Premiere: Modern Nomad "Just Let It Go"

 
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MODERN NOMAD NEVER FAILS TO HIT ALL THE VIBES - and his latest video for “Just Let It Go” showcases this ability like no other. The 8mm video features charming clips of day to day life - friends, nature and the overall beauty of the simple things. Modern Nomad, aka Tom McLean, brings together soft vocals with a dreamlike melody and production flow to create a sweet track you feel you can escape into.

Bringing in elements of Tame Impala, The Beatles and Toro Y Moi, Modern Nomad has been making waves in the indie-pop scene, and with one listen it’s no question as to why. The Baltimore native explores his creativity further with the visuals of his music, perfectly matching his soundscape as well.

Modern Nomad’s latest EP Bardo showcases that sun-soaked dreamy feel, and we can’t get enough of it. Live your main character moment by watching the “Just Let It Go” and read below to learn more about the video and what Modern Nomad has been up to.

LUNA: How is this spring season been treating you? 

MODERN NOMAD: Spring has been pretty good so far! We've had a couple of nice days here in Maryland. The weather here is just kind of crazy. During the springtime, one day it could be 70 degrees, and the next day it could be snowing lol. The sun has been good though.

LUNA: I really love the feel of the “Just Let It Go” video, it fits the vibe of the song perfectly as well. Can you share a bit about the making of it all?

MODERN NOMAD:Thanks so much, I'm glad you like it! My partner, Grace, got me a super 8 and some film for Christmas this year. The video is just the two of us spending time together and filming it. I didn't edit the footage at all, what you see is just the roll of film from start to end. The video is really special to me because we spent a lot of time apart while she was in NYC for grad school. We filmed the video while she was home for winter break, so it's kind of a little time capsule for that moment in time. I think "Just Let It Go" has a really nostalgic feeling to it, so I thought an easy-going super 8 video would be really fitting.  

LUNA: What role do you play in the visual side of your work usually? 

MODERN NOMAD: When it comes to cover art I usually have a vibe or a slight idea of what I want, but I really just let the artist do their thing. I've been using my friend George recently for artwork, and I'll just send him the music with some notes, and I'm always blown away by what he does. When it comes to music videos, I usually play a bigger role. For the past three videos, it has just been Grace and I coming up with a rough idea and going for it. We kind of just let it happen while were filming! I edit all of the videos myself with input from Grace as well. I think we're a good little team, but maybe one day we will bring on some video pros haha.

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LUNA: How have you seen quarantine shape your creative process? 

MODERN NOMAD: As far as writing and recording go, it doesn't change anything at all with how I am doing things. I write and record everything by myself in my bedroom studio, so if anything it just gives me an excuse to lock myself in my room all day to work on music. One thing I did get to do was lock down my manager's studio for a couple of months because no one was using it. That was awesome because I was completely alone like I would be in my room, but had a professional studio with top-notch gear at my fingertips. I finished recording a lot of Bardo during that time!

LUNA: You recently released your Bardo EP as well - congrats! If you had to pick one song to best represent you as an artist which would you pick? 

MODERN NOMAD: Thank you! I would have to say "I Don't Know What to Do". I think that's the longest song I've ever released. The majority of the song is only 2 chords but has a lot going on sonically. I like to keep my actual songs pretty simple, but make the production sonically complex. I think this track does a pretty good job at that. It incorporates everything I like to do musically; simple chords, a nice groove, lots of instruments, harmonies, and the use of some sampled loops.

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LUNA: Sonically, what are some of the elements you’re most proud of on the project? 

MODERN NOMAD: Like I was saying above, I'm really proud of "I Don't Know What to Do" because of its complex production. On the contrary, I'm really proud of "Undisturbed" because the production is really simple, but I think it still holds up. My dude Jamie mixed the tracks, and I'm really happy with how the whole EP sounds! "Just Let It Go" has a voice memo in it from 2019. During the bridge/breakdown you can hear a group of people laughing and yelling with an acoustic guitar. It's my friends and I sitting around at 3 AM just having a good time pre-covid. The sample fit perfectly, so I had to include it. That's a moment in the EP that means a lot to me!

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“There's no part of me where I'm denying it or I'm ashamed or I don't want to represent that, but I think just some things should go unspoken and just let the art speak. You don't have to say someone is this, someone is that.  Just listen to my music & come up with your own conclusion. That is so freeing to know that I'm not having to adhere to any type of category, genre. I'm just me. I'm a person sharing my experiences & living my life. I don't ever want to be boxed in that way. “ - Deb Never in our 15th Issue 🌟 Photos by @myyaaii Styling by @savwhite Interview by @itssophielol
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“Polaroids & Instax film have a beautiful almost impressionistic feeling that I feel can’t be fully replicated digitally. Instant films contain reactive chemicals that just seem to handle light in color in a special way. Even when I crop my instax photos to remove the border, you can still tell it’s instant film.” - Ryan Scullin 🌟 🎞 Upcoming NYC photographer Ryan Scullin captures a modern perspective when observing the subjects & landscapes around him. Check out the full interview & more of his work on our site now 💗
Q&A, MusicThe Luna Collectivemusic, Premiere, Modern Nomad