Noise music is such a very different type of beast to review. The absolute lack of structure and conventional “song” characteristics can make it impossible for some listeners to digest while other listeners may thoroughly enjoy the instrumental experimentations and interesting nuances that are laced throughout most releases of this nature. Do I attempt to review the music of a noise CD as “good” or “bad” in the context of accepted opinions, or should I simply try to describe the nature of the sounds that I heard and let my reader make up their own mind about the value of those sounds? When talking about one of the genre’s legends, Japan’s Merzbow, I think that I’ll choose the latter…
THE preeminent noise musician to come from Japan, the insanely prolific and universally respected Merzbow, is back in 2009 with Camouflage, the first in a string of planned forthcoming releases. Over an hour of sprawling laptop-directed electronic madness is divided into three tracks that tie together many common themes throughout their meandering journeys. To an uninitiated listener of electronic music, many of the tonal qualities are reminiscent of artists such as Aphex Twin or Autuchre, but his heavily effected beats often reverberate with an overwhelming sense of distortion that touches into drone and sludge. At times, throughout the mix I’m also hearing sounds reminiscent of the 80s industrial and noise renaissance, and “natural” computer and worldly sound effects form the basis of some of Camouflage‘s most interesting aural treats. Despite the long song lengths (avg. around 20 minutes), they actually don’t seem to drag on, as experimental instrumentation and sparse droney, ambient sections segue into trance and electronica in an ebb-and-flow manner that’s quite meditative. Conventional fans of electronic music and rock fans might be turned off by this release, but I think anyone who’s interested in psychedelic music would be very satisfied by the many brilliant noise experiments and sounds that were created on this release. It’s a very cerebral listen and a very rewarding piece of art for anyone who was worried that the world was running out of sounds manipulate into music.
Dig Deeper: Buy Camouflage – Official – Blog – Wikipedia
I’m probably not the only one surprised to say it, but 
Either way, I’m a glass half full kind of guy, and I’ve got an open mind. To hear what Trail of Dead has brewed up this time, 
Junior Boy’s follow up to the 2006 album So This Is Goodbye, Begone Dull Care is slated to be released in the spring or summer of 2009, and listeners are finally getting a first go at it. In usual Junior Boys fashion airy synths and melodic vocals dictate the six and a half minute song. I can’t make up my mind on it yet, but it certainly isn’t a bad take.
The outpour of new music lately is unprecedented. I feel like an idiot jumping on here again and praising some blog-worthy track to the max, but here I go. (It’ll be fun this time, I promise). The Whitest Boy Alive is an interesting group, not only because its name suggests it’s a white parody-rapper or something of that sort, but because of the music as well. With only one album release out at the moment, the hugely under-rated 2007 “Dreams,” Whitest Boy plays some of the most polished and soothing songs on the market. Tracks like “Fireworks” and “Golden Cage” combine soft vocals with amazing song-writing and mix in plenty of guitar with rhythmic cymbal crashing. Maybe not so graceful sounding when I put it in words, but check the video below if you don’t believe me. Whitest Boy Alive performing “Golden Cage” live on BBC:
MIND INVERSION 