noise music
Noise is one of the weirdest genres of music. If you're not familiar, it's literally what you think it is: static / clashing sounds defying any semblence of a conventional listening experience.
I first came across it a little while back - I can't remember from where. Merzbow's Pulse Demon album, probably one of the most famous noise albums of all time. I couldn't make much sense of it at the time (and still don't really.) But that's the point.
It does vary in style, but generally is in your face, unrelenting and harsh. I think what I personally like about it is how those features lend it to being anticapitalist, creative and free of restrictions. It's an audio version of an abstract painting: the meaning is what you make of it.
I've even made some you can check out on Bandcamp. The creative process is fun and exploratory: all you have to do is make some noise, how you go about it is entirely up to you. Some people wire up pedals and mics to traffic cones. Others mash raw data in Audacity or use other digital means / combining physical noise as well. You can't really mess up something that doesn't really mean anything.
It's really freeing to not give a shit about making a dollar. Or pleasing anyone else. And just seeing what changing a setting does to the sound. And I think that really lends to expanding my creative process in my other endeavors too. Of course I intend to make stuff that's more enjoyable for others in the future - but being able to have a creative outlet that's fun is really cool.
I made a track this morning that came out entirely different than I expected. I was grinning and laughing at how ridiculous it sounded from me twisting the effects on a recording of my voice.
I never would have expected to be writing a blog about it, but here we are. It kind of weaves into what I've talked about in my other blogs about creating stuff and trying to make sense of creating art for yourself / others. How to find that balance or not at all.
It feels like creative endeavors and finding those outlets isn't promoted enough in society. I hope that putting blogs like this out there encourage you to try something in your life that seems ridiculous / pointless. If something speaks to you, pull that string and see where it goes.
If you want to hear more about noise, the r/noisemusic community on reddit is pretty cool.