Notro is the professional name of independent songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist producer John Sievertsen. The Nashville, Tennessee musician writes, records, mixes and masters his music himself in his home recording studio. With a genre-bending style the adventurous musician mixes elements of Alternative, Electronic Rock and Indie Pop into something entirely new.
Sievertsen made his solo professional recording debut as Notro in January on 2021 with the eleven song collection “Thought Process.” That record introduced a talented and eclectic artist who shapes analog and electronic instrumentation into a unique and experimental sound. Now the prolific producer has delivered his second LP in less than a year.
“Out of the Blue” is the latest album from Notro, released worldwide to all major streaming services on December 31, 2021. On the record, he breaks new ground by taking his distinctive style into uncharted territory. The 12-track record combines the DIY vibes of experimental Alt Rock of bands with modern electronic production techniques and a cool Lo-fi aesthetic.
The avant-garde instrumental “From Behind the Waterfall” opens the record with a Lo-fi mix of guitars, drums and keys that is somehow both intentionally dissonant and inherently melodic. “Nowhere Else to Go” and “No Time” continue that vibe but also begin to introduce an 80’s Alternative feel with ambient synths and chorus-soaked guitars.
He dives even deeper into that sonic world as the record progresses. Tracks like “Tryin,” “Bitter” bring to mind the work of Joy Division and their tragic genius Ian Curtis. Notro takes the next logical step from there into the 90’s with the Pavement like experimental Alt-Pop of tracks like “Hands” and “Negative Space.” The latter instrumental piece introduces a healthy dose of psychedelia as well.
“Bar” is a real highpoint with its intricate Echo and the Bunnymen-style interwoven guitars and Notro’s stream-of-consciousness spoken word lyrical delivery. The experimental vibe continues on tracks like the surreal “If Looks Could Kill” and the dreamy “Safe Inside” which fades in and out in just over a minute like a radio transmission from the past.
A pair of mostly instrumental experiments follows. There are vocals in both, but Notro uses his voice more as a mood enhancing effect than as a lead narrative device. “Leave Before Left ” is a hypnotic mix of guitars and a slow but driving rhythm. The record closes on “When I Come Undone,” an ethereal mix of keys, guitars, lo-fi beats and a bit of Cure-like Darkwave.
Check out “Out of the Blue” in its entirety below, or listen on your favorite streaming service. You can also hear the track “Bar” on the Deep Indie Dive playlist. Follow the links below to connect with Notro. Get on his socials and get in the loop on all of the current and future projects from this talented new artist.
Connect with Notro
SoundCloud
Spotify
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