It has to be the world’s most sought-after skill: to be able to enjoy noise. Well, we got you covered. Or at least, in this case, Relate Radio show-host Ark has got you covered. In this new show -where all things are noise- he is going to teach us how to listen to and love it. Capisce?

When you first listen to Noise as a musical genre you might think: ‘Ah, I kind of get why they call it noise.’ or ‘What in the name of our holy musical father Rick Astley am I listening to?’ Is there even a rhythm to this? Is there a melody? All questions that are pretty much left unanswered until you seriously start to listen to it. And to be fair; maybe also even after. So, why do people want to listen to Noise while you could be listening to any other musical genre? Like, I don’t know, maybe something that sounds okay-ish even. Well, maybe the beauty of noise lies in the silence that comes after the noise. In Japan (of course, Japan), Noise is very popular; Japanoise. People actually like it there. Some even say it has cleansing powers. The rewarding silence that comes after listening to noise music may have you feeling more relaxed than before. It also makes you realize that noise is everywhere. Noise means life.

Wait a minute, this doesn’t sound noise at all

Okay, so since we still have no idea; What does Noise sound like? For most of us, ‘noise music’ doesn’t qualify as real music. It could be described as a never ending blast of extreme distortion and feedback, played as loud as possible. Or a compilation of a lot of accidental sounds. Or aliens trying to make contact with us. I think that last one may come the closest. However, according to Wikipedia, it’s defined as ‘expressive use of noise in a musical context, where conventional use of melody, harmony and rhythm is abandoned. But if you listen very closely, you might even hear some melodies going on. It can be intense, but if you’re neurodivergent like me, it can actually be quite soothing. And after listening to k(x)’s album Pigeon I might even be into it. Maybe not as in listening to it like music, but more like in a therapeutic way – realizing that I am actually pretty zen as soon as I turn off the noise.

Ultimately, noise music is just another way of expressing. Which makes it a form of art. Which makes it cool. Which makes it worth listening to. Which gives us enough reason to let Ark host a show about it. Ark shared with us: ‘Once upon a time, Lou Reed (The Velvet Underground) decided his label was asking too much of him and made a trollbum that is yet to be topped. Thus inventing noise music, Some Japanese edgelords decided that his troll moment was unsuccessful and that the music in that album was actually very revolutionary, so they started making similar music: Japanoise was born. Sometime later, some Berliners decided techno was all about escapism, while no one cares about politics anymore. So, they decided to mix techno production with hardcore punk structure and cliches, all deep-fried in a stealthy bucket of noise, inventing digital hardcore. Twenty years later, death grips mix digital hardcore with hip hop and American hipsters jump on the bandwagon.’ – The rest of this musical fairytale is yet to be written.

Kick back, relax, turn on some noise

The first show will focus on this “deconstructed club noise” of the second half of 2010s, generating a hellish, but incredibly danceable soundscape of the existential end times we are experiencing. The second show will be two hours of extra stinky sasscore and misanth-rap. (I’m just quoting the hosts at this point) Are you just as curious as we are? Join us LIVE on relateradio.com or playback on our Mixcloud and/or Youtube channel.