Review: CrossTalk by Noods Levels

Words by Fran Pope

Saturday, March 12 saw the inaugural CrossTalk event from Noods Levels. Created by and for young people, this full-day event at Bristol’s Arnolfini featured hands-on workshops and talks by three renowned professionals in the creative industries: musician, producer and Portishead member Geoff Barrow; photographer and videographer Ashleigh Jadee; and No Signal Radio producer Jojo Sonubi. The Everyday’s Music Section had the great pleasure of going along to hear the talks. Inclusive, dynamic and brimming with industry wisdom, all three left us inspired and enlightened.

Noods Radio, launched in 2015 in Stokes Croft, is described by its director Isabella Cross as “a station to help develop people – because we understand that the music [industry] has barriers, and we don’t want to have any barriers. We want to open doors.” This mission led to the creation in 2021 of Noods Levels, a community interest company set up to provide creative opportunities for young people, especially those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. Noods Levels has also partnered with Saffron Music on a series of radio production workshops for young people.

CrossTalk was hosted by Emma Blake Morsi, whose insightful questions and personal approach brought out some real gems from the three speakers. Emma is an award-winning multidisciplinary arts producer, a director at Rising Arts Agency and a member of Bristol City Council’s culture board, as well as a project manager at Saffron, Bristol’s first womxn-only record label.

Geoff Barrow - Music & Composition in Film and Media

Geoff is a musician, producer and founding member of the band Portishead. He has produced albums for The Horrors and Anika and worked with several other artists including Massive Attack and Neneh Cherry. He also composes and produces music for film and television, such as for Ex Machina, Black Mirror and Devs among many others, and owns the label Invada Records.

As his band name would suggest, Geoff lived for some of his childhood in Portishead in Somerset, and later spent a lot of time in Bristol, working from his studio in Easton (where – fun fact! – he’d often bump into Banksy in the supermarket). When asked about how musicians’ hometowns or local culture can impact their music, Geoff’s response was unequivocal: Bristol and its unique music scene have had a huge influence on his signature sound, notably through his exposure to a range of genres (reggae, post-punk, hip hop etc.) whose focus on beats and bass gave him a deep appreciation for pared-down production.

Ashleigh Jadee – Music Videography

Ashleigh is a videographer, photographer and director working with artists such as Sons of Kemet, Skepta, Wiley and Wretch 32, as well as for brands including H&M and Beats by Dr Dre. She took part in the BBC3 series The Rap Game, in which she produced music videos for contestants.

Ashleigh is also a mentor for emerging artists and creators, and she prioritises knowledge, skill-sharing and “paying it forward.” She talked us through the basic process of music video production and shared a lot of insider insights into building positive relationships and growing professionally.

Jojo Sonubi, No Signal Radio – Pirate Radio in the Modern Era

Along with his brother David, Jojo Sonubi runs the London-based No Signal Radio station, which broadcasts music made by Black artists. Leftfield and experimental, No Signal is the eclectic counterpart to the Sonubi brothers’ other major project, the Recess party series. While Recess is a tried-and-true set-up playing R’n’B, Afrobeats and hip hop, No Signal takes a curveball approach: “You never know what you’re going to get” says Jojo.

No Signal was born from the hiatus of 2020. When Recess and every other aspect of nightlife and live music ground to a halt, Jojo and David moved online, launching the radio station with the by-line “Keeping You Company” – and indeed the goal was and is to provide a sense of community to its listeners, wherever they are.

For three creative professionals with such different career pathways, it was fascinating to notice common threads that ran through their talks.

Geoff Barrow and Emma Blake Morsi - photo by Gemma Ordish

There are many possible routes into creative industries, and that doesn’t always mean formal education or training. Indeed, none of the speakers were formally trained in the disciplines they now work in. Realising that university wasn’t for him, Geoff began work as a builder and odd-jobs person at a recording studio, which gave him a foot in the door and allowed him to develop his craft and get noticed by producers and musicians he admired. From humble beginnings on a “cheap sampler, probably bought from Argos”, Geoff built up his skills in music production, taking his cue from the electronic music and hip hop that he has always loved. For Ashleigh, YouTube tutorials, internships, being a runner on set, and hours of practice gave her the foundation to expand her skills and to branch out professionally. For Jojo, losing his job in retail in 2014 gave him the impetus to start something new. Taking the bold step into the arts, he got started in radio and learned as he went along, together with his brother and their team. Although this has often been extremely challenging, the team at No Signal has grown considerably (“I worked in my bedroom for four years, and now I have to be people’s boss!” he says), and the station continues to go from strength to strength.

Regardless of the sector you’re in, there’s a tricky balance between staying true to your artistic vision and the need to work to a brief. Jojo called attention to the fact that for working-class communities, and often for Black communities, turning down work or working for free (whether to gain experience or to protect your artistic approach) simply isn’t an option. Ashleigh has found that working for bigger or more corporate clients has sometimes provided the financial freedom to pursue her own projects. Having previously made his name in the music industry, Geoff acknowledged the privilege of saying no to film score projects that don’t fit his approach. He also spoke of the challenges of conflicting artistic visions and the frictions that can sometimes arise when working closely with other creatives; ultimately, the bonds of trust and friendship win out.

Although everyone seems to hate the idea of formal “networking,” the importance of human connection and building relationships came up several times. For both Geoff and Jojo, this often means hanging out with people and chatting or a friendly game of football (which, in Geoff’s case, even led to a professional partnership). Ashleigh emphasised the value of reaching out to people – “never be afraid to DM someone!” – and using existing contacts to spark conversations and potential projects. That said, the old adage of “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” rang utterly false here: all three speakers stressed the fundamental necessity of knowing your craft, working hard at it and building your skillset, so that when you do approach people and launch new projects, you can follow through with quality work. Speaking about No Signal, Jojo put it perfectly: “this station isn’t run on vibes!”

Ashleigh Jadee and Emma Blake Morsi - photo by Tia Payne

When asked about the nature of success, money and fame were noticeably absent from the responses.

Jojo raised the essential point that success is connected with financial stability that, for some, can be the true benchmark of achievement. Coming from a family who never really “got” what she did for work, Ashleigh found that her high-profile campaigns, as well as featuring on The Rap Game, allowed her to demonstrate to her family and friends the real scope and importance of her photography and videography. Recognition has also been a great encouragement to Geoff, who says that when Portishead was sampled by some of his heroes in hip hop and R’n’B, he felt a real sense of having “made it.”

One of the most inspiring things about the CrossTalk event was the proof that no matter what stage of their career people are at, the passion and motivation to start something new and to grow never goes away. In light of their impressive achievements, any of these three professionals might be forgiven for resting on their laurels; but instead, each of them shared their desire to branch off in new directions. Ashleigh is building on her video directing experience and looking at moving into the film world. Having already segued from music to film, Geoff is also keen to start producing films. And Jojo’s career so far has seen him starting from scratch and co-building a successful radio station, event series, online platform and company that continue to grow. It was refreshing to hear that, like the rest of us, seasoned pros still start from square one in new pursuits and are not afraid to be newbies if it means expanding their creative horizons.