Appearing from the depths of NYC’s underground scene, Jonah Almost is no stranger to redefining music norms.
He just released the highly anticipated single “Clean Cut” which marks a bold transition in his ongoing artistry. Known for his unique blend of queer dance music and club culture, Jonah Almost infuses his tracks with the raw, unfiltered energy of his personal experiences and the electric pulse of New York nightlife.
Jonah’s authenticity shines through in every beat and lyric, drawing listeners into his world where being true to oneself reigns supreme. From his day job as a doorman at a bustling club to thrilling motorcycle rides over the Williamsburg Bridge, his life is a rich tapestry of inspiration.
The new single “Clean Cut” embodies this spirit, offering a meditative mantra about shedding old selves and embracing change. As Jonah Almost continues to carve out his niche, his latest release is a powerful reminder of his unique voice in the ever-evolving landscape of electronic music. In a Broke Magazine interview, we uncover the juicy bits behind “Clean Cut”, find out about his music evolution and touch on the underground scene in the Big Apple.
First off, congrats on the upcoming release of “Clean Cut.” Can you tell us a bit about what inspired this track and how it marks an evolution in your music?
Appreciate the love! So basically I spent a lot of last summer in Berlin and was mad inspired by what I was hearing when I went out. My previous music has kind of straddled this space between music you’d hear at a club and music you’d hearat home. When I got back from that trip, Clean Cut was the first track I made. Coming off that Berlin tip, I just wanted to create something that was big, anthemic, and club-ready – with a NYC touch.
Growing up in upstate New York and now thriving in NYC’s underground scene sounds like quite a journey. How has your upbringing influenced your music and the messages you want to convey?
New York has such a rich history of amazing electronic musicians and DJs. Groups like Deee-lite, Frankie Knuckles and his Friday night house music show on Hot97, Masters at Work – all big inspirations. The late 80’s to early 90’s were so campy, both aesthetically and sonically, and I guess it’s something I try to imbue in my music. I really wanna give that flamboyant, downtown, piano house superstar vibe. I think it’s so sick.
Your music is described as “sexy dance music” with deep roots in queer and club culture. How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard it before?
I always say I try to make chill fast music. Like with Clean Cut – it’s kind of sonically intense, especially with the big JP8000 trance sounds. But if you make it to the end of the song, the listener is rewarded with these really lush chords that sort of cleanse the palette. I wanna put people on to music they don’t even know they would like. There are so many genres of electronic music, often when I explain to people (Americans) they typically assume it’s like some Tomorrowland EDM type shit…and I’m like hell nah! But I don’t mind educating and opening up their minds to something new.
You’ve got a day job as a doorman at a New York club. How has this experience shaped your music and given you the unique edge that fans love?
Haha well I guess technically it’s a night job. I’m basically in the club all the time which is funny, it changes your relationship with the club and nightlife spaces for sure. I think the coolest part of the job, aside from meeting interesting people, is getting to curate/book different parties. It’s a Manhattan club, not a Brooklyn one, so there is a big difference there in terms of like the type of nightlife – it’s a bit more bottle/table focused. But at the same time it’s cool because I’ve been given the opportunity to throw my parties and introduce DJs I fuck with to different crowds. I love being able to get my homies gigs.
NYC’s vibrant and dynamic culture is a big part of your identity. Can you share a memorable moment or experience in the city that had a significant impact on your music?
Damn, there’s so many… I said before I’m a huge Deee-lite stan right? One time I got to shoot with this photographer Eric Johnson, he’s a legendary photographer, especially in the realm of classic Hip Hop. He’s also a personal friend of Lady Miss Kier, the lead singer of Deee-lite. Many people don’t know this but in the late 90’s she made a drum n bass record that was never released. He has the whole unreleased album on his computer and played it while we were shooting.It’s moments like that – being one step away from legends, carving out my own path amidst my inspirations, that remind me/inspire me to continue on this journey. It’s not easy for sure, being a musician. But I feel lucky to have been raised bythis crazy ass place – it pushes me to continue refining my shit and continue releasing new music.
Your music is all about being authentic to oneself. What personal mantras or philosophies do you live by that you try to convey through your music?
Well Clean Cut has a specific mantra, but I guess more generally I’m just always trying to create a sexy vibe. Not even necessarily overtly sexual like lyrically or anything, just like a smooth, moody, downtown vibe. It’s all about worldbuilding for me. Capturing the essence of NYC’s past, but modernizing it for now.
The latest single, “Clean Cut,” is said to be a breakup anthem. What personal experiences influenced this track, and how do you hope listeners will connect with it?
Haha yeah it kind of started out as this breakup track but then as I got deeper into it I was like wait I’m lowkey talking to myself. I came off my trip to Europe and returned to NYC and was feeling a bit disillusioned with myself/my art. Certain behaviours and mindsets that I felt I had grown out of personally, but like publicly remained stuck in. It was like growing pains but for an artist, wanting to evolve but feeling trapped in the box of the persona I had developed. So Clean Cut kind of emerged as this mantra to myself about evolution. I want listeners to get into all perspectives – it’s euphoric, it moves fast, it evolves. It ends in an idyllic place… like there’s a bit of hope. You gotta go through a journey to get to a better place, you know what I mean?
You’ve been compared to artists like MCR-T, Partiboi69, and DJ Heartstring. Who are your biggest musical influences, and how have they impacted your style?
That’s a compliment! All big inspirations for sure. I feel like all of them are good at this idea of referencing the past, especially the late 90’s/2000’s, but in a way that feels fresh, not in some low hanging fruit kind of way. I really respect that. Would love to work with all of them. Otherwise, I’m really inspired by the flamboyant piano house of the 90’s. I’m obsessed with the British DJ’s Full Intention – they mastered that epic, campy sort of sound that I talked about earlier. Also super inspired by Lone… He’s got the best dreamy/aquatic/chic soundscapes. I’m always trying to get my shit like 1/10th as dreamy as his.
“Clean Cut” seems to be about shedding past versions of oneself. Are there any particular past versions of Jonah Almost that you’ve shed, and how has this personal evolution affected your music?
Yeah for sure. I think it was just about like being comfortable standing in my identity as an artist. When you start out, it’s easy to just sit in this place of irony/satire – if people criticize you, you can just kinda lean into the bit to deflect the hate. I felt like I was leaning too hard into being this internet fuccboi persona… sort of armour in a way. I just got tired of it. It didn’t feel fun anymore…and the attention I was getting wasn’t related to my art really. So I kind of hibernated for the past year, working on being a better producer, letting the art speak for itself. Jonah Almost is me, but turned up to 10. I’m definitely a performance artist in a way, but now I want the performance to be more in line with who I really am… which is not turned up to 10 all the time lol.
Looking ahead, what can fans expect next from Jonah Almost? Are there any exciting projects or collaborations on the horizon that you can share with us?
I’m just getting started! I have like 3 more songs I’m releasing with Headroom Records over the next couple of months. Really exciting collab with my good friend Rubby Valentin that’s coming next month – it’s on this hard trance wave, but with our NYC touch. We sort of unpack the NYC dating experience from two different perspectives. It’s moody and sexy. Otherwise, I’m really just excited to show people what I’ve been working on. I have fun with making music, but I’m serious about what I do and really care about the art I put out in the world.
Photography by Deanie Chen