Joe Nora is Josef Nygaard, a San Francisco native, now LA-based producer. Born into a family surrounded by the arts, Joe started learning multiple instruments from a young age and picked up beat-making in high school, drawing influences from Radiohead, Burial, Submerse, Teebs, Nirvana, and many more. His music walks the line between lo-fi, hip hop, downtempo and electronic, focusing on textural organic elements and watery synths to exhibit melancholic moods. Joe’s career highlights include playing Sofar Sounds Chicago, opening for Daedalus and Beshken at SXSW, and opening for Charlesthefirst at El Rey Theater in Los Angeles.
In 2021, LA-based label Friends of Friends welcomed Joe with his first single “Time Alone” on the ‘Up Too Early Volume 2’ compilation, incorporating his distinct sound of intricate drums and watery percussions for his take on a tune fit for early morning. His follow-up collaborative EP with long-time friend and FOF cohort Shrimpnose, Between Dunes was released in April 2021, a project filled with alluring, beat-driven electronic/hip hop tunes full of lush and vibrant textures. 2022 sees a big year for Joe as he preps for his latest LP, Toy Animals, a 13-track offering blurring the lines between lo-fi, indie, downtempo electronic, R&B, and alt-hip hop, featuring Chicago MC Mick Jenkins. Toy Animals was released August 26 via Friends of Friends.
