Today, we turn to the world of Sarah Marie Nicolosi and her band golden mean project. She along with her lifelong friends Charles, Jonathan, Charlie and Michael sets up a harmony among varied sounds that appeal to the senses in unison.
Their debut album titled “Meden Agan” is a great epitome of their endless creativity. In fact, The Golden Mean Project harmonizes all the instruments from synths to percussion devices including even a wooden frog. Inspired by mathematics, nature and philosophy their music is situated far outside of mainstream genres blending electronica with hypnotic appeal yet it creates a stimulating intellect.
Named after the Fibonacci spiral and influenced by Greek adage “Nothing To Excess,” golden mean project’s compositions journey listeners through soundscapes emotional realms. Their melodies take the audience from mystic to mysterious heights in terms of musical revelations.
In this interview, we learn about Sarah Marie’s musical background, creative methods of writing music and the progression that brought with it her unique brand. She also is a professional musician with high respect to philosophy, poetry and art of music which makes her songs effective.
Sarah Marie in an invitation to join The Golden Mean Project should they wish to experience the adventures of ‘sonicbrinkmanship.’ Therefore, take a seat and unwind as The Golden Mean Project captivates you with the magical sonic allurement.
Listen to Gimme A Laser (Kyrie Eleison) below
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What is your stage name
I perform as Sarah Marie Nicolosi, my given name; our band is called The Golden Mean Project.
Is there a story behind your stage name?
The Golden Mean Project is a reference to both the Fibonacci spiral and the Greek Delphic maxim, “Nothing to excess,” which also translates as “everything in balance.”
Where do you find inspiration?
Mathematics, art, science, film, philosophy, nature, and the enduring power of the human spirit. Michael is a tremendously gifted individual and our marriage revolves around music and a shared love of music, film, art, and time spent outdoors in our garden.
What was the role of music in the early years of your life?
Several of us in the Golden Mean Project have been musicians since we were young children. Personally, as a neurodivergent artist, music, along with writing and visual art, provides me with a balancing and stabilizing force in my life.
Are you from a musical or artistic family?
Yes, several of us are, including me. My father plays the coronet, my brother and my niece play the piano, and my nephew plays the piano, guitar, and cello.
Who inspired you to be a part of the music industry?
I suppose I did, speaking for myself. I think all of us have basically resigned ourselves to being part of the music industry, although the Golden Mean Project got its start through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. We believe in music for a higher cause.
How did you learn to sing/write/to play?
I started piano lessons at the age of five. I was composing original songs on the piano by age thirteen. Nothing finished. though; I just sat at the piano when I was the only person in the house and just improvised for hours and hours.
What was the first concert that you ever went to and who did you see perform?
I think it must have been a chamber orchestra, when I was seven or eight. I also saw musical theater and ballet — The Nutcracker in particular, which interestingly enough is a favorite of both mine and Michael’s.
How could you describe your music?
This album was composed in the seven Greek modes. It’s otherworldly, mysterioius, all-consuming.
Describe your creative process.
Composing and recording this album took everything I had to give and more. I was totally transported and transformed by the work — I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again as a musician.
What is your main inspiration?
Philosophy, poetry, love, the arts, and nature.
What musician do you admire most and why?
Kate Bush is my favorite artist. She is unlimited, a maximalist, and maximalism is how I’d describe not only myself, but my husband, who recorded and engineered the album. He’s a huge inspiration to me as well.
Did your style evolve since the beginning of your career?
Definitely. I don’t exactly know where I’m heading, but it’s definitely evolving. I started out playing synth in an indie rock band, was the front woman of an ethereal goth band, but now I’m a multi-instrumentalists. I have the Minnesota State Arts Board to thank for that — my grant gave me the chance to branch out into percussion and other keyed instruments (like the melodica).
I spent a lot of the past year learning to play the drums, the bell kit, hand percussion and other instruments. I’m hoping for more opportunities to play and explore composition on the instruments I learned to play over the past year.
Who do you see as your main competitor?
Nobody, really. I don’t believe in competition in the arts.
What are your interests outside of music?
Home stuff. I’m a homebody. I love gardening, cooking, making things, painting and drawing and writing.
If it wasn’t a music career, what would you be doing?
I’d probably work in a shoe store.
What is the biggest problem you have encountered in the journey of music?
Competition. A obsession with money, power, and fame. I think the arts should be above all that.
If you could change one thing in the music industry, what would it be?
More collaboration that’s genuine and high-minded. We’re all in this together.
Why did you choose this as the title of this project?
It’s a mantra of mine, being that I’m neurodivergent. “Everything in balance.” “Nothing to excess.” I have to remind myself of these things every day because I’m so hyperactive and I want to take on the world all at once. But that’s impossible, so I have to try and be reasonable rather than firing on all cylinders at once.
What are your plans for the coming months?
Keep expanding on the work of The Golden Mean Project and work on another album in the works, called “The Burned Child’s Book of Shadows.” Funny thing is: I started working on that album first, then started getting into the Greek modes.
I decided to divide the work into two separate albums: “Meden Agan” (the one we just released) and “The Burned Child’s Book of Shadows,” which I envision as a completely different sort of project than The Golden Mean Project. I think it’s going to be metal.
Do you have any artistic collaboration plans?
As many as I can manage.
What message would you like to give to your fans?
Discover your world for yourself. Use all your senses, use empiricism and creativity. Think for yourself.
