Now Things: Behind the Mask with Noise Cans

Words by Jesse Serwer, Photos by Nicole Sweet

Authentic cultural experiences (the dark n’ stormy and Collie Buddz tunes notwithstanding) are not what people usually seek out on visits to Bermuda. But the island—which is in many ways culturally Caribbean, despite its Atlantic geography—is home to some rich traditions sure to be familiar to anyone familiar with jumbies and junkanoo. Still an active presence on the island, gombeys are the keepers and living embodiment of Bermuda’s history, with their own distinctive, yet classically Caribbean, costumery. And, in 2014, the gombey mask has shown up in an unexpected place: EDM music.

The creation of an anonymous, identity-hiding Bermuda-born DJ based in the U.S. known as COLLAS, Noise Cans is set to bring an authentic dose of Caribbean culture to electronic dance music, in both musical and visual terms. While the “badman rave” outfit (which debuted earlier this year with a pair of mixtapes released in association with Amsterdam-based label Bad Manor) is hardly the first to put trap and other dance genres into a blender with dancehall (upcoming singles feature Mr. Vegas and I-Octane, and some massive drops), Noise Cans aims also to bring the theatricality of Caribbean carnival to an arena where throwing pies into a crowd passes for performance.

We sat down with COLLAS in an undisclosed location, somewhere in the USA, to get the story behind the (colorful) mask. Read on here.

LargeUp: What is Noise Cans?

COLLAS: We are a Bermudian native sound system that merges Caribbean/Tropical vibes with progressive electronic sounds. I gave it the native colors, because I feel it symbolizes the energy of the Caribbean.

LU: Tell us a little bit about the gombey mask that you wear?

COLLAS: The mask is culture, vibe, energy – it allows you to create and feel as free as you want to be. It originates from the gombey, which is an iconic symbol of my culture. The Gombey is Bermuda’s mix of African, indigenous peoples, Caribbean and British cultures, blending them into a unique performance art full of colorful masquerades, dance and drumming.

LU: Will you find gombeys out on normal nights, or just on special occasions?

COLLAS: On holidays they are always out, some random nights as well. I would remember hearing the bass drum, the snare, the whistle it was like they were calling you. Sometimes we would run out of the house see our friends following, other times there would just be random natives skanking, jumping, moving.  You would continue to dance and follow them through the streets for hours. It’s still happening. And they would dance through the streets on any given night and would end up with a few hundred followers. It was a thing where once you heard the drums, you went to look for the gombeys.

Continue reading.

LU: You’ve been out of Bermuda for a while, what about the gombeys called to you with this project?

COLLAS: I was playing with and creating these sounds and I felt like the style of the DJs within EDM was a lot of the same. I wanted to create something that was a little different and stood out, but also represented my culture. True story, I was watching the Grammys one night, and Daft Punk had won a bunch of Grammys and it was great. But some press following questioned who Daft Punk really was, who were the men behind the masks. There was a bit of mystique and I found that interesting. A light went off in my head because I was looking for the identity and face of what Noise Cans would be, and the mask really let me pay homage to my culture while also using my imagination and creativity. I thought why not be able to give back to my culture if I mask it. And that’s pretty much how it came out.

LU: Talk about the mask that you had made for yourself.

COLLAS: It’s just my interpretation of what the gombey mask is. I have different versions of them–there’s performance masks that light up and go with the theme of the light show. I have some that cater to my different mood and outfits.  We are getting creative with this.

LU: Did you have your own mask and costume growing up?

COLLAS: No, that was never really my thing.  I had a few friends and cousins in the gombeys and always admired it. It’s funny: I never expected to tap back into it. That’s the thing about culture—once it’s in you, it’s always there. You never know when it will come out or serve as inspiration, or how it will relate to your life. I never expected to be DJing in a gombey mask. I’m actually now creating with a few gombey friends of mine what I want the next level of outfit or mask to be for Noise Cans.

Continue reading.

LU: You’re taking one aspect of Noise Cans from Bermuda, but you’re also working with Jamaican dancehall artists like Mr. Vegas and I-Octane, remixing Buju Banton. What’s the significance of the Jamaican influence?

COLLAS:  You have to respect reggae culture, which was born in Jamaica, but when creating these records these artists were whom I thought fit best. It’s an amazing place to start [but] we are working with and are open to working with anybody who is creating. I want to work with Trinidadian artists, other Bermudan artists, African artists, Spanish artists—who ever understands the vibes. We just want to create wicked tune.

LU: This is all brand new, where do you see this project going?

COLLAS: I see this being the Cirque du Soleil of the DJ world. Coming from and understanding Caribbean culture, the creativity and energy is already in the streets and in our countries and how we live. Why not bring that to a bigger scale in a space where there isn’t that much? I want Noise Cans to be performance art. I want to at some point have damn near elephants on stage. It’s about making you feel like you’re in another place.

Stay tuned for more from Noise Cans on LargeUp soon.