Anyone into dark ambient, harsh noise, rhythmic noise, or related genres? If so, what are you listening to lately?
tinitus ftw
hmm... Autechre's more abrasive stuff (e.g. "Nuane") qualify?
Masonna :P
"Noise" as a genre makes me think of 'Anal Cunt'.
I like Noise. A great deal. Hello!
recently, I've been listening myself through the raster/noton catalogue (http://raster-noton.de/), especially the noto/telefunken, alva noto/transall and ryoji ikeda/dataplex stuff, which is very minimalist sine wave + hrr krrk hirr hirr noise that makes autechre look pompous and rich in material (...).
Also, I'm quite enjoying eisengrau (documenta; principles 12"), and mürnau which is some angry belgians assaulting dump trucks with some bones stuck in the mixer along with happy banana slaughtered by wolf and steamrollers. After 30 mins you get a searing headache, and the HIIRRR HIRR HURR HIRR gives me teeth pain. It's very NOISE, though, if you're into that!
On the more ambient side, I'm loving Black Lung a whole lot right now. Especially songs like Prozac Parade, which go somewhat to the tunes of MEOW.WAV x 10000, PHONE_RINGING.WAV x 1000, VIOLENT_TOOTHDRILL.WAV x 1000 + BÖÖL_BÖÖL_PLUTONIUM_RAMPAGE_THUMP.wav incessantly + KORG_STRINGS.WAV nonstop. Very, very good.
Moreover, I'd suggest you check out Brutum Fulmen, which is very listenable, easygoing noise ("Lament of the Termite Queen" wins), but not at all shallow.
As for me, it´s Aube ftw! I also make my own noise.
The thing with most japnoise artists are that they constantly attack the listener with equally loud sounds so if you lower the volume the music gets really boring. Aube is more sinister. The songs start out calmly and quiet, forcing you to raise the volume. Then things start getting harsher and louder, ending up in total assault on the ears. Deliciously painful.
Mm, if you lower the volume the music gets boring, yes -- so who says you have to lower the volume?
I sometimes like to listen to "constant barrage" noise pieces as background. Stolen Light's "Symphony for Marimba Opus II" is a good example. Although noise has a "harsh and painful" connotation for many, I find it somewhat calming, particularly on closed headphones.
But you're right, the stuff that oscillates between quiet and DEATH has its place.
>>9
You'd like Eisengrau then, or probably even Azure Skies (which is somewhat converter-ish but still has some nice noise pieces). Also try some Institut if you want, some of the stuff ("they say we preach") is very shitkrieg of shirt irons vs washing machines. Also, A2 (think Kaltesglas or Muslimgauze without any rhythm, melody, or music whatsoever) might be of your taste.
I listen to Noise (or any other music) at low-ish volume - I appreciate my cochlea too much to sacrifice it to the main bat torturer.
I like AWGN
>>10
Institut is one of the best live acts I´ve ever been to! I definitely recommend anyone, who gets the chance, to see him live.
Here is some noise that I have made
http://www.archive.org/details/washer
Most of you probably know that there are loads of great japanese noise artists, such as Merzbow, Masonna, MSBR, Hanatarash, CCCC, The Gerogerigegege.
One of the best 'unknown' noise artists is probably Himei Koukotsu: http://www.myspace.com/koukotsu
I like SEXISDRUG:http://www.myspace.com/sexisdrug
I like ambient.
Check out the Max Neuhaus Fontana Mix (1965) if you want an industrial/noise album that's truly ahead of its time - it sounds like a construction yard filled with drills. Listening to old experimental electronic music really makes you realise how unneccesary all this new "noise" crap is (and, to an extent, a lot of the more advanced cut-up records too, although I like that stuff). Even the early noise releases (80s) - Mauricio Kagel's Acustica is probably where early Material Action era Merzbow got his schtick from - are Johnny-come-latelys, but I do like the whole "lowest music & arts" idea which came from the industrial era.
The whole modern noise thing sucks. About making "harsh noise" that "tears your face off". I'll name Nkondi as an example. Tons of artists in that vein who are so formulaic they make punk look interesting.
This is somewhat off topic, but does anyone know any precursors or kin to the 70s Los Angeles Free Music Society or the french band Un Drame Musical Instantané. By this I don't mean academic electronic music or free improv, but experimental/noise music of the 70s (or earlier) made with the same ethos of hobbyist experimentation from this period. I'm always looking for that kind of stuff.
And I'm not saying all new noise sucks, but there's an awful lot of crap and the general similarity is tedious. Just like punk.
I enjoy dark ambiant, or other stuff like Oöphoi, Tau Ceti and the like. The noisy tracks from the Silent Hill soundtracks are good, too.
I enjoy indus and music using noise soundscapes, noise-based rythmics (I'm not talking about Money from Pink Floyd here), and things like that (by the way, check out the new NiN album if you haven't already, it has some really clever sound usage).
But honestly I can't really listen to "pure" noise, amputed from real "music" writing, rythmics and stuff. Merzbow really makes me want to shoot myself in the face, for instance. Auterche will do for a track or two, then I'll want to listen to something else - quick. What I don't like is the "gratuitous violence" feeling I get. I think it's okay to have some experimental stuff, if it deserves a purpose other than itself. Hey, I say the same things about Contemporan Art vs. more classic art (I'd say up to modern era).
Anyway, it's a matter of tastes in the end.
I'm a really big Merzbow fan. also like Masonna and torturing nurse.
Also, there is a forum that is dedicated to noise and harsh noise I think it's either run by Xome (Bob Scott) or Stimbox.
Is there an artist that combines Aube's dynamics with Merzbow's energy and shifting timbres? I like both artists, but I sometimes feel that Merzbow is just too flat in loudness and that Aube's one-sound-source-per-album thing is more self-indulgent than it is entertaining.
I have to admit I haven't tried every recommendation in this thread yet, I'll try to track some of them down.
Hmm, I was really enjoying listening to some Merzbow on my laptop speakers. Now after listening on regular speakers I think I know why... it seems like bass fatigues my ears more than other frequencies. The repeating bass pulses on "Mantra 3" for example were nonexistent when listening on the laptop.
I also like Merzbow very much. I'm not a professional or something but I just like it. And his work with Boris is very nice too.
What do you think about Melt Banana?