Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Joshua James Nunn
THE RELEASE
Joshua James Nunn is back making music after a hiatus he took to focus on film composition. From the very start of his musical journey with his debut track “Make Me Feel Bad,” which was first heard by BBC Introducing back in 2021, to his new upcoming release, “Quiet Noise,” Joshua has always been a multidimensional diver into the sphere of sound. After his music trek, he entered another one—the world of film composition. He had dreams of composing for film studio A24 and went on to achieve what he sought out to do. His talent and ear for music make him an artist to watch.
“Quiet Noise” is a mesmerizing EP consisting of four tracks and, at its core, a musical diary of Joshua James Nunn’s touching reflections on life and the meaning of it. With “Awakening,” “Life,” “Melancholy,” and “Nostalgia,” Joshua simply opens up his heart to the listeners, exploring the realm of self-discovery. Mixing the ambient, glitch, and breakbeat genres, his soundscapes wrap around the audience, taking them on a journey through the absolute. Joshua states that he draws inspiration from Neo-Noir movies’ aesthetic, a quality easily felt when listening to his material: it is tragic and fascinating at the same time. “Quiet Noise” is not just Joshua’s tour de force in film-scoring excellence; it is also the proof of his ambition to reinvent oneself while pushing one’s limits.
THE INTERVIEW
If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?
I would say Shlohmo is number one for me, his work always inspires me to work harder at what I create. Number two would be Lorn, for me Lorn's music is so cinematic! I find it super inspiring. Number three would be The Prodigy, even though my EP does not sound anything like their music, it was the first band to inspire me to make electronically produced music when I was younger. Fourth, is not a person, but the scene I grew up in of hardcore, punk and metal.
Throughout the production of your new EP, were there specific challenges or breakthrough moments that had a profound influence on the overall direction and cohesion of the project?
I started writing music for my EP last year, just playing around with different ideas. It wasn't until I was having trouble finding work in the audio industry that I decided to write an EP with a cinematic inspired sound. I started messing around with ambient noises while writing and I couldn't help but picture where my music would fit in a movie. Overall, I just wanted to make music that sounded like it belonged in the cinema, as my dream is to compose for a major film.
Can you offer insights into the collaborative dynamics that shaped your latest EP, shedding light on the contributions from producers, co-writers, engineers, or featured artists and how their involvement impacted the final body of work?
Haha, it's just me working on the EP - I'm a one-man band! Big shout out to Tom Bishop for mastering my EP, he always does an awesome job with all my work.
Considering the entirety of your EP, what lasting impact or impression do you hope the collection of songs will leave on listeners, both individually and as a cohesive musical journey?
When I was working on the EP, I was feeling really emotional. I was going through a tough time trying to find a job, which made me question my purpose in life and where I was meant to be. The EP ended up being a way for me to channel all those emotions. I think "Awakening" really reflects how I was feeling, along with "Melancholy". The last track, "Life," felt like a relief from everything. I hope people can take away from it that everything will be ok, as the EP ends with a feeling of hope. Times are tough, but we are all here for each other, don't hesitate to reach out whenever you need support.
As the EP is all about creating music for movies, maybe picture your favourite movie scene while you're listening. That's what I did when I was making the EP.
As you look forward, how does the release of this EP set the stage for your future projects, and are there any subtle hints or clues you can share about the evolving musical direction you plan to explore in the coming months?
I've got some awesome composing projects in the works, one is a documentary and the other is a short film! I'm hoping to put out more music this year whenever I can. I've only ever played this project of music live once, but I'm eager to do more live performances. The EP has given me the confidence to start practicing for live shows.
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