Narrative and conceptual Noise

Started by polarvisions, May 05, 2020, 03:12:54 PM

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polarvisions

Recently I've become interesting in collecting, listening and reviewing more music releases in which the artist / band uses a certain narrative line or concept behind the sound creation or auditory effect itself. I've been looking around the forum for a topic related to these kinds of storytelling and conceptual elements in Noise but haven't found any specific topic on it so I thought this could be a nice place where people can share great artists / releases and labels who create interesting Noise, experimental music and the more extreme forms of sound art with a narrative or special sound concpet. So far I know that Aube, The Rita and Contagious Orgasm do use certain imagery or unusual sound sources as base of a full album / tape or weave in sound collage elements but I'd like to discover more material like those so everyone is welcome to share their discoveries or (recent) favourites in here. 
Insomnia Index is my Ambient Noise project. The Nocturnal Library an upcoming Noise archive and writing project.

https://insomniaindex.bandcamp.com/album/part-1-first-experiences

Balor/SS1535

If I understand what is being asked for correctly, then I would say that Mania would be a perfect example (especially on my personal favorite release:Insidious and Alone.  Everything revolves and sounds like an anti-government hermit hiding out in the woods with guns.

Eigen Bast

Skin Crime since The House on the Cliff has followed a strong gothic horror narrative.

ConcreteMascara

[death|trigger|impulse]

http://soundcloud.com/user-658220512

FallOfNature

#4


Wouldn't classify strictly as "noise", but can't go without mentioning this. Vocals are upfront but the sounds backing them match the rage or tension between each track.

polarvisions

Thanks for the suggestions so far, they're all interesting artists and indeed matching what I'm looking for. Been exploring their discographies and adding some releases on my wishlists to check out, trying to make a bit of a project out of this in a certain form at some point. Yes Jason Crumer's great, I've only listened to the Ottoman Black tape so far but that varied kind of build up throughout a release is an element I really like. The picture related to the last one looks familiar but what's the name actually? Wondering about that.
Insomnia Index is my Ambient Noise project. The Nocturnal Library an upcoming Noise archive and writing project.

https://insomniaindex.bandcamp.com/album/part-1-first-experiences

Stipsi

Jaakko Vanhala makes technical or progressive harsh noise.
Structured, composed, with a lot of great skills and nice dynamics and build up.
I would say it's my favourite conceptual noise artist
North Central
Mademoiselle Bistouri
Daddy's Entertainment.
PERVERT AND PROUD.

NaturalOrthodoxy

Quote from: polarvisions on May 07, 2020, 10:39:42 AM
Thanks for the suggestions so far, they're all interesting artists and indeed matching what I'm looking for. Been exploring their discographies and adding some releases on my wishlists to check out, trying to make a bit of a project out of this in a certain form at some point. Yes Jason Crumer's great, I've only listened to the Ottoman Black tape so far but that varied kind of build up throughout a release is an element I really like. The picture related to the last one looks familiar but what's the name actually? Wondering about that.

Deathpile - GR


Andrew McIntosh

Quote from: W.K. on May 07, 2020, 11:15:14 PM
I a lot of the interesting noise releases have a strong narrative or fundamental thematic, no?

Too many, I reckon. It's almost the done thing to have a "theme" of some kind for some release. Some kind of gimmick to attract attention. From Merzbow's bazillions of vegan-themed releases to endless wall noise nylon-tights "obsession" bullshit. Ever since I've been listening to Noise it seems that conveying some kind of idea has been de rigour. Even if it's just in the packaging of products alone. The first contacts I made in the Noise scene were adamant that Noise had to have some "concept", or at least preferred it to. I'm a bit surprised that this is a topic, actually. A few older Noise types would have their own manifestos, which were quite entertaining actually.

Fear not, I'm not arguing against it. I've indulged in it myself, occasionally. Noise pervs generally love this kind of thing. For what it's worth, I just prefer to turn off my consciousness when listening to Noise, but if the wider consensus is there has to be some kind of "idea" for it to have validity, so be it. It's pretty easy listening to a lot of Noise and just ignoring all the conceptual decoration that's applied to it.

Noise for it's own sake is always enough.

Anyway, contributing to the topic at hand - Prurient, as mentioned already, usually has some kind of theme going through its releases. I've read in an interview in "Night Science" that Fernow has even suggested listening to certain releases in certain environmental circumstances, as that's the kind of atmosphere those releases are meant to convey. Apparently.

Also, Eric Lunde's releases are highly conceptual, or seem to, like "Music is Meat", which has little spoken word bits that are like mini manifestoes. So you've got conceptual and narrative in a literal sense right there.

Vivenza, of course, who's whole raison d'ĂȘtre is nothing less than continuing the Futurist project. Well worth listening to, the very definition of Industrial Noise.

Sacher Pelz/MB's releases are usually "about" something, although MB has put out far too much stuff. But then, so has Merzbow, The Haters, The Rita, etc etc. An abundance of releases is a concept all it's own.

The Vomit Arsonist invariably releases releases that are narrative, to a degree, usually about depression, which is always a deep well of inspiration for those who can handle it.

Seriously - with Noise, the whole thing can be seen as a concept.
Shikata ga nai.

Strangecross

The Haters would be the ultimate narrative in my mind, just look at their tape with a hole puncher as the album art.

WCrap

i would say the haters are highly conceptual indeed, but rather the opposite of narrative.

collapsedhole

i find most straight up noise to claim thematic content is really just too open to interpretation... like would you really identify the rita with sharks or feet if it wasn't thrown at you with obsessive visuals or text?

otherwise i guess...
aube, john hundak, jeph jerman, runzelstirn & gurgelstock, dave phillips, daniel menche, the haters, skin crime, prurient, skin graft, john mannion, deterge... INTERRACIAL SEX

power electronics on the other hand easily nails down a concept and directly addresses it.... CON-DOM comes to mind first. taint. nicole 12. alfarmania. grey wolves. whitehouse. deathpile. irm. xenophobic ejaculation.


Strangecross

Quote from: WCrap on May 08, 2020, 12:51:35 PM
i would say the haters are highly conceptual indeed, but rather the opposite of narrative.


there is the narrative of Farmer X and the Piggy Girls, as well other storylines of entropy with a revolving cast. Some things are straight up narrated.

Balor/SS1535

Quote from: collapsedhole on May 08, 2020, 02:14:00 PM
power electronics on the other hand easily nails down a concept and directly addresses it.... CON-DOM comes to mind first. taint. nicole 12. alfarmania. grey wolves. whitehouse. deathpile. irm. xenophobic ejaculation.

Honestly, I do not think that I have even encountered any power electronics that did not have a strong concept or theme.