UK post-hardcore riff slingers Nouvelle make an impressive debut with new single, "Canvas."
Newcomers Nouvelle are here to change the hardcore scene with their new infectious single, "Canvas." Bringing together the artifice of bands such as Funeral For A Friend, Fightstar, and Thrice with the technical finesse of Deftones and Bring Me The Horizon, "Canvas" merges captivating lead guitars, anthemic refrains, and intricate arrangements.
"Canvas" is an honest portrayal of being at peace with yourself outside of a relationship. That your destiny is not defined or controlled by your relationship. While musically, it's a very solemn take on this, there is this hope for the future."
Spending the last eighteen months refining their craft, the Southwest quintet does not shy away from evoking emotion through their music, juxtaposed by enormous guitars and memorable choruses. An anthem for the perpetually single, "Canvas" takes on the painful emotions based around loss, relationships, regret, and the positive side of being comfortable outside of a relationship. While the band is just getting started on their journey within the hardcore scene, "Canvas" shows unabashed fury, grit, and quality through towering and melodic instrumental nuance. Look for future releases and live shows coming up!
How did Nouvelle get started?
Nouvelle was founded initially by Dan J, Liam, and George, who had moved on from a previous project and wanted to work towards a different vibe. Pierce got involved shortly afterward and I finally came into the frame towards the end of 2020!
The beginning of 2021 was spent working on an initial batch of songs during the lockdown, and we finally started getting together and planning for our first studio effort in April of the same year! We wanted to make sure that we could come on the scene with the best songs possible. We couldn’t be more grateful for the response we’ve seen so far!!!
What role did music play in your earlier years?
Music was never really something I’d paid too much attention to until I received an iPod and a copy of Curtain Call by Eminem for Christmas one year. I used to listen to that collection of songs on repeat until I was introduced to Papa Roach and Slipknot. From there, I discovered other bands like My Chemical Romance, Funeral for a Friend, and Bullet for My Valentine through friends, and those bands absolutely changed my life and were my influence for picking up the guitar!
You guys are a post-hardcore band, but what are your musical influences? What are your influences going into your new single "Canvas?"
We’ve always held Funeral for a Friend and Fightstar as our greatest collective influences. Those bands are arguably the kings of UK post-hardcore. We hope that people can see elements of both of those bands reflected in our music!
"Canvas" builds on those influences with a touch of Bring Me the Horizon, Napoleon, and even a bit of Paramore too!
What has the creative process been like for your new single, "Canvas?"
From the initial demo to the final release, the structure of the song stayed exactly the same, which is a testament to how brilliant the songwriting is! Building upon the foundation of what is expected of a traditional rock band was important to us, so we decided to introduce different musical elements like orchestration and synthesizers to accentuate the hooks and bring a modern flare to the song!
Choosing the right person to work with to capture the sound was a hugely important consideration too—we spent time with Jonny Renshaw (The Devil Sold His Soul), who has worked with some incredible bands like Casey, Dream State, and The Elijah. He was an absolute pleasure to work with; we learned so much in the process, and he really helped us nail what we were going for!
"Canvas" is an honest portrayal of being at peace with yourself outside of a relationship. That your destiny is not defined or controlled by your relationship. While musically, it's a very solemn take on this, there is this hope for the future.
What made you guys want to take on this subject?
Putting together the lyrical side of the track came so naturally; it was a collaborative effort between myself and Pearce where we both drew inspiration from our past and present relationships. It felt too easy to write a sad song, though, and it was important for me personally to imbue a sense of hope into it.
For quite some time, I got caught in the trap of co-dependency, the feeling that my existence isn’t full unless I have somebody to share it with, but after spending a considerable amount of time outside of a relationship, I learned to live with myself. Working on this project was a huge part of that process, and it felt right to express those feelings in a song.
You guys are just freshly formed, but what is next for you guys after this single? Is this part of something bigger?
We definitely have new music on the horizon; we’re currently working very hard on our first full body of work! Keep your eyes peeled and follow our social media accounts for more news!