me with the record and is an incredible jazz, rock and classical guitarist and producer as well – completely changed the whole harmonic structure of the song, while also making it a really wicked drum'n'bass kind of remix.”
With the songs taking on new life in the studio, Noonan has also enlisted a new band to help him realise his new direction. “My guitarist was in my band in New York, he came over to Brisbane shortly after I did. Then my keyboardist has always played with synths, and for years my drummer has been working with both live drums and electronic percussion, so we're working together to incorporate a lot of the sounds and samples to kind of come up with a kind of hybrid sound on stage.”
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While a record release and tour would be enough to keep anyone busy, Noonan reveals he's also got a lot more on his plate, “I've got a release to piece together with my band from New York and some new tracks that I want to record with my band here. I've also been keeping busy by doing some movie soundtrack work as well, which is fantastic and a lot of fun. Then I've got another project which I can't really say much about at the moment, but things are coming together for that quite nicely and you can expect to hear more about it soon.”