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.
Our dear friends at Unexplained Sounds Group release consistently good ambient, post-Industrial and noise music compilations. As we have reached the mid-point of 2021, Raffaele Pezzella and company have released what they (rightly) deemed to be the best of the year to this point. From their Bandcamp site: Unexplained Sounds Group 7th Annual Report (Mid Year Edition) is the Summer edition of USG’s Annual Report series that comes out every year in December, to showcase the best 2021 experimental and avant-garde music. It includes veteran composers alongside younger but equally talented musicians from all around the globe. All musicians here…
Costa Rica, musically, has always been a mystery to me. The last contact I had was with a brilliant DJ out of San José who hosted a progressive rock radio program, but to find out that there is experimental music coming out of the country is a very pleasant surprise. Cyanosis is not a stranger to this site, as Efrain Valerio’s work was reviewed when he participated in a split album with our friends Destruktionsanstalt in April. This is the first chance I have had to hear his own work, and it is as bleak a recording as I have…
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…
Per Najbjerg Odderskov is an artist I enjoyed featuring over at my old blog, and I’m pleased to hear he has a new release out. It is as dark, heavy and claustrophobic (and yes, that’s a good thing for this genre of music) as his best works. The gloomy feel reminds me of peak 1990s experimental cassette culture, the weirdness of Industrial music-era Cabaret Voltaire, and horror movie soundtracks. Bleak, haunting, and engaging.