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Artist Spotlight: Nourey
Egyptian-born musician and environmental scientist Nourey first picked up the guitar at ten years old. She later turned to music production, releasing on Elliptical Sun Recordings and AVA. Her unique blend of trance, house and jazz soon caught the ear of Above & Beyond, who played her debut single 'Skylar' on Group Therapy Radio in 2019.
In 2020, Nourey crossed over to Anjunabeats with her remix of Gabriel & Dresden’s ‘Something Bigger’ before releasing 'In Motion' with OLAN and 'All Night' with ZOYA on the label the following year. In 2022, Nourey made her live debut at Above & Beyond’s Group Therapy Weekender festival, earned a coveted spot on 1001Tracklist’s ‘Future Of Dance’ music, and dropped her debut EP on Anjunabeats, the ‘Meant To Be EP’.
Last year, she made a return to Above & Beyond’s Group Therapy Weekender with an all-ambient set, released ‘To Where Dreams Are’ as part of the Reflections 07 Compilation, and launched the official music video for her collaboration with FOSTER, ‘Meant To Be’, which has amassed over 50,000 views to date.
Alongside her music career, Nourey is a postdoctoral research fellow and manager of the Climate Change and Cities Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She’s worked closely with AnjunaHQ on sustainability initiatives, including at Group Therapy Weekender, and has multiple academic awards and honours for her research.
Nourey returns to Anjunabeats on Monday 7th October with her most ambitious and experimental work to date, the ‘Metamorphic EP’. Learn more about the concept behind the EP, her upcoming show at ABGT600, her recent collaboration with Amy Wiles and more in our Q&A with her below.
Q&A with Nourey
What have you been up to over the past year? How’s your climate research at MIT been going?
Past year has been extremely crazy and exciting. I have been occupied mostly with my research work at MIT but I used my music time to expand my skills and experiment more with my productions after a very long period of writer’s block (we've all been there, right?), and the result was the ‘Metamorphic EP’, which I’m so happy is coming out soon.
As for my MIT research, things got really exciting towards the end of 2023. We launched a project that's pretty close to my heart - developing an assessment report on the carbon footprint of the live music industry in the US and UK. The project is co-funded by Coldplay, Hope Solutions, Live Nation, and Warner Music Group.
I have to admit, as a longtime Coldplay fan, it's pretty surreal to be working on a project they're involved with. But more importantly, having major industry players like Live Nation and Warner on board speaks volumes about the positive steps the music industry is taking towards addressing climate change.
A few weeks ago, you and Amy Wiles dropped your debut collaboration ‘Human’. How did the track come about?
Ah, 'Human'! The journey behind that track started in 2021, and collaborating with Amy was an absolute blast.
It all started with a studio session where I was playing around with Sylenth and some bassline progressions. I ended up with the bassline and simple breakdown piano melody. I'd been chatting with Amy about doing something together, and the timing was perfect - it was right around when my collab with ZOYA dropped. So, I sent her this rough sketch, and she sprinkled her trance magic all over it and it was like a perfect match!
The funny thing is, the track production itself was super quick, but we got caught up in a bit of a debate over the breakdown sample. I originally had this Carl Sagan book sample that we ended up ditching completely. Overall, it was fun to work with Amy and exchange ideas back and forth. We actually ended up with another track too but we haven’t had the chance to finish it yet.
I've got to say, I'm loving all the work Amy's been doing lately. She's bringing those old trance vibes back into her productions and sets, which I’m a fan of. Her track 'Here I Am' is definitely one of my favourites.
We’ve been loving your ABGT Guest Mix at Anjuna HQ. How did you choose the tracklist?
First of all, this means a lot since I love all of you guys at Anjuna HQ, so thank you for that.
The tracklist is essentially a musical diary of my past year. It's a blend of what's been on heavy rotation in my headphones and the sounds that influenced my EP. I've always had a soft spot for Glitch IDM, ambient techno, and experimental electronica, and I felt this mix was the perfect canvas to showcase these influences.
I think those who are following me on Instagram know I'm slightly obsessed with Jon Hopkins. His production and composition? Mind-blowing. It's like he's making music from another dimension. And then there's Alex Banks and Max Cooper - I don't think I've ever put together a mix without sneaking in at least one track from these legends. Their sound just resonates with me on a deep level.
Putting this mix together was like creating a musical puzzle. I wanted each track, including my originals, to fit together and tell a cohesive story. It was one of my favourite mixes to curate because it felt so personal - like I was sharing a piece of my musical soul.
We recently announced that you’ll be playing at ABGT600 in Mexico City this October! How are you feeling about it?
Where do I even begin? Excited? Thrilled? Over the moon? None of these words quite capture it!
Being part of ABGT600 feels like I've won the electronic music lottery. I mean, this is ABGT we're talking about - it's basically the Super Bowl of trance! And to think I'll be sharing the stage again with Above & Beyond who inspired me to start producing in the first place, it's surreal.
I've been a fan of the ABGT events for years, watching the livestreams and dreaming of being there. I had always planned to attend an ABGT milestone event since 2016 but luck was never in my favour. Now, not only am I going to be there, but I'll be performing live! It's like a dream coming true.
Preparation-wise, I'm diving deep into my music library and working on some special edits and maybe a new track or two that I am so excited to play live... But you know what? Beyond the excitement and the slight nerves (okay, maybe more than slight), I'm just feeling incredibly grateful. Grateful to Above & Beyond and the Anjuna team for this opportunity.
Last year, you released your ambient track ‘To Where Dreams Are’ as part of the Reflections 07 compilation. Could you tell us more about your passion for ambient music?
As much as I love producing high-energy tracks, there's something special about ambient music that just speaks to my soul. It's the musical equivalent of a deep breath.
I don't think I've mentioned this before, but my musical journey actually began as an ambient producer. Back in 2012, I started composing tracks with my guitar, sharing them on SoundCloud just within my close circle of friends. At the time, I never imagined I'd be releasing ambient music more widely.
What fascinates me about ambient music is its ability to enhance any environment. It's incredibly versatile yet deeply personal at the same time. I find that producing ambient tracks also influences my approach to other genres. It's taught me the power of space and silence in music, and how sometimes, less really is more.
Working on ‘To Where Dreams Are’ was a really special experience. I started the entire idea with a saxophone melody and piano chords and the creative process revolved around crafting textures and space. I'm grateful that this track found a home in the Reflections compilation.
Producing this track and ‘Outer Reach’ taught me that music doesn't always need a beat to move you - sometimes, it just needs to surround you and that is a super exciting challenge to any producer and musician.
Your upcoming ‘Metamorphic EP’ is set to come out on Anjunabeats next month. Could you talk us through the concept behind it?
This EP is really close to my heart as it explores some big ideas I've been wrestling with lately. You know how butterflies go through this incredible transformation? Well, 'Metamorphic' is kind of like that, but for the human experience. It's about how we're changing along with our environment and technology.
Each track on the EP looks at a different aspect of this transformation. There’s 'Human & Machines', which imagines a future where humans and AI work together. It's not all doom and gloom - I wanted to show how technology, when used right, could actually help us progress and take care of our planet better.
Then there's 'Illum', which was inspired by Nick Brandt's photography series "The Day May Break". It's a bit of a wake-up call about how we're affecting wildlife, but it also holds onto hope for restoration. 'Illum' plays on the word "illuminate," because that's exactly what this track aims to do - shed light on an often overlooked aspect of our existence: our significant effect on natural ecosystems and wildlife.
'Encode' gets a bit more intense. It's my attempt to capture those complex emotions that we sometimes struggle to put into words. You know that feeling when you're scrolling through social media, surrounded by noise but feeling utterly alone? That's what inspired this track. It's about how technology, which promised to bring us closer, sometimes leaves us feeling more isolated and unheard than ever.
Think of it as a musical representation of the stress and distress we often feel in this fast-paced world of technology. It's intense, yes, but I hope it also creates a space for listeners to recognize and process these complex feelings. Maybe, by acknowledging this shared experience, we can start to decode a path back to genuine connection.
Finally, 'Silent Algorithms' is all about the exhaustion that comes with constant innovation. It's not just about the tech industry's relentless pace - it's a reflection on how this constant innovation affects all of us in our daily lives. We're living in an era where the line between reality and AI-generated content is increasingly blurred. Our personal beauty and uniqueness are often filtered through digital lenses. But the track isn't about demonizing technology - it's more a meditation on how we're using it.
The title 'Silent Algorithms' is a nod to these powerful, unseen and unheard technological forces shaping our lives. Through this track, I wanted to explore the duality of technology. Like any tool, its impact - whether positive or negative - depends on how we wield it.
Are there any particular artists that inspired the new EP?
I know this might sound like an unexpected influence, but I was absolutely captivated by Louis and Bebe Barron's score for 'Forbidden Planet'. This score really inspired most of the sound design in the EP. I mean, they were creating these wild, alien sounds back in the '50s! It blew my mind. For 'Metamorphic', I wanted to capture some of that otherworldly vibe in my own way.
I have also been heavily influenced by Thom Yorke. His solo stuff beyond Radiohead is like a masterclass in creating atmosphere. ‘Silent Algorithms’ and ‘Encode’ were born out of a late-night listening session of Yorke's 'ANIMA'.
I’m also a bit of a Jon Hopkins fangirl. I'll admit it! The way he intertwines intricate textures with these heart-wrenching melodies... it's pure magic. His work was definitely on my mind while I was crafting some of the more emotive moments in the EP.
But you know, as much as I love all these artists, the real challenge was finding my own voice in the midst of all this inspiration. It was like taking all these amazing ingredients and trying to cook up something uniquely Nourey. Whether I succeeded or not, well, I guess that's for the listeners to decide!