Lau Noah & Michael League
Lau Noah & Michael League Bio
The most obvious common trait shared by Lau Noah and Michael League is curiosity. The two artists have spent their entire careers exploring genres, instruments, and musical partners, finding new sounds and swiftly moving on in search of the next (Noah’s last album features duo performances with Chris Thile, Silvia Pérez Cruz, Cecile McLoren-Salvant, Jorge Drexler, and Jacob Collier, among others, while League has three steady bands in 5-time Grammy winners Snarky Puppy, psychedelic world/blues ensemble Bokanté, and his intimate oud and piano duo with Bill Laurance).
Running parallel paths for years in New York City but never intersecting, their first meeting at a dinner at League’s new home in Noah’s native Catalonia (a coincidence) resulted in a plan to make an album together. It was written in just two sessions at League’s studio with the shared concept of recording new music on only acoustic guitars, vocals, and bass, when necessary. The result, mixed by Nic Hard (Snarky Puppy, Bokanté, Youssou Ndour), is “Come the Night,” a highly focused, minimalist album that nods its head more to Elliot Smith and Tom Petty than it does to Björk and Weather Report. It is matter-of-fact, clear, and every note counts.
Noah and League sing equally comfortably in Spanish and English, pontificating on creativity, loneliness, human connection, and wonder. Intimacy abounds, with raw vocal performances contrasting brief explosions of rich harmony. Though it is just a shared moment between two artists who continue on their respective ways, the chemistry between them is undeniable. “Come the Night” puts this on display in no uncertain terms.
Music
Come the Night (2026)
For those who are familiar with their respective careers, the first word to describe “Come the Night,” the debut EP from Lau Noah and Michael League, would most likely be, “surprising.”
Noah is known for her distinct vocal sound and auto-didactic, somewhat extra-terrestrial approach to the acoustic guitar, and League is most often associated with his 5-time GRAMMY-winning, jazz-adjacent instrumental ensemble, Snarky Puppy. But in this context, they find unexpected common ground in a stark, vulnerable set of material inviting the listener both into their speakers and inward towards themself.
The music was composed almost unnaturally quickly over two short writing sessions in League’s studio in Noah’s native Catalonia (a convenient coincidence). It was then recorded in only three days and mixed by Nic Hard, League’s longtime engineer. The songs move between English and Spanish, dealing with themes of creativity, loneliness, human connection, and wonder, with both artists sharing lead and backing vocal roles. League and Noah limit themselves to acoustic guitar, voice, and occasional bass, leaving as much to the listener’s imagination as possible.
What makes this album so special is the artists’ commitment to a highly focused, minimalist sound that nods its head more to Elliot Smith and Tom Petty than it does to Björk and Weather Report. It is matter-of-fact, clear, and every note counts.
But perhaps the element most on display in this collection of music is its fragility. It is composed, recorded, performed, and produced with a vulnerability that sits on the edge of comfort. For both artists, it is a brave departure from their respective comfort zones and an album to be not just listened to, but felt.
