Born and living just outside Tel Aviv, multi-instrumentalist Erez’s grainy textures and potent atmospheres forged with her synths and ingenious beats bravely straddle genres, energized further by the environment in which she’s grown up.
While the music she makes in collaboration with her partner and co-writer, composer and producer Ori Rousso exploits many of the more physical dynamic elements of electronic music, it also embraces a cerebral sensitivity that’s made her one of her home city’s most exciting, idiosyncratic artists to date.
For NOGA EREZ, there was never any doubt that, whatever music she chose to make, and whatever she felt about her homeland, she could never ignore her surroundings. After all, even escapism acknowledges there’s something to escape from, and at times – like many who’ve grown up in Tel Aviv – Erez has wanted to shut herself off from a world rendered beyond comprehension by forces beyond her control. But if there’s one thing Erez isn’t – and sometimes it’s easier to say what artists as complex and fresh as her aren’t than are – it’s naïve. And what this means is simple: her work reflects the manner in which she’s learned to live. As she puts it, “I have this idea of giving people moments of thought and inspiration, and at the same time offering escapism and fun."
It’s not the easiest of goals, but few succeed as well as Erez. While the music she makes in collaboration with her partner and co-writer, composer and producer Ori Rousso, exploits many of the more physical, dynamic elements of electronic music, it also embraces a cerebral sensitivity that’s made her one of her home city’s most exciting, idiosyncratic artists. As inspired by Björk, M.I.A. and fka Twigs as by Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar and Frank Ocean, the grainy textures and potent atmospheres forged with her synths and ingenious beats bravely straddle genres, energised further by the environment in which she’s grown up.
Consequently, another of Erez’ goals is, as she puts it, “to process the world, and deliver ideas on how to process it. If you're able to create a musical context that captures the state you were in when you were writing it, that can potentially bring someone closer to understanding their own world.” In her case, this means articulating the fierce anger that lies behind the hypnotically percussive “Dance While You Shoot”, about the realisation that “you can’t live without the government that ensures your basic needs, but at the same time takes your money, keeps you in the dark about the real, important matters that affect your life directly, while drowning you in manipulative media, ignorance and bureaucracy.”
Then there’s the edgy “Pity”, provoked by a court case concerning a gang rape filmed on phones and shared across the web. “We took it to a more day to day level of being a woman in a men’s world, the need to use your ‘feminine’ qualities to get around, and the borders that can be crossed while you try to do that.” And that’s not to mention the extraordinary grit of “Off The Radar”, which addresses contemporary fears of being anonymous or forgotten, and “our indecent urge to leave our mark by publicly sharing thoughts and ideas without due consideration, purely for the rush we get from approval and affirmation.”
Erez was born four days before 1990, the year the Gulf War started, and it would be impossible for her now, as an artist, to ignore what’s been going on around her all her life. Nonetheless, she admits that, for a while, she retreated from the highly politicised climate in which she was raised. “As I became more aware of everything going on – the complexity of the situation, and how it affects lives on both sides – my reaction was to separate myself from it. I got rid of my TV and stopped consuming news completely.”
She found sanctuary in music, but withdrawal is rarely permanent, and if there’s tension in Erez’ work – and there’s plenty, as it happens – then it’s an acknowledgement of this simple truth. “Most of the time it's easy just to ignore what’s happening, but every now and then reality makes that impossible.” Erez is, however, thoroughly self-aware, and acknowledges how “we are very lucky not to live near the borders, not to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and to have shelters and technology protecting us. But with this sense of luck comes a sense of guilt for being able to do something like make music while lives are being taken.”
Uncompromising and unpredictable, sophisticated and bold, Noga Erez is clear about her ambitions. “Our way of trying to keep in contact with our feelings and fears, and of avoiding emotional detachment about everything, is music. Human beings can come from completely different places but share a fundamental basis of emotions. In my opinion, music is the form of art or communication that expresses that most accurately.” The conversation starts now.
Dance While You Shoot
Noga Erez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I finally lost my patience
I gave my health, too many medications, it's over
you're done, you're gone, you're gonna pay
Hey, I got my ticket, mission accomplished
I won't miss you, won't diss you for killing my people
Taking my money, wasting my chances for sanity
Can you dance while you shoot?
Can you shoot while dancing?
Can you move like you shoot?
Perfect.
You told me that it's worth it
So, I gave my time, my finest years you've taken
I tried grasping your finger you gave me the middle one
Hey, I got my weapon, nice and polished
Dare you to mock me, so cocky
You know how to pet, the same time you threat
Don't test my loyalty
But can you dance while you shoot?
Can you dance while you shoot?
Can you shoot while dancing?
Can you move like you shoot?
Can you shoot while dancing?
Can you dance like you shoot?
Can you shoot while dancing?
Bat you could shoot while dancing
Can you dance while you shoot?
Can you shoot while dancing?
Can you dance like you shoot?
This is how it's done, I'm nobody and no-one
but I can chop with no knife, with no gun in hand, I can hit you
I can keep you down, all undone, pile of papers you really gotta sign
you should call, wait on line to hear
"At any point you can go back to the main menu just press 1"
You steal and you know how to hide it so damn fucking good
You cheat and you know how to justify it so damn fucking good
Oh my, look at all this mass. Got you in the balls got you in your soft spot you
You couldn't really guess. They set you up, put the corner there just for you
I thought you had me there, you play the wrong game
I thought you had me fooled right there, you messed with the wrong name
I take my name and my game and I throw them down the toilette
I take my shame and my anger and my best suit to go with
My mind is set and I'm no easy one to push, however
I know you know how to master anything with pressure pressure
In "Dance While You Shoot," Noga Erez addresses a persona who has caused her pain and frustration. She admits that she's lost patience and taken too many medications to cope with the situation but now, she has her weapon, her ticket, and her mission accomplished. The song also implies that the persona bullied her, taking her money and chances for sanity. The chorus contains the phrase 'dance while you shoot' which is symbolic of the persona's multi-tasking abilities. The chorus questions whether the persona can dance while shooting and move like he/she shoots.
In the second verse, the persona tries to convince Noga that it's worth it, but she's not convinced, and they end up having a conflict. She challenges him/her to mock her, saying she is now armed and polished. She also tells the persona not to test her loyalty. The chorus repeats again, challenging the persona's skills in dancing while shooting and vice versa. The final verse describes Noga as someone who can "hit you," "keep you down," and "pile papers" despite not having a weapon with her. She accuses the persona of stealing and hiding it so well, cheating and justifying it. She ends by saying she's not an easy person to push around, and the persona should expect pressure from her.
Line by Line Meaning
That's it
The singer has reached a breaking point and the situation is over.
I finally lost my patience
The singer has been patient for too long and can no longer tolerate the situation.
I gave my health, too many medications, it's over
The singer sacrificed their health and took many medications to cope with the situation, but it's no longer enough.
you're done, you're gone, you're gonna pay
The person responsible for the artist's problems will be held accountable.
Hey, I got my ticket, mission accomplished
The artist has accomplished their goal of getting revenge and is ready to move on.
I won't miss you, won't diss you for killing my people
The singer won't mourn the loss of the person who caused harm to their community, nor will they speak ill of them.
Taking my money, wasting my chances for sanity
The person responsible has cost the singer their financial stability and the opportunity to maintain their mental health.
But can you dance while you shoot?
The artist challenges the person responsible to show their callousness by enjoying the act of killing.
Perfect.
The artist believes they have accomplished their goal perfectly.
You told me that it's worth it
The person responsible convinced the artist to make sacrifices for an alleged greater good.
So, I gave my time, my finest years you've taken
The singer gave up their best years for the person responsible's cause, but it turns out it wasn't worth it.
I tried grasping your finger you gave me the middle one
The person responsible rejected the artist's attempt to reconcile and flipped them off.
Hey, I got my weapon, nice and polished
The singer is now armed and ready for revenge.
Dare you to mock me, so cocky
The singer challenges the person responsible to make fun of them, knowing they have the upper hand now.
You know how to pet, the same time you threat
The person responsible can be manipulative and make false promises while also issuing threats.
Don't test my loyalty
The artist warns the person responsible not to push their limits and test their loyalty.
This is how it's done, I'm nobody and no-one
The artist is an unlikely hero but is still successful in getting revenge.
but I can chop with no knife, with no gun in hand, I can hit you
The singer is capable of hurting the person responsible even without a weapon.
I can keep you down, all undone, pile of papers you really gotta sign
The singer can trap the person responsible in paperwork and bureaucracy to bring them down.
you should call, wait on line to hear
The person responsible will have to wait on hold for assistance.
"At any point you can go back to the main menu just press 1"
The voice on the phone prompts the person responsible how to navigate the menu.
You steal and you know how to hide it so damn fucking good
The person responsible is guilty of stealing and is clever at covering their tracks.
You cheat and you know how to justify it so damn fucking good
The person responsible is guilty of cheating and can rationalize their behavior convincingly.
Oh my, look at all this mass. Got you in the balls got you in your soft spot you
The artist has found a way to hit the person responsible hard where it hurts.
You couldn't really guess. They set you up, put the corner there just for you
The singer organized a trap for the person responsible, and they didn't see it coming.
I thought you had me there, you play the wrong game
The person responsible underestimated the singer and made a mistake.
I thought you had me fooled right there, you messed with the wrong name
The person responsible thought they had the upper hand, but they were mistaken.
I take my name and my game and I throw them down the toilette
The artist is rejecting their former identity and way of doing things.
I take my shame and my anger and my best suit to go with
The artist is channeling their negative emotions into a more productive outlet.
My mind is set and I'm no easy one to push, however
The singer is determined and won't back down easily.
I know you know how to master anything with pressure pressure
The singer acknowledges the person responsible's ability to handle pressure but is still not intimidated by them.
Contributed by Dylan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Noga Erez
Holy s*#t we’re going on tour!
GET TICKETS : https://nogaerez.lnk.to/KIDSTourYD
NORTH AMERICA 2021
Sept 17 I Carborro, NC - Cats Cradle #
Sept 18 I Charlotte, NC - The Underground #
Sep 19 I Washington, DC - Sixth & I #
Sept 21 I New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
Sept 23 I Cambridge, MA - Sinclair #
Sept 30 I Dallas, TX - HiFi
Oct 02 I Houston, TX - HOB Bronze Peacock
Oct 07 I New Orleans, LA - House of Blues - Parish
Oct 12 I Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
Oct 13 I Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
Oct 14 I Detroit, MI - El Club
Oct 15 I Indianapolis, IN - HiFi
Oct 17 I Nashville, TN - Basement East
Oct 24 I St Louis, MO - Off Broadway
Oct 26 I Denver, CO - Marquis
Oct 27 I Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
Nov 04 I Seattle, WA - Crocodile Showroom
Nov 05 I Vancouver, BC - Fortune
Nov 06 I Portland, OR - Aladdin
Nov 10 I Los Angeles, CA - El Rey #
EUROPE 2022
Feb 08 I Madrid, Spain - Sala Independence
Feb 09 I Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 2
Feb 11 I Nimes, France - Paloma
Feb 12 I Reims, France - Cartonnerie
Feb 14 I Lille, France - Aeronef
Feb 15 I Brussels, Belgium - Botanique
Feb 17 I Paris, France - Badaboum
Feb 19 I Cologne, Germany - Artheater
Feb 21 I Warsaw, Poland - Hydrozagadka
Feb 22 I Berlin, Germany - Lido
Feb 24 I Prague, Czech Republic - Chapeau Rouge
Feb 25 I Vienna, Austria - B72 / Flex
Feb 27 I Zurich, Switzerland - Mascotte
Mar 01 I Hamburg, Germany - Uebel & Gefahrlich
Mar 02 I Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
Mar 04 I London, UK - Omeara
Mar 08 I Dublin, Ireland - Pepper Canister Church
*We’re working on more dates - Stay tuned
Noga Erez
Holy s*#t we’re going on tour!
GET TICKETS : https://nogaerez.lnk.to/KIDSTourYD
NORTH AMERICA 2021
Sept 17 I Carborro, NC - Cats Cradle #
Sept 18 I Charlotte, NC - The Underground #
Sep 19 I Washington, DC - Sixth & I #
Sept 21 I New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
Sept 23 I Cambridge, MA - Sinclair #
Sept 30 I Dallas, TX - HiFi
Oct 02 I Houston, TX - HOB Bronze Peacock
Oct 07 I New Orleans, LA - House of Blues - Parish
Oct 12 I Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
Oct 13 I Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
Oct 14 I Detroit, MI - El Club
Oct 15 I Indianapolis, IN - HiFi
Oct 17 I Nashville, TN - Basement East
Oct 24 I St Louis, MO - Off Broadway
Oct 26 I Denver, CO - Marquis
Oct 27 I Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
Nov 04 I Seattle, WA - Crocodile Showroom
Nov 05 I Vancouver, BC - Fortune
Nov 06 I Portland, OR - Aladdin
Nov 10 I Los Angeles, CA - El Rey #
EUROPE 2022
Feb 08 I Madrid, Spain - Sala Independence
Feb 09 I Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 2
Feb 11 I Nimes, France - Paloma
Feb 12 I Reims, France - Cartonnerie
Feb 14 I Lille, France - Aeronef
Feb 15 I Brussels, Belgium - Botanique
Feb 17 I Paris, France - Badaboum
Feb 19 I Cologne, Germany - Artheater
Feb 21 I Warsaw, Poland - Hydrozagadka
Feb 22 I Berlin, Germany - Lido
Feb 24 I Prague, Czech Republic - Chapeau Rouge
Feb 25 I Vienna, Austria - B72 / Flex
Feb 27 I Zurich, Switzerland - Mascotte
Mar 01 I Hamburg, Germany - Uebel & Gefahrlich
Mar 02 I Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
Mar 04 I London, UK - Omeara
Mar 08 I Dublin, Ireland - Pepper Canister Church
*We’re working on more dates - Stay tuned
Noga Erez
@Stephanie Birdwell yes!
Stephanie Birdwell
Tour still on?
C. Andersen
This is amazing. It's DEFINITELY going into my next party set.
Bass Nuke
then you dont know what party is
מיסטר יפה
The production on this thing is hypnotizing.
Bryce Ong
How is this not famous
Serhio Bell
@Rutny whith children 🤣😂
dAvIdA eS lA mEjOr
@Rutny HAHAHAH
Nadav Bagim
The setting reminds a little Netta's Bassa Sabba (Although Noga's predates)