When you listen to this album even once, you are drawn into a sonic universe where the intertwining of electronically-distorted guitars, synth drones, and folk melodies wraps around you at every moment of the song. I Heard That Noise (April 18, 2025) carries an emotional ambiance onto an artistic plane for fans of Bon Iver and Dijon.
The Genesis of a Universe: Quickly, Quickly
Graham Jonson, born in Portland, Oregon, journeys across layers from lo-fi hip-hop to art-pop and indie folk. Starting out on SoundCloud with beats, Jonson was introduced to the industry in 2021 with The Long and Short of It, released under Ghostly International. I Heard That Noise, his second fully self-produced and self-written album, reveals his mastery of the project.
Tracks and Atmosphere
The album opens with its title track, I Heard That Noise, beginning with strange, quirky sounds before turning into a simple piano ballad.
Take It From Me carries a nostalgia for Nick Drake’s Bryter Layter era
This Room drifts from serenity into chaos, while Raven shifts from a simple folk narrative into a metallic eruption.
The closing track, the over 10-minute-long You Are, feels like a final fade into the blurred whiteness of love and expression.
Creative Touches & Inspiration
Although Jonson wrote the entire album on guitar, he also references artists like Nick Drake and classic melodramas. Using indoor recordings and crafting atmospheres through GarageBand and Logic, he sprinkles in emotional surprises with “jump scare” techniques (sudden changes in sound or rhythm).
Critical Echoes
- AllMusic (4/5): Describes it as Jonson’s most impressive work — both prolific and personal.
- PopMatters (8/10): Highlights its “charming production” and “replayability.”
- Spectrum Culture (75/100): Notes the album’s defiance of familiar sounds.
- The Daily Music Report: Comments that it “both shakes and uplifts while listening… songs touching emotional extremes are crafted with mastery.”
Social Resonance
On Reddit, one user declared the album an “AOTY (Album of the Year)” candidate:
“Especially Enything, it makes the rest of the album feel more meaningful.” Another described Jonson as “a criminally underrated talent.
Journeying into the Depths of the Album’s Story
The album stretches from Graham Jonson’s childhood memories to Portland’s mysterious low-frequency hum known as the “Kenton Sound.” Raven turns the sorrow of a friend’s disappearance into a fairytale; I Heard That Noise traverses from folk to the binge-like labyrinths of You Are
