NoMBe & Pongo
Single – Sugar Rush (Late Night Snacks) (Release 02.07.25)
NoMBe, music exists in a constant state of evolution. He naturally untethers his sound from standard genres and allows it to transmogrify at the speed of his life. One personal season may translate to tape best through electric guitar awash in distortion, while the next pins itself to analog synths and disco beats. He essentially responds and reacts to the ebb and flow of his day-to-day journey by writing songs.
Now, he progresses once again on his third album, Diáspora [Position Music]. The record threads together an eclectic patchwork inspired by the music of black artists over the last 60 years and showcases the breadth and diversity of his signature sound. NoMBe is building a musical and visual world for this album hyper focused on the cultural monuments built by the African Diáspora. Throughout the rollout, content will be specifically focused on the African Diáspora’s deep impact on culture, including fashion, dance, education, and humor, giving fans a deeper look into who NoMBe the artist is and where he comes from.
“Every time I do a project, I get to reinvent what the music is,” he notes. “It could be dance, R&B, alternative, soul, indie, or blues, and that’s how NoMBe started in the beginning. I took the pressure off from having to abide by any perception of what the sound should be. I’m just unapologetically doing whatever I want. Recently, my production has been coming out very disco/dance inspired and I think I’ve been longing for groovier music that pays homage to my culture. I’m inspired by music of the African Diaspora and tapping into my musical upbringing a lot more like Nile Rodgers, Daft Punk or Earth, Wind & Fire.”
Raised in Germany and based in Los Angeles, he has consistently stretched and sculpted a singular style. He formally introduced himself on his full-length They Might’ve Even Loved Me [2018] followed by Chromatopia [2021]. Standouts like “Wait,” “Summer’s Gone,” and “Freak Like Me” upped his total streams to nearly 1 billion and counting. He also notably found early evangelists in the likes of Elton John and Pharrell Williams. Simultaneously, his music surged through popular culture, appearing on Shameless, Ozark, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger, The Resident, Ballers, and in Kylie Jenner’s Life of Kylie.
He emerged as the rare enigma who could hold his own on the road alongside either Bonobo or alt-j in addition to performing at major festivals a la Lollapalooza, Firefly Music Festival, SXSW, Outside Lands, Bottlerock, Electric Forest, Okeechobee, and Lightning in a Bottle Festival. Meanwhile, he incited the applause of NPR, OnesToWatch, Billboard, Afropunk, WWD, Complex, and Flaunt Magazine. ThisSongIsSick christened him “one of those talented artists who has a knack for creating catchy, feel-good music that relates to just about anyone,” and Atwood Magazine raved, “CHROMATOPIA is a musical and conceptual triumph that brings us up-close and personal as Noah McBeth.”
Along the way, he temporarily relocated to Hawaii, which provided a creative, personal, and spiritual refresher on his 2024 NOAH EP.
“My time in Hawaii was really impactful,” he goes on. “I’ll carry it with me for the rest of my life. It was only three years, but it gave me a perspective on what quality of life is and how I do things as opposed to chasing ‘ideas’ of what success and happiness really are.”
The NOAH EP traced a thematic thread for NoMBe. Breezy soundscapes, effusive energy, and sunny melodies conjured a core idea. “All of the songs had this ‘driving’ feeling,” he says. “I intentionally refer to it as a ‘Road Trip Album’. All of these songs work well when you’re driving a car, and it’s almost like a playlist you’d make for the ride.”
Right out of the gate, it immediately reacted with audiences. The fan favorite “Space For Two” reeled-in north of one million Spotify streams, while the EP also received tastemaker applause courtesy of Mundane Magazine, V13, and FLAUNT who professed, “With infectious rhythms, deep lyrics, and heartfelt melodies, each track invites listeners on a journey through joyful landscapes and energy.”
Catalyzing this momentum and turning the page on his next chapter, Diáspora represents a natural, yet significant creative evolution for NoMBe, ushering in his next era with a bevy of genre-breaking anthems.
Leaning into fiery funk and luminous disco, he layers arresting melodies and evocative storytelling over alternative soundscapes. By doing so, he explores every facet of himself out loud.
“The goal is to showcase the diversity of black culture through my own lens, as it appears in past, present, and future,” he notes. “As NoMBe, I am the subjective guide of the brand through an authentic voice and personal approach, but as Noah McBeth, the Afro-German, I am a product of this cultural phenomenon and community. In other words, NoMBe tells this story, but is only a side character therein.”
He introduces the album with the upbeat and undeniable single, “Nu Lova.” Funky electric guitar and thumping drums anchor the groove. Against this backdrop, he flexes his harmonic range, locking into a fiery flow. It culminates on a climactic and chantable chorus that practically draws listeners into the glow of the disco ball with a magnetic pull. It clearly illuminates his progression on tape.
In the end, you’ll not only hear NoMBe’s evolution, but you’ll feel it.
“I set a high standard for myself, and I’m very intentional with the music,” he leaves off. “I hope you build a deep relationship to what I’m doing. I want it to make your day better, give you a chance to reflect, and even inspire you to create.”
