Noise artists Black Dice. Noise music often involves using random electronic samples, screaming, distortion and other nontraditional instruments to make “songs.” (Photo: courtesy of artists)

New Bands Are Making All the Wrong Noises

With the rise of the Internet, the mystery of the music world has died. Downloading albums has replaced rare record-hunting and a simple Google search is now all it takes to obtain information about any band.

If they existed now, legendary groups that used to thrive on their mystique, such as The Velvet Underground, would probably blog about what they’d eaten on tour. The days of flipping through record sleeves, reading the lyrics and looking for hidden clues are long gone.

With almost every recording in existence just a mouse-click away, music fans are looking for a form of music that retains that feeling of rareness and exclusivity, the sort of music that only the most devoted enthusiast can grasp. For many, the “noise” genre is the answer.

Noise is a form of avant-garde music that uses nontraditional musical elements. Electronic samples and other nonmusical instruments are used to create sound art that is often atonal, free form and repetitive. Noise artists typically release limited-edition records, which is why record collectors scramble to buy them. Records are often released infrequently and sold exclusively through mail-order. The cover sleeves are handmade with unique packaging, furthering their collectable value.

Famous noise musicians, such as Japan’s Merzbow, present a persona that is eccentric and mystifying. His shows usually involve five minutes of screaming over a series of sound effects. The internationally renowned Black Dice from New York are known to fight audience members while performing. They rarely grant interviews and refuse to be photographed.

Local groups such as A Stone A, The Crowded Room, Snorg and Kalimayat are just a few of the bands in the Indonesian “noise” scene. But how did such an unusual form of music find its way here?

Danif Pradana, who works under the moniker “Kalimayat” (“River Corpse”), became enraptured by “noise” after reading about it in a music magazine. The article referred to vintage industrial music, which is played by bands such as Throbbing Gristle. Throbbing Gristle would often use visuals of industrial machinery to accompany their music. It opened up a new world for Danif. He says, “I just love the fact that this form of music gives me so much freedom to explore sounds.”

The limitless possibilities of “noise” certainly provide a sense of freedom that other genres lack. Some “songs” merely involve minutes of static or random buzzing. Danif — whose music consists of drones and ear-splitting static — says: “We are not making structured music, every session is a new experience. You never know what’s going to happen.”

Carlos Wirya, of local band Snorg, says that the mind-set of noise musicians is to channel their inspiration without restrictions. Snorg often produces haphazard performances, playing randomly tuned guitars to create 20-minute “songs” with no discernible form. Carlos often jokes during concerts, “That last song was called ‘Tuning.’ ”

Many might argue that “noise” is not a musical genre but consists of a few untalented musicians fooling around. Fathan Friadi, the sole member of The Crowded Room, agrees. For him, “noise” is a representation of honesty through sound, which he argues is unrelated to music. “Noise is like atoms in physics, where sound originates — it’s like a newborn baby’s cry, unpolluted,” Fathan says. However, he says it requires a deep understanding of art that is beyond the comprehension of regular musicians.

Muhammad Akbar, from A Stone A, explains that his group uses children’s toys, toy instruments, ultrasonic rat repellents, radio receivers, walkie-talkies and voice-altering microphones to create their sound. When A Stone A does use a guitar, it is often heavily distorted and played with screwdrivers instead of fingers.

With their free-flow attitude, how do these artists — especially those with more than one member — communicate on stage? Eric Copeland, from the three-member Black Dice says: “Sometimes one of us leads, while the others follow. A lot of it depends on how a set is moving, where it needs to go.”

He continues: “Sometimes we have to write it down; sometimes we just talk about it, sometimes it’s eye contact. It really all depends on the circumstances.”

So what would be an ideal setting to listen to such challenging music?

Copeland says, “[It would be] complimented by a serene setting, but it tends to sound really aggressive and urban in those surrounds. I’d say [it’s best] just when taking a walk.”

He pauses before continuing, “I wish everyone could sit in a huge room with floor-to-ceiling windows, with a huge sound system playing the CD with no song interruptions. That’d be perfect.”

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