halfnoise is the creative brainchild of multi-faceted artist and musician Zac Farro. With an innate ability to blend and transform genres, evoke emotions, and craft immersive, sentimental sonic landscapes, halfnoise has emerged as a unique, refreshing presence in the contemporary music scene. Growing up in Tennessee, Farro found his calling in music as the drummer for the Grammy-nominated band Paramore, where his rhythmic prowess and artistic sensibilities quickly garnered attention. However, it was in taking a break from Paramore in 2010 that he found creative strength in working on his own project, halfnoise, which he founded that year, making his foray into writing and experimenting with other parts of the process. It was in the realm of this project that Farro truly found his voice as a visionary musician and songwriter.
The sonic, and visual, palette of halfnoise is a kaleidoscope — one that defies any hard-and-fast label or definition with grace, personality, and likely a coy smirk. Finding solace in the dramatic narrative of arthouse films, and soft, anemoia of analog photography, Farro has set out carving space for the story he wanted to tell, one that only halfnoise could be the soundtrack to. The captivating, unexpected fusion of references pulled from 70’s surf rock, The Rolling Stones and 1960’s French pop is both brilliantly fresh and nostalgic at once. However, for Farro, a self-proclaimed feelings-based musician it’s far more important to deliver a vibe, over the trite goal of creating a “throwback” — a goal which he accomplishes with apparent ease. From album to album, while Farro traverses new landscapes, each one shimmers with the same, inherently halfnoise aura: funky, romantic, woven together with a symphony of diverse parts that range from saxophone to an Afrobeats-inspired rhythm section. All this, coupled with honest, emotion-driven lyricism that taps into Farro’s own self-discovery, personal growth and understanding of the complexities of human relationships.
Since the inception of halfnoise, Farro's creative journey has been marked by a string of acclaimed releases, which, since 2016’s Sudden Feeling, have been put out through the label Farro founded, Congrats. However, while each release, culminating in the most recent, Motif, ranges in sounds and references, from reggae to the Beach Boys, there is a dreaminess and danceability that is the heartbeat to all halfnoise projects, and it always comes through.
Beyond the studio, halfnoise's live performances are a testament to the power of music as a communal experience. Farro's charismatic stage presence, coupled with the band's tight-knit chemistry, creates an electric, cinematic atmosphere so clearly, carefully conjured up by the frontman himself. Zac Farro's unwavering dedication to the process as a whole, combined with his penchant for pushing creative boundaries and digging deeper with each project, ensures that halfnoise will continue to leave its unique mark on the ever-evolving landscape of modern music.