Artist: The Afro Nick Single: Get There Before Noon (LA Mix) Genre: Indie Rock, Psychedelic, Alternative Rock Release Date: November 22nd, 2024
The Afro Nick has always been a bit of an outsider. From his early days busking on the streets of Crete to forming one of the island’s first indie rock bands, he’s consistently found himself just outside the norm, using music as both an escape and an assertion of identity. His latest single, “Get There Before Noon (LA Mix),” is another chapter in that story—a raw, somewhat unpolished indie rock anthem about seizing the day, shaped by his unique background and perspective.
The song itself is built on a foundation of thick, slightly gritty guitar riffs, punctuated by Leonardo Genovese’s synth work, which feels both out of place and completely fitting at the same time. Genovese, a Grammy-winning musician, brings an element of surprise to the track. The synth lines hover above the rest of the instrumentation, detached yet integral, giving the song an off-kilter charm that aligns with The Afro Nick’s ethos of individuality.
Lyrically, “Get There Before Noon” is straightforward but open to interpretation. The chorus—“I might be insane / But all you have to do / Is get there before noon”—is oddly memorable, even if its meaning remains elusive. The phrase originated from a literal moment in Nick’s life: waking up with a hangover and needing to make it to a recording session on time. But the way he delivers it, with his signature non-native English phrasing (“Get there BE-fore noon”), adds another layer—almost as if he’s urging himself, and by extension the listener, to push forward despite the chaos of life.
The song’s production leaves something to be desired. The mix is muddy in places, and the vocals don’t always sit comfortably within the track. But these imperfections also reinforce its raw, DIY energy. The accompanying music video, a collage of low-budget visuals featuring women holding chains and eventually cutting The Afro Nick free, leans heavily into metaphor without much subtlety. Yet, there’s an undeniable charisma to his presence, an authenticity that keeps it from feeling completely contrived.
“Get There Before Noon (LA Mix)” isn’t a polished indie hit, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s an odd, slightly offbeat track that embodies The Afro Nick’s philosophy of unfiltered self-expression. Whether or not the song resonates with every listener, it’s clear that Nick isn’t interested in fitting into a clean, mainstream mold—he’s here to carve out his own space, one unconventional song at a time.
