A melody can connect a whole room by a common thread. Noah Derksen’s spiralling sounds make the listener sift through their own thoughts and disappear into an introspective, contemplative form of folk.
Derksen, a final-year BSc student and member of the 2013-14 varsity volleyball team is embarking on a 22-day summer tour spanning the four major western provinces. The tour will be focusing on exploration, and promotion of his debut album, Man That I Am, released in January of this year. Derksen had initially planned on a smaller scale tour but, excited for the adventures his tour would bring, decided that bigger was better and extended his journey from a week to almost a month.
"I made my way down to the west coast/I put my feet in the sand/I waved goodbye to the old ghosts/And hello to the man that I am."
The title track of Man That I Am shapes the narrative of the entire album: Derksen’s development, the challenges he’s met along the way, and an inevitable farewell to the past and places he has outgrown. His inspirations come from everywhere, but many stem from discovery. The song itself is about being internally guided, moving from Winnipeg to Vancouver at 18, independence and having no connections.
This being said, whether playing to nobody in UBC's Auditorium Sessions, filmed in the Music School’s Old Auditorium, or balancing a love for both science and music, UBC’s music community’s support and connection has been instrumental in the development of Derksen’s music, especially in his positive interactions with BVP, CiTR, and other supportive spaces such as open mics at the Gallery.
“Thinking of where I was a year ago today: I wouldn’t have done any sort of recording, I had no intention of recording an album, if I could go back now, and just see where I am now back then, I wouldn’t have imagined it to be [like this]," he said. "So yeah, that’s a really sweet thing, to see development and to see how tangible that is, and it leaves me very optimistic for the future, that there is still an enormous room for growth.”
Contemplative Folk is the subgenre that Derksen has created to describe his album. It reflects his process of song writing, and experience of life.
“I spend a lot of time in thought, so my songs stem from extended times, [and] extended periods of critical thought.… When I perform and I play for other people, that’s my way of inviting people to engage in that level of contemplation, or that level of critical thought as well.… The songs themselves are of [that] nature: of looking inside, of just wresting with different questions and different experiences.”
This thoughtful aesthetic is reflected in his approach to all things. “I think what’s been key to my development is the balance that I’ve tried to seek out.… science and analytics and that style of thinking” has shaped his style of creativity and how he approaches the artistic world. His current plan is to take time off indefinitely after graduating, and persue music wholeheartedly, while keeping in touch with the world of science.
Man That I Am pairs a folksy west coast feel and coming-of-age narratives to a simple acoustic sound that successfully provokes reflection while staying in tune with Noah Derksen’s intense creative style. Who knew analytical thinking could bring out something so emotive?
Information about the August Man That I Am tour, album and other media are available on Derksen’s website.