We have been following LA based production duo for the better part of the last two years or so. Having reached a certain level of success working behind the scenes producing for artists like Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars and more, Greg Ogan and Bradley Allan (Neo Noir) are now focused on building their own brand – and they have been doing so in prime fashion.
Finding their stride creating lush, hard hitting Future Bass/Trap tunes, they have begun to team up with talented singers to feature on their original tracks. Always taken back by their impressive production chops, genre pushing sound design and overall dynamic jams, Neo Noir land in our inbox nearly every time I turn around.
Having just released another impressive new single, I thought it was only right to catch up with the guys and get to know the men behind the music a bit more. Keep scrolling as I introduce you to Neo Noir!
RDFO: We have been following you guys closely for the last couple of years and you have put out some great collaborations. Can you tell me how you go about finding the artists to feature on your tracks?
NN: We find our collabs pretty organically, actually. For various reasons we’re always in writing sessions with great writers, singers, and artists – when we feel we have a special connection we’ll try to steer the session towards a personal collaboration with an independent release in mind. We wouldn’t be able to meet people without the various managers, agents, publishers, and friends we work with.
RDFO: How did your latest collab with Stephanie Rice come about and what was the process like? Did she come to the studio or did you collaborate remotely?
NN: Stephanie is actually a friend, and through friendship we started writing and working, both on her own stuff and eventually “Crash Landing.” She’s local so we wrote this one from scratch in the studio together.
RDFO: How did you both (Greg & Bradley) first come to meet and begin to create together?
NN: We met years ago through a mutual producer friend Philip Cox… back in 2011. The three of us worked on tracks together, and eventually I (Greg) signed Bradley to a production development deal which lasted about a year. When the deal ended, we kept working and creating as friends and equals on many various projects. Neo Noir was formed when we felt we stumbled upon a special chemistry and musical mission.
RDFO: You have some massive credits under your belts so far (Sean Kingston, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars, Etc.) – which track are you most proud of and which collaboration was the most exciting for you to work on?
NN: For me (Greg), it has to be Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls.” The whole process of that song was pretty special, and I felt I played a big part in Sean’s vocal sound. It was my first #1 song, and that first album of his was my first full album finished with an entire team working together. The Beluga Heights crew from then: JR Rotem, Tommy Rotem, and Zach Katz; we all pin that time as a very special moment. There were MANY collabs that were special throughout the years, but working with Bruno Mars (and Phil Lawrence) before Bruno was signed was pretty crazy. Just the talent and charisma between those two… For me (Bradley) would have to say producing a song for Nicki Minaj titled “Big Bizness”.
RDFO: How long have you both been producing and how did you get your start?
NN: Both of us have been making tracks and producing bands for years. I (Greg) was on a pretty passionate music path from a young age. I went to Berklee College of Music, and was always working in studios and producing projects during and after college. I moved to LA and began engineering, and after getting years of label experience doing that, mixing, and vocal producing, I signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV and The Writing Camp in 2009. Thats when my “official” transition into production started. Meanwhile, After attending Musicians institute, Bradley dove head first into the urban lane, hustling projects, making tracks and pitching songs to labels and managers until our paths crossed and the rest is history.
RDFO: Preferred DAW?
NN: Generally, we create in Ableton Live, then when it’s time to record, edit, and mix we do that in Pro Tools. We also LOVE Studio One.
RDFO: You are both based in LA, but where did you come from originally? What led you to plant your feet in LA?
NN: I (Greg) am from the Boston area. I was never dead set on moving to LA originally, but following my career aspirations led me here. Same for me (Bradley) except I’m from Connecticut. Northeast stand up LOL.
RDFO: How does the LA scene help to influence your sound?
NN: I’ll go out on a limb and say LA influences our sound TOO much. This city is so driven by commercialism and what works monetarily that usually we have to put ourselves in a box to make music that appeals to the people that will pay us. Over the years, we feel that “sound” has been homogenized and made SO SAFE, to appeal to the lowest common denominator listener that it’s become regular boring dribble. We’ve been so influenced by pitching for opportunities over the years that we now have to make an active effort to ignore our past instincts and try our best to be unique and different and stay true to our musical loves. Despite that, there’s no denying our LA mainstream influences and our work past
RDFO: You guys often to to create genre bending releases so it is hard to put a finger on where the influence is coming from. Who are some of the producers you find are continuously inspiring you?
NN: Oh man – for producers there are so many. We love Flume, Skrillex, Illenium, DJ Premier, Dilla, Trent Reznor, Ricky Reed, Rick Ruben, Louis Cole.
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