Today is a gloomy day in Budapest, as we’re in the middle of a heavy rainstorm, so it seemed like a perfect day to indulge in some pure noise. I am new to the work of Citizen, who are, a believe, a Polish band headed by Jakub S, but I like the fact that, unlike most noise, this sounds like he took the time to sculpt well over 40 minutes of inferno-blasting ‘music’ that keeps you engaged. Not bad at all.
I feel a bit silly admitting this, but for some reason, I thought I had Soundtrack To The Blind Owl previously. Iran’s foremost dark ambient composer Xerxes The Dark has been active for many years now, and is part of a pretty amazing scene developing in one of the least likely places on Earth. Then again, with the Internet, I am expecting mind-blowing post-Industrial music to pop out of Togo or Burkina Faso eventually. To the music. There are six tracks of ominous drone on this album. This isn’t a typical drone or ambient album, however. Xerxes expertly mixes in…
Noise music is something you are either passionate for. or you loathe to the depths of your soul. I say this because too many artists not only sound far too similar, it almost sounds like they insult the audience by turning on a vacuum cleaner and try to call that “music.” It’s trash, nothing more. That trick only worked once with Duchamp, and all his followers merely pose, tarnishing anything good in art. However, there is another angle to noise. That of the sculpted, patiently crafted sturm und drang which allows for musical or cinemtic influences to further enhance their…