Since 1997, Daniel Kessler has been playing subtly grand guitar for NYC stalwarts Interpol, but with his project Big Noble, that guitar is front and center, and its emotionality is startling. Big Noble’s music is perfectly cinematic, and that’s no mistake, given that the project is a partnership between Kessler and sound designer Joseph Fraioli. They’ve been at it in one way or another for than 15 years, since all the way back in 1999, when the two first met. It’s with Big Noble’s upcoming debut full-length album, First Light, though, that the sound of the duo is fully explored, and it’s greatly reminiscent of the name of the album.
So, it’s appropriate that Kessler and Fraioli have teamed up with their filmmaking friends to create a visual aspect to each of First Light‘s songs. Specifically, Big Noble worked with Daniel Ryan (a longtime friend and “all-around dude,” according to Kessler.) Ryan conceptualized the “Autumn” video himself, without the input of the duo. Kessler told Flavorwire that he and Fraioli “always had the intention of pairing a visual component with our music. In fact, we first discussed the concept of creating music for film before setting out to make an album.” They’ve acquired videos for nine of the ten tracks, and the tenth is already in the works.
As a whole, the album and its ambient/found-recording aesthetic make for immersive, headphone-begging music. The video for “Autumn” puts the viewer in the ’50s, specifically the hypothetical climactic scene of some unmade David Lynch film, all eeriness and no answers. Watch it below. The album, Full Light, is out now.