Power noise

Infobox Music genre
name = Power noise
bgcolor = silver
color = black
stylistic_origins = Post-industrial Noise music
Japanoise Electro-industrial Hardcore techno Drum'n'bass
cultural_origins = Mid-1990s Germany and Belgium
instruments = Drum machine, computer programs, other electronics
popularity = Low
fusiongenres =
derivatives = Technoid
regional_scenes = Europe, United States
other_topics =List of electronic and industrial music artists

Power noise (also known as rhythmic noise, noize and occasionally as distorted beat music) is a fusion genre among noise music and various styles of electronic dance music, particularly those associated with EBM. It should not be confused with "power electronics", which lacks rhythmic elements and is closer to harsh noise. [Emily Benjamin, "Whitehouse Asceticists Susan Lawly". "The Johns Hopkins News-Letter". February 14, 2006. [http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2006/03/31/Arts/Whitehouse.Asceticists.Susan.Lawly-2242044.shtml] Access date: August 8, 2008.] Its origins are predominately European. The fan base for the style tends towards the cybergoth and rivethead subcultures.

History

1990s

Power noise takes inspiration from Spanish industrial act Esplendor Geometrico, active since 1980.Hymen Records, Converter, Coma record description. [http://www.hymen-records.com/vinylium/y014/y014.html] . Access date: August 8, 2008.] The Belgian group Dive also anticipated the style in the early '90s. The term "power noise" was coined by Raoul Roucka of Noisex in 1997, with the track "United (Power Noise Movement)". [Noisex, "Over and Out", "Discogs", [http://www.discogs.com/release/127104] ] [Vlad McNeally, review of Noisex, "ReGen Magazine", November 29, 2007. [http://www.regenmag.com/Reviews-1193-Noisex-Brain-on-Rotation.html] Access date: August 8, 2008.] The genre was exposed to the U.S. industrial scene by the electro-industrial act , who signed Noisex to the label Mental Ulcer Forges.

The first power noise artists were German. In addition to Noisex and :wumpscut:, these included Asche, Morgenstern, P.A.L, Synapscape, and Feindflug. The Belgians Axiome, Hypnoskull, Imminent, Ah Cama-Sotz, Sonar, and This Morn' Omina, also developed the genre. Black Lung, an Australian, and Orphx, a Canadian, were also active in the style at this time. Japanoise musicians, such as Merzbow, [Ed Howard, "Stylus Magazine", September 1, 2003. [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/merzbow/merzbeat.htm] Access date: August 8, 2008.] Aube, and Contagious Orgasm, [Ant-Zen, "Ripple". [http://www.ant-zen.com/act/act211.htm] ] have also made use of prominent rhythms.

2000s

Notable power noise artists who emerged in the 21st century include Iszoloscope, noCore, Antigen Shift, and Prospero (Canada); Mono No Aware, Agonoize, Noisuf-X (Germany); Dulce Liquido (Mexico); Tarmvred (Sweden); Converter, Terrorfakt, Alter Der Ruine, and C/A/T (U.S.).

Characteristics

Typically, power noise is instrumental, based upon a distorted kick drum from a drum machine such as a Roland TR-909, uses militaristic 4/4 beats. Sometimes a melodic component is added, but this is usually secondary to the rhythm. Power noise tracks are typically structured and danceable, but are occasionally abstract. This genre is showcased at the annual Maschinenfest festival in Krefeld, Germany, as well as at Infest in Bradford, UK.

Some groups, such as Combichrist [Metropolis Records, Combichrist Bio [http://www.metropolis-records.com/artists/?artist=combi] ] and Dulce Liquido, practice power noise along with aggrotech. Others, such as Tarmvred, meld the style with breakcore.Mark Teppo, interview with Tarmvred, "Ear Pollution". [http://www.earpollution.com/v2/vol5/interviews/tarmvred/index.html] Access date: August 8, 2008.]

Listen
filename=Gridlock - Scrape.ogg
title=Gridlock "Scrape" (1999)
description=30 second sample of Gridlock's "Scrape".
format=OggThe "technoid" style is a product of power noise, breakcore, and IDM, and was advocated by the Ant-Zen sublabel Hymen Records. Gridlock, Somatic Responses and Xingu Hill are notable artists in this style.

Labels

*Ant-Zen (Germany)
*Hands Productions (Germany)
*Hangars liquides (France)
*Hive Records (United States)
*Hymen Records (Germany)

External links

* [http://noise.alphamanbeast.com/ alphamanbeast's noise directory] - information base with literally hundreds of links to artists and labels of the broader noise music genre, as well as miscellaneous related resources. (Currently more than 1000 links.)
* [http://www.powernoise.org/ Power Noise database] - database/wiki of rhythmic/power noise artists, labels, dj's, etc; maintained by German Rivera (a.k.a. Verdilak) of the [http://www.sistinas.com/ Sistinas Music] record label
* [http://www.heathenharvest.com/ Heathen Harvest Webzine] - Professionally presented news, reviews and interviews concerning todays power electronics and noise artists from around the world.

References