Noise

Noise music is a genre of experimental and avant-garde music characterized by unstructured, chaotic, and abrasive sonic textures. Emerging in the late 19th century as a rejection of traditional Western classical music, noise is defined by the intentional incorporation of unmusical sounds, electronic elements, and radical departures from conventional melodic, harmonic and rhythmic principles.

Origins in Europe

The origins of noise music can be traced to a number of European avant-garde classical composers in the late 1800s, who began experimenting with unconventional sounds and noise-based sonic elements in their work. Notable pioneers include:

• Erik Satie, whose compositions often incorporated the sounds of typewriters, car horns, and other everyday objects.
• Luigi Russolo, an Italian Futurist who built "noise intoners" - early electronic instruments designed to produce chaotic, dissonant tones.
• Charles Ives, an American composer living in Europe who embraced aleatory techniques and chance operations in his music.
• Edgard Varèse, a French-American composer who created pieces built around swirling masses of electronic and industrial sounds.

These composers, along with others, sought to revolutionize and expand the boundaries of classical music by rejecting the strictures of melody, harmony, and rhythmic structure in favor of unstructured, abrasive sonic experimentation. Their works were often met with shock and derision from mainstream audiences at the time.

Global Spread and Subgenres

As the 20th century progressed, noise music slowly spread from its European avant-garde origins to become a global underground movement, cross-pollinating with various other emerging genres. Key developments included:

• The rise of musique concrète in post-war France, which incorporated recorded environmental sounds.
• The "Fluxus" movement in the 1960s, blending noise, performance art, and anti-art concepts.
• The proliferation of underground industrial music scenes in Britain, America, and Japan in the 1970s-80s.
• The development of power electronics, harsh noise, and other extremely abrasive subgenres in the 1980s-90s.
• The adoption of noise elements by alternative rock, metal, and electronic dance music artists.

Despite this diffusion, noise music remained a largely marginalized, niche phenomenon, confined to small, dedicated followings rather than achieving mainstream popularity. Its performers and listeners embraced noise as a radical form of artistic expression rather than seeking commercial success.

Influence and Legacy

While noise music never crossed over into the mainstream, it exerted a profound influence on the development of 20th century music, especially in the realms of electronic music, industrial music, and experimental rock. The genre's innovations in sound manipulation, unconventional instrumentation, and the dissolution of traditional song structures can be heard in the work of diverse artists from Kraftwerk to Sonic Youth to Aphex Twin.

Noise has also maintained a dedicated underground following to the present day, with labels, festivals, and communities dedicated to the ever-evolving exploration of unstructured, abrasive sonic experiences. For its adherents, noise persists as a vital form of sonic art, a means of challenging listeners' perceptions, and a space for radical experimentation outside the confines of commercial music. Its legacy continues to inspire new generations of avant-garde composers, electronic producers, and underground musicians to this day.