Noise Music

[Zephyr_Nova]

I've been listening to a lot of noise music this past year, and decided now would be a good time to dedicate a thread to it. By noise, I mean power electronics, harsh noise, industrial (the more experimental non-EBM variety) and more abrasive avant-garde music. But feel free to post anything in the general spirit of noise here, be it noise rock or whatever. As long as it's good and noisy post it here.

I was lucky enough to pick up two Thirteen Hurts CDs at this year's Victoria Noise Fest, both of which are top notch amazing noise albums. This is a video of him recording one track off of his Chemtrails album:

 

 

Unfortunately it's tough to find anything of his online as he seems to be a physical-release-only artist. But both albums are definitely worth the $10 or whatever it is. You can contact him on his facebook fan page if interested: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thirteen-Hurts-13Hz/273233096049035 --super friendly guy. Fun fact: his studio is solar powered.

 

Another album that blew me away this year is schallbruch - WakeGaze, available for free here: http://redvenicerecords.bandcamp.com/album/wakegaze

It's extremely well crafted, very dark and heavy-as-fuck. I wonder what this guy's background is, as it sounds like noise made by someone who has a long musical/studio history.

 

Chefkirk's Harsh Digital Works Vol. 1 is a another release that really grabbed me this year. As the title suggests, it is extremely harsh, digital noise, but there's something about his tones and textures that I find quite interesting. His treatment of sound is very distinctly his own. You can stream/download it for free here: http://bitbybit.bandcamp.com/album/harsch-digital-works-vol-i

 

Die-Burial-Rot is another texturally compelling noise artist whose track names are fantastic. Case in point, The Hideous Death Cries of a Million Investment Bankers Parts 1 + 2: https://soundcloud.com/die-burial-rot/sets/hdcmib

Both he and Chefkirk have a very minimal approach that really highlights each individual sound.

 

Another favorite for me this year was a collaboration release from John Wiese and Lasse Marhaug entitled County and Western (actual release was 2010). The tracks are like collages of jagged percussive sound bites interwoven together with blasts of feedback and static. It's effective in its use of dynamics, making the really noisy sections absolutely devastating. These guys really know their shit. Unfortunately this was the only excerpt I could find on youtube, and it's one of the less noteworthy moments on the album:

 

 

-I may or may not have found the download on a pirate's blogspot... but if I did, I will definitely be purchasing the physical one day because it is excellent.

 

And of course everyone's at least heard of Merzbow, but he releases so much stuff it can be difficult to know where to start. Of the 50+ that I've heard, 1930, Pulse Demon, Venerology and Noise Embryo and Surabhi are all standouts. His mid 90's period was his best imo. It's not music you can really appreciate on a shitty system or from a shitty youtube stream, as I think getting immersed in the sound is essential for this music. But here's a shitty youtube stream of a Pulse Demon track anyway:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_aiuMIC1Hg

 

Actually this is still somehow hitting the spot even through my lap top speakers. But hearing it on good headphones while walking along the breakwater is a truly awe-inspiring experience.

 

Okay, that's enough for now. Let's hear your noise recommendations!

Edited December 23, 2012 by Zephyr_Nova

[Guest extherium]

Incapacitants.

 

Japanese businessmen by day, harsh noise pioneers by night.

[Zephyr_Nova]

Funny you should mention them, as I tried unsuccessfully to download something of theirs just a couple hours ago. I've heard them mentioned quite a bit by other people as well, but haven't yet heard their music.

[auxien]

i'm not much into noise in general, but this release is one i always go to when in the mood. i've never heard any other noise stuff that is quite like it. Kidsok Nuit - Al Azif's Awakening Ritual

 

http://zenapolae.com/node/302

[Zephyr_Nova]

Wicked, sounds nasty. Downloading now.

[Guest extherium]

Funny you should mention them, as I tried unsuccessfully to download something of theirs just a couple hours ago. I've heard them mentioned quite a bit by other people as well, but haven't yet heard their music.

 

Youtube their live shows. No Fun Fest 07 is a good one.

[logakght]

made this like in 2011

Edited December 23, 2012 by logakght

[Goiter Sanchez]

As far as live noise goes I would love to see Masonna do his thing...

 

Or Junko/Hijokaidan...

[Dan C]

On an Incapacitants note, Toshiji Mikawa is a really lovely man.

[t yst r]

Perhaps you can check out Noisejihad, if you hadn't already. Some nice live performances there and it's all downloadable. Not everything is murderously hard though. Some nice noisescapes as well, if that even exists as a word

 

http://www.noisejihad.dk/

[kichiguy]

Nice thread! I was at the Extreme Rituals festival earlier this month in Bristol. It was three day retrospective on the Schimpfluch Gruppe. Saw some truly amazing performances/actions by Dave Phillips, Rudolf Eb.er and Raionbashi as well as The New Blockaders (greatest noise group imo). There are quite a few recordings of their performances on youtube if you enjoy an aktionist approach to your noise. Their label Tochnit Aleph also has some amazing musique concrete and field recordings gems by G*Park and Dave Phillips that are worth checking out.

 

 

 

 

 

nsfw

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV_9qOCQUkM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kichiguy]

Really been ploughing through Rodger Stella's weirder cut up, tape loop stuff as well recently. The One Dark Eye reissue on ljudbildproduktion is amazing, as well as this Macronympha release.

 

[Nebraska]

 

check this out. it's one of my favorite noise releases for this year

[Zephyr_Nova]

The New Blockaders (greatest noise group imo).

 

I heard something they did with Merzbow a few years ago, and it was amazing. I definitely need to hear more of their work, as they clearly had a big influence on how that release turned out.

 

I'll respond to some of these other posts later, but felt like I needed to fly in and give New Blockaders a further word of endorsement...

[Goiter Sanchez]

I am very VERY interested in checking out 'Whitehouse'. Not quite sure where to start with them though...

[Zephyr_Nova]

i'm not much into noise in general, but this release is one i always go to when in the mood. i've never heard any other noise stuff that is quite like it. Kidsok Nuit - Al Azif's Awakening Ritual

 

http://zenapolae.com/node/302

 

I gave this one a listen today. I really like it. Arrangement-wise it reminds me a bit of Merzbow's mid 90's period but sonically closer to his newer stuff. One thing that differentiates Kidsok on this album is that he never uses delay or flangey effects, giving it a much drier, rougher sound. It sounds almost like he remic'ed the recordings in a small room to give it some additional claustrophobic ambience... the acoustics were kind of similar to those of a toilet actually. I could be entirely mistaken about the room ambience thing, I just wondered because I've been doing that with my own stuff lately. Anyway, that was one thing I thought was kind of cool about it. That and it sounds big and abrasive, very full but raw sound. I'll probably listen again.

 

 

check this out. it's one of my favorite noise releases for this year

Awesome, I'm digging the b-movie album art. Downloading now, will probably listen tomorrow.

 

I am very VERY interested in checking out 'Whitehouse'. Not quite sure where to start with them though...

Great White Death is an awful, awful album. Sooo ridiculous. I could see you getting a bit of a kick out of it though... and many consider it a power electronics masterpiece. It's got lyrical gems like "I'm cumming in you aaaaaaasssssss!" repeat x 20 --mildly amusing but gets old pretty fast. He has been making music for another 20+ years since then, so maybe he's branched out a bit. I like to think he's just releasing that same album over and over again. The idea of someone making a career out of that tickles me pink.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Zephyr_Nova

[triachus]

The week I got into dub-reggea is the same week I got into noise. Don't know how that happened.

I've been checking out this band called Skullflower for a while now. Up to late 80's-mid 90's they made this noisey-droney rock thing. Damn good. Then it turned into a one-man noise project. Also damn good:

 

 

 

 

 

In 2003 Matthew Bower revived it as a one man project, taking it to a more noisey direction.

 

 

 

something that can be described as deconstructed black metal? :

 

 

and in the latest album he goes flat out harsh

 

And he has a whole other noise-y projects going on. Just check his Discogs. I'm still digging into that. Nothing too harsh at first listens, still interesting.

 

 

 

Via Skullflower I bumped into the power electronics of Ramleh. I consider their album Hole In The Heart to be fucking beautiful.

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY3eMK_YdO0

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP_vvB8JPRY

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=farvUqs5HJI

 

If anyone knows something similair like this, say it NOW. I need it.

Too bad Ramleh decided to drop the power electronics and go for a more rock oriented sound in the 90's. In 2009 they seemed to have picked up the noise again.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFh4cgCSX3k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZrrCpKut2Q

 

 

 

So those are my "first" encounters in the world of noise. I've always dabbled in it a bit, but now it somehow clicked. I'm still (relatively) new to this, so I need guidance/recommendations. I've already gotten my hands on some few random Whitehouse, Prurient, C.C.C.C., and Merzbow (dear lord, that discography) but I haven't given them any decent listens yet (one can still advice me on those).

Edited December 24, 2012 by triachus

[Nebraska]

Great White Death is an awful, awful album. Sooo ridiculous. I could see you getting a bit of a kick out of it though... and many consider it a power electronics masterpiece. It's got lyrical gems like "I'm cumming in you aaaaaaasssssss!" repeat x 20 --mildly amusing but gets old pretty fast. He has been making music for another 20+ years since then, so maybe he's branched out a bit. I like to think he's just releasing that same album over and over again. The idea of someone making a career out of that tickles me pink.

 

you cannot be serious. 'great white death' is the best whitehouse album. a good starting place would be the compilation 'another crack of the white whip' if you can find it. it's a pretty hard album to find but it serves as a good introduction to their oeuvre.

[Nebraska]

 

dom used to do some pretty intense shows

[auxien]

[Zephyr_Nova]

Great White Death is an awful, awful album.

 

you cannot be serious. 'great white death' is the best whitehouse album. a good starting place would be the compilation 'another crack of the white whip' if you can find it. it's a pretty hard album to find but it serves as a good introduction to their oeuvre.

 

I think I started with it because I'd heard it was one of his best, but I just found it comical. Granted I haven't really heard another album quite like it, so I'll give it some points there. I was going to say I'll give it another listen, but apparently I deleted it so that might not happen. Does Whitehouse's style progress much from there? I could imagine some of those sounds being used in an interesting way, so I could see myself enjoying a later incarnation of that... if the vocals became less of a focal point.

[Npoess]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms1Cow9ygys

[awepittance]

warning: no 'beats' or 'noise rock' contained in post

2 japanese noise artists i think worth checking out. Pain Jerk, who has a lot of material like Merzbow's Pulse Demon but way more amped up and schizophrenic (still lots of white noise through cry baby wah pedals like Merzbow). Also I really enjoy stuff by C.C.C.C who are basically a full band setup (keyboards, vocalist, bass, guitar) that makes just full blown sheets of noise, it's not 'noise rock' but straight noise. I hesitate to post any youtube clips because mp3 and youtube compression makes most noise sound like shit to me. I remember finding a torrent online called the 'merzbow collection' and they guy in the nfo file inside said he encoded them all at 128kbps because 'its just noise' and i thought to myself, what an idiot, literal white noise/pink noise content is the most effected by mp3 compression.
http://www.discogs.com/CCCC-Loud-Sounds-Dopa-Live-In-USA/release/316159

I think Hands To is a very interesting noise project that I've never seen mentioned here. He has a really large discography and his whole M.O. is doing really low quality dictaphone tape cassette noise collages using field recordings. He was doing lofi tape stuff long before it became a trend.
http://www.discogs.com/Hands-To-Hands-To-Turn-My-Hands-To/release/359585

Also check out blowhole if the concept of a free jazz band doing full on noise sounds good, they have a decent album called 'free metal' that is basically just a noise album but done with all live instruments.
http://www.discogs.com/Blowhole-Free-Metal/master/112919

edit: forgot about one of my favorite japanese acts, Contagious Orgasm. Demdike Stare basically sounds like a less noisey/less abrasive/less dense version of older Contagious ORgasm stuff like 'Voltage Controlled Filter' or 'Confessions of a Mannequin'. One of the few noise artists to constantly change his sound and branch out in all different directions ( and i dont just mean doing alias of different genres, but just all around really weird shit/unclassifiable)
http://www.discogs.com/Contagious-Orgasm-Voltage-Controlled-Filter/release/182366
http://www.discogs.com/Contagious-Orgasm-Confession-Of-Mannequin/master/187886

edit2: just saw you mention John Wiese above, check out his collaboration with Pain Jerk. Really amazing stuff. http://www.discogs.com/Pain-Jerk-John-Wiese-Terrazzo/release/929906

edit3: if you're in the mood for just utterly bizarre noise that isn't that noisey but just weird as fuck check out Florian Heckers Recordings for Rephlex

have you heard much of Russel Haswell's noise stuff? I think that guy stands above most noise artists
this is probably my favorite release of his
http://www.discogs.com/Russell-Haswell-Live-Salvage-1997-2000/release/11268

edit4: in general what you're going to find in here is older noise (pre 2000s) the reason being is i just don't follow newer noise very much, i feel like it got too genrefied and more predictable over time. Alot of the stuff from the 90s is bursting at the seems with creativity compared to now. Edited December 24, 2012 by Awepittance

[Goiter Sanchez]

^ That Hecker track is great... Very texturally engaging. I hope to find a copy of that one someday.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Goiter Sanchez

[Nebraska]

I think I started with it because I'd heard it was one of his best, but I just found it comical. Granted I haven't really heard another album quite like it, so I'll give it some points there. I was going to say I'll give it another listen, but apparently I deleted it so that might not happen. Does Whitehouse's style progress much from there? I could imagine some of those sounds being used in an interesting way, so I could see myself enjoying a later incarnation of that... if the vocals became less of a focal point.

 

yes- around the mid-90s william bennett was experimenting more and more with afrikan and haitian sounds and he started to add them to the whitehouse albums starting with bird seed. imo you really can't go wrong with any whitehouse album- but i personally never got into the early 90s releases like hallogen, dictator and cruise.

 

i really think you should give great white death another chance because i can't stress enough how good an album it is. i read a really good review of the album that summed it up pretty well. it was written by a woman who had gone to see a whitehouse show. the entire time, some guy was rubbing up against her and feeling her up. everyone else just stood around with their fingers in their ears completely ignoring what was happening. when the show was done, the guy just walked off like nothing happened. she thought of it as part of the show