Not Satire Connects on the Power of Impermanence in New Track 'Nobody Marks Us' and Reveals All in New Interview
- STAFF
- Oct 8
- 7 min read
By: Staff
Nobody Marks Us is a breathtaking, genre-defying masterpiece, a bold and captivating journey into the depths of raw emotion.
Not Satire is back with an electrifying new track that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about music. With the release of Nobody Marks Us, this artist is taking us deeper into an emotional journey that is as haunting as it is mesmerizing. In a world where meaning often feels fleeting, Not Satire’s latest work dives headfirst into the complexities of impermanence, regret, and the search for something true. His sound is as enigmatic as ever, blending haunting vocals with intricate arrangements that seem to expand and contract with every beat.
We spoke with the mind behind Nobody Marks Us to uncover the story behind this powerful collection of songs. In the conversation, Not Satire opens up about the personal experiences that shaped this project, exploring themes of disassociation and faith, while questioning what it really means to find something real in a world that feels increasingly commodified. As always, the sound is a key player in the experience, and he offers insight into how he crafts his intricate layers of emotion within his music.
This is a journey through impermanence and self-reflection, where each track pushes the boundaries of what we expect from the genre. The album's title speaks to the idea of leaving traces that are quickly forgotten, yet the music itself is impossible to ignore. What’s behind the cryptic lyrics and lush sonic landscapes? What deeper questions does this work ask, and how much of it is a reflection of the artist's own path?
Dive into the full interview and discover the mind of Not Satire, where vulnerability, mystery, and music collide. You won’t want to miss it.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello Not Satire, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
This album is incredible. The power and energy it exudes is exhilarating. The dynamic flow and feeling that go from powerful highs to slower sensations in songs like “Sabotage” really display tremendous power. Vocally it’s all a standout, but it’s the cohesion by design with the arrangement that makes this a blockbuster album.
Q. When it comes to the meaning behind “Nobody Marks Us,” what’s the backstory behind the creation of the album? How does the title encapsulate the core message you wanted to express?
A. The album just came together naturally over the past year, it reflects my own growth and relationship with art. I released a 7 song project around this time last year, but I knew I wanted to make something more cohesive, both visually and sonically. As far as the meaning of it - it’s hard to fully put into words for me. The title comes from a C.S Lewis essay called The Weight of Glory. Lewis talks about how moments of transcendence, whether it be through nature or art, are always followed by a melancholic “journey homeward towards habitual self”. I tried to convey this in the album. Although you may transcend or immerse into another world during a song, that feeling inevitably fades, the song ends, and you’re still looking for something. NMU is a commentary on impermanence and beauty, how it points to something bigger but never is that thing. I highly encourage reading the essay, it’s beautiful.
Q. You’ve made impermanence a central theme on this album. How do you personally grapple with the fleeting nature of things, both in your life and your music?
A. I suppose I just make an album about it hahaha. No, I’ve tried to fight it before but that didn’t work very well, so now I just kinda live with it. Making art about it is my way of accepting it.
Q. What event or realization prompted you to delve into themes like regret and disassociation in your work? Was there a specific moment that sparked this exploration for you?
A. There wasn’t really one specific moment - it’s just something that’s always been there for me. I think a lot of people, especially in my generation, feel the same way. Dissociating almost feels like the only way to deal with how fast culture is evolving.
Q. The album seems to convey a search for something “true” in a commodified world. Do you see your music as a quest for authenticity, or is it more about expressing the inherent ambiguity of truth itself?
A. Great question. And I think it gets at the heart of what Not Satire is as a project.
Q. In songs like “Overnight,” there’s a strong sense of personal reckoning. To what extent does the album reflect your own life experiences, and how much of it is a reflection on the world around you?
A. Hmmm. It’s a mix of both, but it leans more toward personal experience. A lot of the songs lay out my own dilemmas and then turn to the listener saying, “Right? Don’t you feel this too?” I’m holding a mirror up, not just to myself, but to the world around me. The goal is to express things that don’t really translate through words alone.
Q. The intricacy of your sound design is striking. How do you choose which textures or sounds will carry the emotional weight of a song? Has there ever been a moment where the music surprised you in unexpected ways, or do you have a clear vision before starting?
A. I never really have a clear vision when I start, I just let the song take me where it wants to go. Usually I’ll get obsessed with one specific sound or element in another song, try to recreate that in my own way, and then build the track around it.
Q. Faith plays a significant role on this album. What kind of faith are you exploring here, religious, existential, or something else? And how does this theme evolve over the course of the record?
A. It’s faith in a higher power, however that shows up for whoever’s listening. The record’s structured so that all the pleading, questioning, and defiance in the first half starts to feel “resolved” after the interlude, Echo Chamber. Or at least that’s what I thought I did, there’s never a true resolve.
Q. There’s a palpable sense of longing and searching throughout your lyrics. Do you view your music as an attempt to answer these questions, or is it more of an ongoing dialogue with them—one that doesn’t necessarily resolve?
A. For sure the latter. I think part of the theme of NMU is that these questions don’t resolve.
Q. When you’re creating, do you think about how your audience will interpret the music, or is the focus more on what the album means to you personally as an artist?
A. It’s both. I’m ultimately making this for myself, but the listener experience plays a huge role in that. Art doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
Q. If “Nobody Marks Us” could be distilled into one central message or question, what would that be? Is there something you hope listeners take away from it on a deeper, emotional level?
A. I’d love for it to spark something in someone. My favorite feeling is finding that spark.
Q. Do you find that your most vulnerable experiences often translate into your strongest songs? Do you fully share your most intimate feelings, or do you prefer to leave certain parts of your story veiled, allowing the listener to interpret them on their own?
A. I think the beauty of art is the interpretation. The mystique and mystery behind it all is what makes it so exhilarating and exciting. Unfortunately, I think that veil is lifted out of necessity for a lot of artists now, i.e having to explain the entire meaning of songs on TikTok just to get people’s attention. People always seek out definitive answers in art, but I think it should mean to you what it means to you. Tarkovsky and Kubrick were both masters of this, leaving it to the audience to interpret their work, and their films impacted me in ways that escape language.
Q. Are most of your songs drawn from your own personal experiences, or do you sometimes explore entirely fictional worlds? What’s your relationship to the stories and characters in your music? Are you typically part of the narrative within the themes you explore?
A. It’s a mix. Most of my songs come from personal experience, but I like blurring the line between what’s real and what’s imagined.
Q. Can you share something about yourself that fans might not know—something that influences why and how you create music?
A. I live for college football. If I’m not making music, I’m playing CF26 or listening to Finebaum. Both my dad and grandfather played for Alabama, so I’ve been a diehard fan my whole life. I try to apply lessons from Bear Bryant and Nick Saban to what I do with music and outside of it. Holding myself to an unreasonably high standard, for better or worse. Roll Tide.
Q. Not Satire, we can’t thank you enough for sharing such intimate details about your work. So, what’s next for you? Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming projects, and what should fans be excited about in the future? We’d love to hear it straight from you!
A. Thank you so much! I’m working on putting together a live show I want to take on the road soon. It’s a lot of work as an independent artist, but I’m hoping to announce something in the near future.
Not Satire, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
