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Noisettes — English rock band blending soul, punk and pop

Noisettes are an English rock trio known for energetic live shows and genre-blending songs. Formed in London, they mix rock, soul and indie influences and have released several albums and notable singles since 2005.

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The Noisettes are an English rock band formed in London in the early 2000s. They are best known for combining elements of rock, alternative rock, soul and pop into an exuberant, rhythm-driven sound. The group gained attention for dynamic live performances and the distinctive voice and presence of frontwoman Shingai Shoniwa. Early releases and tours helped them move from independent beginnings to wider international distribution.

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Shingai Shoniwa and Dan Smith of the Noisettes 2006
simple.wikipedia.org · CC BY 2.0

Members and roles

The core lineup that recorded the band's most visible work consists of three musicians. Key personnel include:

  • Shingai Shoniwa — lead vocals and bass (also a charismatic focal point of the band's stagecraft). See profile: Shingai Shoniwa.
  • Dan Smith — guitar and songwriting contributions: Dan Smith.
  • Jamie Morrison — drums and rhythmic backbone: Jamie Morrison.

Musical characteristics and style

Noisettes are often labelled as rock and alternative rock but their music also draws on soul, funk and pop traditions. The band is noted for punchy bass lines, angular guitar parts, and Shingai's flexible vocal delivery that can shift between delicate melodic lines and aggressive, soulful shouts. Their arrangements frequently emphasize rhythm and groove while retaining a polished pop sensibility, allowing them to appeal to both indie and mainstream audiences.

History and recordings

The group's first EP, Three Moods of the Noisettes, was released independently in 2005 on Side Salad Records and attracted industry interest. That early momentum led to an international deal with Universal Music Group, with a US release on the Low Altitude imprint. Their debut album, What's the Time Mr. Wolf?, appeared in 2007 and established them in the UK indie scene. Subsequent studio albums expanded their profile: the 2009 record Wild Young Hearts produced higher-charting singles, and Contact (2012) continued their exploration of pop and electronic textures. Notable singles include the upbeat, radio-friendly track often cited in discussions of the band's wider commercial breakthrough.

Live performances and collaborations

Noisettes built a reputation through extensive touring across Europe and the United States. They have shared stages and festival bills with a range of contemporaries and influences — acts such as TV on the Radio, Tom Vek, Babyshambles, Bloc Party, the Mystery Jets and Muse — which helped them reach diverse audiences. Tour listings and past pairings are recorded in various press archives: European dates, US appearances, and features with peers like Bloc Party and Muse.

Discography highlights and notable facts

Key releases by Noisettes include:

Beyond records, the band is frequently mentioned for their genre fluidity and for Shingai's background, which contributes a global dimension to their sound and public image. Their willingness to mix punk energy, soul warmth and pop hooks made them distinctive within the 2000s UK indie circuit, and they remain a reference point for artists exploring cross-genre approaches.

For further reading, artist biographies and interviews are available in music press archives and band profiles where past tours, collaborators and release details are documented: band press, guitarist features, and drummer notes. Additional context about their live shows and European activity is collected in concert listings and festival reports: tour archives and US tour notes. More on peers and shared bills can be explored via links to acts they performed with: Bloc Party and Muse.

History

The band was formed in 2003 from the collaboration of guitarist Dan Smith with singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa, who were both members of the band "Sonarfly" at the time. The two enlisted drummer Jamie Morrison and had their first live gigs during the winter. The first EP Three Moods of the Noisettes was released in April 2005 on the London indie rock label "Side Salad Records".

The band soon signed a deal with major label Universal Music Group, who released the EP in the US under the label name "Low Altitude". The next single, Iwe, was released on the "Transgressive" label, followed by Scratch Your Name on Mercury/Side Salad Records. All subsequent records were released on Vertigo Records.

Originally started as punk rock, the three musicians decided in 2007 to succeed with a more pleasing sound between soul, disco-funk and indie-pop. The two releases of Scratch Your Name are an example of this. Basically, they borrow from all sorts of styles for their songs: Rockabilly (Don't Give Up), Hardrock (Scratch Your Name), Electropop (24 Hours).

The charismatic singer Shoniwa, who hails from Zimbabwe, is often praised as the new punk-soul "goddess". This is due in equal measure to her creatively outlandish clothing, her strongly developed self-assurance and her extraordinary vocal qualities, which can change from gossamer to "pulverizingly wild" in an instant.

The Noisettes announced for their second album that they would present a kind of musical concept album, "just like the first Portishead album had its own sound".

In January 2009, the song Don't Upset the Rhythm was used in a Mazda commercial. It is the second single from the album Wild Young Hearts, which was not officially delivered until April 2009.

Noisettes have toured extensively through clubs in Europe and the US. They have opened for Babyshambles, Bloc Party and Muse. On several occasions, songs by them have been incorporated into recent computer games. The Noisettes song Scratch Your Name was embedded in the final episode of The Sopranos (2007).

For the album launch tour, the band has invited a variety of local rock bands to support them.

The third album from the Noisettes, who have morphed into a duo of singer Shoniwa and guitarist Smith, is called Contact and was released in late August 2012, marking the band's now flawless pop direction, creating recognizable, danceable pop from many sound quotes.

Discography

Albums

  • What's the Time Mr. Wolf? (February 5, 2007; April 17, 2007 in the U.S.)
  • Wild Young Hearts (April 2009)
  • Contact (2012)

EPs

  • Three Moods of the Noisettes (April 11, 2005)
  • What's the Time Mini-Wolf? (December 26, 2006) - Download exclusively on iTunes

Singles

  • IWE (20 January 2006)
  • Scratch Your Name (June 12, 2006; re-released May 7, 2007)
  • Don't Give Up (November 20, 2006)
  • Sister Rosetta (Capture the Spirit) (January 29, 2007)
  • The Count of Monte Cristo (September 3, 2007)
  • Wild Young Hearts (December 29, 2008)
  • Don't Upset the Rhythm (Go Baby Go) (March 23, 2009)
  • Never Forget You (September 2009)
  • Every Now and Then (April 2010)
  • That Girl (2012)

Compilations

  • NME Presents: Independent Thinking: Transgressive Records with "IWE" as track 6
  • Love Music Hate Racism with "Shame" on Disc 2 Track 12
  • The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 Soundtrack with "Sister Rosetta (Capture the Spirit)" as Track 8
  • St Trinian's: Original Soundtrack with "Don't Give Up" as Track 5

Questions and answers

Q: What kind of music does The Noisettes play?

A: The Noisettes mostly play rock and alternative rock.

Q: Who is the lead singer and bass guitarist of The Noisettes?

A: Shingai Shoniwa is the lead singer and bass guitarist of The Noisettes.

Q: Who plays the guitar in The Noisettes?

A: Dan Smith plays the guitar in The Noisettes.

Q: Who is the drummer of The Noisettes?

A: Jamie Morrison is the drummer of The Noisettes.

Q: When did The Noisettes release their first EP, and on which record label?

A: The Noisettes released their first EP "Three Moods of the Noisettes" in April of 2005 on the independent record label Side Salad Records.

Q: Which company signed The Noisettes internationally and released their EP in the US?

A: Universal Music Group signed The Noisettes internationally and released their EP in the US on the Low Altitude imprint.

Q: Name some of the bands with whom The Noisettes have performed in Europe and the United States.

A: The Noisettes have performed in Europe and the United States with bands such as TV on the Radio, Tom Vek, Babyshambles, Bloc Party, the Mystery Jets, and Muse.

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