Trinidad Senolia Noelle Cover Art
House music holds a power that's all its own. A meld of relentless bass and ethereal instrumentation, it can open up a door to parts unknown, pulling listeners into a hypnotized space in which words disappear and all that's left is pulse and color. That power courses through Trinidad Senolia's newest single, "Noelle (She's Artsy)," a half-song, half-story that draws us into the story of a young femme fatale (name: Noelle) as the beat builds in every direction. From its opening note, "Noelle" unfurls as a classic house specimen, its synths co-opted from the 80s and its hi-hats pattering like heavy rain on a roof. The prose work of Mateo Senolia is read throughout most of the track by his collaborator Garth Trinidad, lines from Senolia's recent literary release Red Now and Laters that showcase his talent for description and phrasing flourishes. Because as it turns out, Senolia's proper name is Marcus J. Guillory, and as a novelist and screenwriter his talent for crafting immersive experience go far beyond his house productions. "Noelle" synthesizes all of that, and with Trinidad's assistance becomes a unique listening experience unlike anything heard in clubs, on radios or across the internet today. And those keyboards we hear? They were laid down by composer legend Mark de Clive Lowe. Artsy indeed.
Okayplayer is very proud to release the "Noelle" as a four track single, a set piece that ships with not only the original Trinidad Senolia mix, but includes a remix from producer greats Seven Davis Jr., Cottonbelly and An Expresso each. From the deep, bobbing bass and samba feel of An Expresso's flip, to Davis's dry drums and Cottonbelly's spacious, contemplative dub interpretation, the new release is a sonic tetrahedron with the central tale of young infatuation gluing it all together. For all of house's repetitions, these producers keep finding new ways to surprise us all; "Noelle (She's Artsy)" is one single that plays out like a proper album. The entire release can be streamed in full below and each track is currently available for purchase via iTunes.
