WORDS Sorcha Gannon
You can see why The Notas have charmed the Dublin scene pretty much since they started out back in 2010. Dulcet guitar notes fuse with lead singer Maurice Han’s dramatic vocals in tightly controlled crescendos, contributing to the appeal of this five piece heavy indie band from North Dublin. They have come a long way since the band’s genesis in a freezing, damp, and occasionally electricity-less shed in Balbriggan — “We have had some dark times, literally” Hans muses— which produced Rosemary, a superb track of longing and raw emotion. But they have stuck it out from their school day beginnings, despite the fact that all of them have had to juggle college or work alongside the music. On top of that, guitarist Kain Devine on guitar adds, “We are poor. Really poor”; “Trinity sponsors welcome”, Princess Siwela the drummer chimes in.
Their recent move into a new rehearsal space, alongside the departure of member Paul Morgan and the upcoming release of single Cafune, has given rise to an undeniable sense of a new chapter for The Notas. Their first gig of 2014 is in The Workman’s on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, and is definitely one to catch. The Notas have a great dynamic on stage, interchanging instruments during a set, something that became a definitive part of their live performance last year. This collaborative approach is very much part of the band’s ethos. For the most part they learnt how to play their respective instruments together — initially no one, not even Hans, knew he could sing — a journey which has seen their music mature as they have, taking on a richer and more interesting scope.
The Notas are part of a close-knit array of Dublin bands; Meltybrains?, Princess, Otherkin and Spies are a few that they enjoy playing with most, though the list goes on. They cite their peers as being an important an influence as the big names they have been likened to, such as Foals, Wu Lyf, and Wild Beasts. Gigs are a key source of inspiration, as guitarist Mubbashir Ali Sultan puts it: “we see something we like, something we want to make our own”. Other influences? Classical music, psychology and feminism are recent topics of discussion, in conversations that mainly take place in the early hours of the morning in Hans and Sultan’s apartment. Who are they listening to at the moment? This question, Bassist Alice Jacquire protests, will provoke an argument, as they all have such different music tastes. Among the listed are Mount Kimbie, Cymbals, Shlomho, Andy Stott, and Beyoncé’s — an eclectic range, which translates into the band’s creative process, where everyone brings their own style into the mix.
2013 was a great year, featuring stints at Camden Crawl, Hard Working Class Heroes, and Castlepalooza, the last unanimously decreed as the highlight, especially, Siwela recounted, “When Maurice raised his euphoric hand, screamed ‘Castlepalooza!’ and the crowd lost its mind?”. 2014 looks to be just as productive; it will be interesting to see how they develop, if the already promising tracks Vvalentina and Cultured Vultures are anything to go by. The Notas have all the foundations of a powerful indie force, and there is every reason for us to be just as excited as they are about what their future holds.
