Institute of Contemporary Arts

The Experiment: April 2009

Noise / Drone / Dissonance / Atonal / Industrial: these are some of the terms used to describe a form of music which in some people's minds is non-music or a sub standard form of music but here at The Experiment this month we are examining this powerful form of music and want to show in varying depth the imagination to invent new ways of thinking about noise music: new words for new ideas. As noise music goes through its own period of renaissance we are presenting some examples of the excellent labels and sounds out there.

First up, we have returning to the pod the highly productive Brighton Label Chocolate Monk and tracks from Blood Stereo which is made up from the label's founders Dylan Nyoukis and Karen Constance. Experts in minimal drone and deconstructed sound - John Carpenter would be very happy to collaborate.

Next we have another duo, this time hailing from the avant-garde land of Brooklyn which is now 'unoffically' a haven of noise-niks and all round free thinker in music. The strangely-named Manburger Surgical have the music to match their title and have track in their repertoire called Gamhenge Parody and Kooky Kranium Kapers: great stuff!

Ever wondered what a Psychic Dance Hall sounded like? Get close to it by listening to Knackton Secton and his unique brand of drone and fuzz which has been just released on Psychic Dance Hall Records.

Next, another coastal 'noise' town in the shape of Bournemouth and the glorious releases of Krayon Recordings and Sunshine Republic, who in the classic mould of electro-acoustic improv offer a blend of slow building sounds which would make architect an a la decontruction like Frank Ghery stand up and applaud. Also on Krayon we have Glockenspiel - which shows the versatility of the label's sounds where Glockenspiel subtle milder version of drone and textured sounds.

Then we have Family Battle Snake who is an all-round noise maker with many amazing collaborations and various project to boot. Bill Kouligas has been intensely in the noise scene these past three years with collaboration with Japanese artist Astro, Sudden Infant and the marvelous Ashtray Navigations.

In Peckham, South London you would perhaps expect to hear the dub sounds of grime or uk garage but breaking all the rulez in the manor is we have the trio called Chora who are sounding like they have a extreme obsession with 'jungle' sounds and i am not back onto uk garage again: earth buzz and ambience of a dense thicket is a good way to describe to sound of Chora.

Keep Listening!

The Experiment is a monthly podcast commissioned by the ICA and presented and produced by Kevin Quigley. This month's guest presenter is Jack Alett (Towering Breaker).

www.myspace.com/glockandspiel
www.krayonrecordings.kaen.org
www.chocolatemonk.co.uk
www.myspace.com/bloodstereo
www.myspace.com/manburgersurgical
www.myspace.com/sunshinerepublic
www.myspace.com/familybattlesnake
www.myspace.com/chora

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