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.
End of the Road
Noga Erez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dumb, dumb, dummy, I'm no bunny
I'm no slobby boy, I never beg for no money
Fun, fun, funny
You'll run from me
No irony, no
I pardon no one, nobody
Chop it like a pickpocket
You had the mic, now you can't drop it
Dumb, dumb, dummy
Once nobody I'm coming
I'm coming, I'm coming, sit down
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
But my trip is mad
I ain't finished, I got loads
I think I'm up for the challenge
To show I got me some mileage
I bought a car and a cottage
I've got Suzanne in my baggage
Got a list in my bucket
Squeeze the sponge, drop the pocket
I fit in any socket
Close the door, I'ma knock it
I got my ticket, I'm a flee
Selling overseas
I just blink and get a fee
Watch out
What you think of me?
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
But my trip is mad
I ain't finished, I got loads
Lately, I got ceilings but I burn in the sun
I never miss one shot, I'm sick as a gun
I got mortal friends, I'm dead as they come like
Hey! I'm on the way!
I left my body in the mattress by the San Francisco Bay
Now there's a cop named Mordecai behind my pirated Mercedes
When we crash I hit the ER, this is a thriller
I did it for the PR, I did it for the fear
I did it knowing there's a D'animal pack in the back of the fridge
I go pack it up might triple attack
And battery-acid my stacks in the cab
Menagerie cracked and my doggies run packs
I just tell 'em to back it up, back it up, back it up
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
I don't (okay, now repeat that one more time)
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
(Maybe nothing)
But my trip is mad
I ain't finished, I got loads
In Noga Erez's song "End of the Road", the lyrics explore themes of power and control. The opening lines "Can we get some more sub so he can feel it?" set the tone for the rest of the song as Erez demands attention and commands respect. The chorus features the repeated line "I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road", which speaks to the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. The verses detail Erez's determination to succeed and make her mark, with lyrics like "I've got Suzanne in my baggage" referring to the famous Joni Mitchell song "Chelsea Morning". The lines "I go pack it up might triple attack / And battery-acid my stacks in the cab / Menagerie cracked and my doggies run packs" create vivid images of chaos and destruction, emphasizing the idea that Erez will stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
Overall, "End of the Road" is a powerful and assertive song that showcases Noga Erez's distinctive style and unique lyrical voice. The themes of control and unpredictability are reminiscent of Erez's earlier work, but the song also displays a newfound confidence and swagger.
Line by Line Meaning
Can we get some more sub so he can feel it?
Asking for more bass in the music so that the music can be felt more physically
Dumb, dumb, dummy, I'm no bunny
Asserting that the singer is not someone who is easily fooled or disrespected
I'm no slobby boy, I never beg for no money
Stating that the singer is not someone who is lazy or dependent on others for financial support
Fun, fun, funny, You'll run from me
Implying that the artist is someone who is entertaining but also potentially intimidating
No irony, no, I pardon no one, nobody
Saying that the artist does not tolerate insincerity and does not forgive easily
Chop, chop, chop it right hand
Encouraging the listener to take action decisively and quickly
Chop it like a pickpocket
Use swift and skillful movements to achieve a desired goal
You had the mic, now you can't drop it
Challenging the listener to maintain their confidence and control in a situation
Dumb, dumb, dummy, Once nobody I'm coming
Asserting that the artist is someone who formerly went unnoticed but is now asserting themselves and their power
I'm coming, I'm coming, sit down
Announcing the artist's arrival and commanding the listener to take a seat and listen to what they have to say
I don't know what really, really happens at the end of the road
Admitting uncertainty about the future and what it will bring
But my trip is mad
Expressing excitement and passion for the present journey
I ain't finished, I got loads
Asserting that the singer still has a lot left to accomplish and contribute
I think I'm up for the challenge
Expressing confidence in one's ability to succeed in a difficult situation
To show I got me some mileage
Demonstrating that one has experience and skill in a particular area
I bought a car and a cottage
Asserting that the artist has achieved financial stability and success
I've got Suzanne in my baggage
Identifying a person or relationship that one carries with them, whether as a burden or a treasure
Got a list in my bucket
Referring to a set of goals or achievements that one wants to accomplish before they die
Squeeze the sponge, drop the pocket
Maximizing resources and taking advantage of opportunities
I fit in any socket
Adapting easily to a variety of situations or groups
Close the door, I'ma knock it
Asserting that one is capable of overcoming any obstacle or challenge
I got my ticket, I'm a flee
Announcing that one has taken steps to leave a situation or environment
Selling overseas
Exploring new opportunities and markets
I just blink and get a fee
Emphasizing that one is able to make money quickly and easily
Watch out What you think of me?
Challenging others to perceive the singer accurately and not underestimate their abilities
Lately, I got ceilings but I burn in the sun
Admitting that one is experiencing both restrictions and opportunities in their life
I never miss one shot, I'm sick as a gun
Asserting that one is highly skilled and effective in a particular area
I got mortal friends, I'm dead as they come like
Identifying that one has many close relationships, but also positioning oneself as independent and self-sufficient
Hey! I'm on the way!
Announcing one's progress towards a goal or destination
I left my body in the mattress by the San Francisco Bay
Using figurative language to describe the feeling of being carefree and unburdened
Now there's a cop named Mordecai behind my pirated Mercedes
Presenting a potential obstacle or challenge in the singer's journey
When we crash I hit the ER, this is a thriller
Implying that the artist's life is full of unexpected events and drama
I did it for the PR, I did it for the fear
Suggesting that the artist's actions are motivated by a desire for attention or excitement
I did it knowing there's a D'animal pack in the back of the fridge
Revealing a secret or hidden aspect of one's personality or lifestyle
I go pack it up might triple attack
Emphasizing one's strength and power, suggesting that they can succeed through force if necessary
And battery-acid my stacks in the cab
Taking aggressive action to protect one's money or financial resources
Menagerie cracked and my doggies run packs
Using vivid language to describe one's personal life or relationships
I just tell 'em to back it up, back it up, back it up
Asserting control over a situation or group
Writer(s): Audrey Chu, Noga Erez, Rousso
Contributed by Brayden S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@elegantdisarray
I just recently found her, and am in awe. She is seriously pushing all of the boundaries, and I can't wait to see what's coming next. 🖤
@carolmcclain6655
Caught. Her on Kelly Clarkson show move over aTaylor Swift here comes a real star aka talent 🌟🙏🎶🎼🎵🎈🦋
@FUCKINGRI0T
What boundaries?
@khaideralli9067
Richtig krank ???
@sunmoon3147
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole.
@gal5629
Yes literally
@sharonms9370
yesss thank you i knew it sounded familiar and it was driving me nuts
@DahliaZumba
Best answer so far!
@katha3707
Thought the same
@user-bk6og2vo2y
זה פשוט טרגדיה שרק היום גיליתי אותך.
זה הישראלי הכי חו''ל שיש כאן