Domestic Noise

[Tribe Tapes]

There is noise that tears the house down, and there’s noise that benefits a much slower pace. Noise to occupy your home. An idea I’ve been espousing for a while is the concept / niche of domestic noise.

Domestic noise, as I see it, is noise that chooses to occupy a space rather than distract from it. Usually it will sparsely utilize effects, or none whatsoever. Use of found tapes. Household instruments such as metal (untreated) or broken objects / electronics.

There’s certainly progenitors from the 80s and 90s. Das Synthetische Mischgewebe, I feel fits this idea perfectly. Jac van Bussel’s Midas Music label was a hub for this kind of exploration. As well as Yeast Culture and the affiliated Petri Supply circuit.

However, I’d say this applies more so to some of the more peculiar artists performing today. A lot of the Regional Bears roster comes to mind. As well as Dressing and some Satatuhatta. And a few of the more minimal affairs on the Robert Fuchs label — Midday especially. Spate definitely not.

Can noise work as furniture music?

[murmur]

Publication Ban’s Coerced Migration comes to mind. Certainly slower and less overtly distracting than other noise. I also think it does some of the same things as early tape culture/industrial stuff you mentioned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy8ULRKZY9s

Edit: added link.

[adult human]

I’m interested to see this idea fleshed out a bit more, perhaps with some further examples of where and how you hear this.

There is a lot comes to mind when the word ‘domestic’ is used around noise and related forms of experimental sound. I’d definitely look at Regional Bears as a place filled with examples of this too. Most of my ideas about this relate to methods of sound making and presentation, i.e. what the artist is doing in making their work. Whereas I take from the OP that you’re talking about hearing domesticity in how the finished product is experienced in one’s own listening. How the listener receives the sounds via their interactions with the physical space it’s consumed in. Interesting! But also harder to identify concrete instances of records where I’d say I arrive at the same conclusions. Let’s spitball.

[holy ghost]

I'm a little confused, are we just heading into ambient/minimal territory here?

Eno's original definition of Ambient Music, from the liner notes of Ambient 1: Music For Airports (1978), states: “Ambient Music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it is interesting.“

That Mogao CD on Satatuhatta treads into Eno-esque (and Cluster & Eno) territory a lot. I'm not a huge Eno fanatic but I recognize a lot of his work set the groundwork for this sort of thing?

I personally love records like Stars of the Lid, Hiroshi Yoshimura, Eliane Radigue... I also remember reading HNW defined as something that works seamlessly as background noise or crushing your skull through a PA?

[murmur]

I'm a little confused, are we just heading into ambient/minimal territory here?

It's a good question. This topic is more interesting to me if we aren't considering ambient music but more explicit noise, roughly.

I also remember reading HNW defined as something that works seamlessly as background noise or crushing your skull through a PA?

Agreed on this one; HNW can absolutely fit into this "domestic" category.

Another example that's come to mind is M.B.'s Endometrio. I think it has some of the same function as ambient music, but I wouldn't describe it as ambient.

[adult human]

I also remember reading HNW defined as something that works seamlessly as background noise or crushing your skull through a PA?

Agreed on this one; HNW can absolutely fit into this "domestic" category.

I’d largely agree given the monotone and often relatively mid/low range tendencies that don’t necessarily ‘hurt’ as bad as other noise. But the same would be true of any noise work if I turned it down to a reasonable enough volume I think. Eventually it won’t feel blistering and harsh. That’s one reason I struggle to think of noise I’d describe in terms of domesticity if not mainly due to its compositional or conceptual building blocks.

[Tribe Tapes]

I'm a little confused, are we just heading into ambient/minimal territory here?

I’d like to clarify I am speaking purely of a specific happening in noise itself, not ambient or any loosely related genres.

I also do not consider any sort of “ambient noise” (think PBK, Maeror Tri) as fitting into this rough idea of domestic noise.

Those artists were creating rather grandiose pieces, which clashes inherently with the idea of this home-grown, modest approach. Plus, the niche of ambient noise is already well-defined, and less intriguing to discuss than something as abstract as domestic.

Agreed HNW can be domestic, but this is up to the methods it is produced by. Lining a synth into an array of fuzz pedals definitely isn’t. Using tape saturation to push a relatively unmoving, possibly electroacoustic sound source deep into the red, surely yes.

Still, a method does not define domesticity.

[Tribe Tapes]

[adult human]

Appreciate this evidence! I’ll be spending time tomorrow at work listening to them all to see how it marries up with your assertions. Fun to have a bit of homework!

[holy ghost]

There was one Kevin Drumm drone CD that was mastered at a ridiculously low volume - Trouble (I think?). It was so quiet you had to either have it quiet in the background or crank it on your player. I never really gelled with the final product but it was an interesting idea that the environment and playback method could affect the desired outcome.

[Tribe Tapes]

I would also say recent Jazzhand and Hattifnattar releases on Satatuhatta fit into this category as well.

There was one Kevin Drumm drone CD that was mastered at a ridiculously low volume - Trouble (I think?). It was so quiet you had to either have it quiet in the background or crank it on your player.

Always neat to see a release take the listener's environment into consideration. I'll have to track it down.

[Ineffable Slime]

Mnem for sure

[k.p.g]

I'd fit a couple of Work/Death tapes into this category.

[Ineffable Slime]

Vivenza

[chryptusrecords]

Wolf Vostell "Dé-coll/age Musik" and Giancarlo Toniutti " Epigènesi." I don't know if these are too immodest to be "domestic." They are art projects after all. Perhaps it isn't a new observation, that this kind of concrete music has the ability to re-contextualize sounds we hear all the time, in the city or the fields or the house. That's part of the value of it to my mind.

[adult human]

* all those youtube links *

I listened to a number of these today whilst working. They all shared a lofi crudity and lengthy, slow often meandering pace typical of 1980s tape network experimentation. It's significant a number of them are rips from exactly this period. For sure I concur there is a domestic feel to these, due to how home made it all feels - or in your own useful terms 'home-grown and modest'. Your point earlier about synths + fuzz pedals vs turning up the gain on a tape deck rings very true in terms of how I imagine a lot of this stuff would have been made.

So on that point, I think, we agree. It's the other part of your assertion around an ambience in this sound - taken by its proper definition and not a genre term - that still leaves me hanging. I didn't get anything music from these albums that hit me as domestic in terms of a background, wallpapery, furniture like function to the material. Not by virtue of its not being frantic and harsh or overly composed, anyway. There could easily be a personal reading of those things via individual listening and that might even be reflected in aspects of what the artists intended in making the work, but I can't imagine it's a primary idea behind any of it. I get the feeling they'd all want this to be listened to in the same way as more or less any other type of experimental audio? The caveat here of course is that this itself consists mostly of non-fixed, subjective things that can exist in happy contradiction to each other, so again, I don't rule out the ambient experience as a valid outcome of that. I suppose I'm asking is this idea of domesticity based on what the music isn't doing vs what other kinds of avant garde sound work are?

Perhaps it's no more than a matter of these personal interpretations. Great if so. It's more interesting to me why you and anyone else take this from the linked recordings than to argue why I don't. Same too for other contributors who click with the idea - I'd love to see this thread filled with elaborations vs lists of bands and albums.

Whilst we're talking I'm interested in this little side diversion:

I’d like to clarify I am speaking purely of a specific happening in noise itself, not ambient or any loosely related genres.

I also do not consider any sort of “ambient noise” (think PBK, Maeror Tri) as fitting into this rough idea of domestic noise.

I'd say that a lot of what you've put forward as examples of domestic noise would not be considered as 'noise' to the ears many people reading today. I'm far from versed in stuff like PBK but everything I've heard feels more of a stylistic piece with the type of stuff you posted in your youtube links that, idk, Skin Crime or something. I'm curious to dig into what makes Yeast Culture and Regional Bears releases a part of domestic noise for you but not an artist like PBK? Might be I've just not heard the right stuff of course. In any case I am all for a return to the use of 'noise' as a term for vastly diverse approaches and practices. LIKE IT USED TO BE.

[Capers]

Nice to see people have their very own take and associations on "domestic noise". Myself, I read it quite literally. The function - filling the room with sound or steering my reaction in s certain direction - isn't what defines it, but rather the sound sources and the manner and air in which it was made.
Thomas DeAngelo was the first namethat came to mind when I saw the topic. I'm not sure how and from what he makes his racket, but in my head he picks up this and that in the room, the yard or the street nearby, shakes it about and records it, and run it into a 4-track together with other such sounds. All in a rather bored and well-what-else-is-there-to-do-in-this-hovel kind of way. Not sure how much of what he records that ends up as actual releases, but I really enjoy all there is, and he's gotten better and better without really changing his modus the slightest. Which is funny. The tape on The Gift Of Music, his latest, is just sheer brilliance.

Another example is SEWER ELECTION's LP Nära (Järtecknet, eeeerrr 2014?). Some out of tune guitar laying around, his kids slurping on milkshakes or whatever, some electronics. An ode to everyday family life, with all that comes with that in terms of stress, love, fatigue, comfort and depression. Such a warm album. And yeah, domestic both literally and atmospherically

[Joie de la Blumpy]

I don't know, man. I thought I knew what this was about until those five (great!) youtubes were linked and now I'm confused as hell. Which is probably a good? thing.

Mercury Hall's Living Table immediately leapt to mind, at least in terms of an attempt apparent to shuck certain perceptual grains into the craw, but again pre abovementioned youtubes I woulda thought they were way too stylized. Maybe pull back the edges of your mouth and repeat, "I was born on a stylized ship", if that helps (i do what i can, man, i do what i can).

TVE apparenly messes around with circuits n shit but collectively decayed "found detritus" just as often renders the results as gloriously shizzle-smeared as one might un-hope. I wrote up a tape a few years back, which may or may not elucidate what I'm trying to say here (beats the futz outta me). Or maybe jam on some good ol' Violent Shogun and wait for the Rot. to set in (or don't, see if I care).

And how bout that Tom Cox fella, behind the long kaput and kaputfully inglorious TAC. TAC's definitely got the shit, and I mean shit, but not shit shit but shit, i mean not THE shit but still, well anyway I'm sure you completely get my drift cause if there's anything I can depend on you (no, the other you, yeah, you over there, nooo the...aw, fuggit) to, like, get, it's my drift.

Someone mentioned Tom D'Angelo and I'd be inclined to strenuously concur, if I had half a clue (fortunately, I don't). Maybe chuck in Jim Strong, who has featured on at least a couple TD joints, nah too musical. Okay, well,

I notice there's a sexy lookin MOT tape on Tribe Tapes. That would probably qualify on some level, at least in my former and since violently expunged calculus, like, way up the infinitesimally peaking cline vectors sorta

nah

[adult human]

TVE apparenly messes around with circuits n shit but collectively decayed "found detritus" just as often renders the results as gloriously shizzle-smeared as one might un-hope.

Decent recommendation. His style reminds me of an audio expression of finding loads of weird, half finished THINGS in the attic of a dead relative whose house you have to clear out. Zero explanation as to how or why they got there or what it was meant to be. Just some weird shit your uncle who you never spoke to was doing. Utterly killer project.

Someone mentioned Tom D'Angelo and I'd be inclined to strenuously concur, if I had half a clue (fortunately, I don't). Maybe chuck in Jim Strong, who has featured on at least a couple TD joints, nah too musical. Okay, well,

Yeah there is an element to this that's spot on. Though TD seems to record outside a lot...but there is a blunt 'hit record and fuck you' style to everything he does and it's about as free of bells and whistles as you could hope. On this note there is a new product coming from him that I know to be crammed full of explicitly home crafted sounds. Wonder what that's all about eh?

Jim Strong. Merely a matter of personal visions but I can't remove his gallery/theatre/space thing from my experience of his work. Everything feels like it's made out the back in a dusty old art facility. As homespun as a thing like that can possibly be but somehow a slight removal from the work of the homestead.

[ChicagoAnimal]

I am surprised I have not read anyone mention Ashley C's Drift album on Freak Animal. It is a remarkably low-key album, almost pitch-black, cold, flowing, almost floating noise release. If you want to turn your evening living room into barren dead-zone, turn this album on. I have always thought that if Atrax Morgue/Slaughter stuff is the interior barren landscape, Ashley C's Drift is like the exteriority of that.

[Tinnitustimulus]

[Tinnitustimulus]

[oZiris]

It's like one year everything is shut down and you're just sitting around reading and skipping out on your gestapo therapy appt. And the next thing you know you're entangled in a familiar soul sucking emotional web for a year straight, and when you realize it.. like you had a few times before. you ask yourself, where did all the time go?

half finished TINGS in the attic of a dead relative whose house you have to clear out. Zero explanation as to how or why they got there or what it was meant to be.

Like a 4chan JOKE that never ends. 2 years ago everyone i knew (in my community) was all about defund the police & allocate community resources. And all i hear by promoters today is Fight the Climate Crisis or Fuck Planet Earth. How many school shootings in a year till we’re actually in the dark ages? Tucker. Elon. Greg Abbott. Oh fuck, there i go again chatbot. #AmericanProblems Feeding those message board trolls who don’t give a fuck about noise IRL unless you’re buying vinyl or consuming thier verified ad revinue content. In so many ways; I'd rather just go to a show every other week and consider those people "my Community". But alt-right chatGpt bot seems like such an avid noise enthusiast! I could speak binary with they all day long.

Neway, i suggest tending to your own crops. Keep promoting tat throw away tribalism tape hustle dog. Crony Capitalism is so god damn truf. It does become an oxymoron within the community when some members truly try to elevate or further a medium within the subculture in comparison to apposing community members that flaunt their own lack of ethics, creativity, and inspiration. But like if all the people you grew up with are still playing grunge, then really what’s the difference Right? Plenty of 20 year olds still play grunge Right? Like that rockguitarhero tribute game.

Better to be crucified atop ɒ lithium ion goldmine then to be spiritually imprisoned in a Cryptofascist sink hole.

Watch out kidz.
Don’t get dropped
Beyond all the Rusted sheet metal glitz glammor & clever packaging
What’s actually on the recording is what Reely matters.
Don’t let the carny $ide$how hyper reactive wificentric culture;
Be Your Burial

Happy May Day!

[Tribe Tapes]

I’m glad to see people sharing albums lining up with their own ideas of domestic noise. There’s at least two different trends in much of what’s linked here, one being a lineage of purposely distant, slow-moving noise (listener experience), and another of home-spun experimentation (technique).

I suppose I'm asking is this idea of domesticity based on what the music isn't doing vs what other kinds of avant garde sound work are?

I purposely left some ambiguity in the releases I shared. But that aside, I’d suggest there exists an overarching, more real concept of true domesticity (which was my initial inspiration for these assertions.) This is embodied by mentioned artists such as T.D., TVE, and Robert Fuchs “Midday”.

— Predominantly, non-amplified material, an emphasis on found tapes and (domestic) improvisation, while all maintaining an interest in noise history and presentation

T.D., TVE, and “Midday” employ domesticity in both technique and listener experience. I would assume that there is a commonality in approach between these artists more than home recorders of past —wherein any could be said to be domestic.

[adult human]

T.D., TVE, and “Midday” employ domesticity in both technique and listener experience. I would assume that there is a commonality in approach between these artists more than home recorders of past —wherein any could be said to be domestic.

Amazing! That hits the nail on the head I'd say and solves my queries. Thank you for elucidating. Really great to be thinking about this stuff as well as speaking about such great music.

I was listening to Ily, Almeria by Matthieu Fuentes today and the second track of side A really reminded me of this conversation. It's a long piece that inarguably strives for something a bit more composerly and grand by the end - well within a lineage of that directly Musique Concrete inspired work - but I think many of the techniques at play give it a brilliantly dry, homeward feeling you tend to find infrequently in this kind of music.

https://moremars.bandcamp.com/track/le-rideau

Anna Lerchbaumer's Love, Lullabies & Sleeplessness might be a bit more on the nose in its domesticity as it's very plainly made of ultra mundane recordings gathered, I'd guess, from the day to day of raising a child and running a home. Still, it has been in my head since this thread began https://eminentobserver.bandcamp.com/al ... eplessness

With the understanding that I hate doing so, I'm also adding something I've done here because I feel it is relevant. Regional Bears is mentioned a couple of times already and this track was based entirely around the sound of my living room on a rainy night with tape players and records chiming in a few places. Compared to the other side of the release this one is meant to feel more environmental and static.
https://regionalbears.bandcamp.com/track/51

No links I'm afraid but one of the more slept on bits of brilliance I heard in the last couple of years was Teared Up by Defeat. As JS Hogan he had a release on Regional Bears too possessed of a very gutter, basement dwelling type of broken electroacoustic feel. Teared Up is a 2xCDR set of demos, sketches, field recordings and experiments which run a gamut of styles but never feel anything short of totally fucked, barely held together home craft. Can't recommend enough.

Fuck it, whilst we're on the RB tip. This one totally fits the bill too

https://regionalbears.bandcamp.com/albu ... cious-grid