While dubbing Mania "All Aftermath" tapes, I tend to listen every dub I make - of course not completely, but handful of seconds from both sides, to make sure sound level and brightness is on level I expect them to be. Often noise tape is easy to measure. If red light is blinking, its good dub. This tape, has so much dynamic range, that it varies from fairly quiet to loud. So always listening short fraction located about 2 minutes spot from beginning of tape and the b-side from same place. I know it is sort of lame to praise things you put out on your label, but after listening this tape many times in full, but also listening literally more than hundred times this one particular fragment of it, it makes me wonder how much there is noise with such a rich dynamic range?
And would you prefer noise that is as loud as possible all the time, or is there particular favorites where albums/tapes have wide dynamic range. Tension, expectation, climax... and not just all climax? hah...
Especially with contemporary CD production, everybody tends to push master to ultimate maximum, which can be fine, but also shows certain limitation. If you are already at the absolute maximum, where you go when you want some particular elements to stand out notch more?
I am not particularly fan of noise being like equivalent of "jump scare" tactics of horror movies. But I am quite surprised how little there are noise compositions that take advantage of CD format (or digital in general) dynamic range. Too bad I can't remember at all what was the first CD that made me think about. I just remember that I was listening some experimental, yet noisy CD, that had been going for long time. Volume was adjusted to perfect to what it should be. And then suddenly I am thinking what is that HUGE sonic roar, bass-loaded and colossal sound, as if bulldozers ready to demolish your house. And get up to watch from window, and turns out it was "just" as sounds on composition, that managed to surprise. When rest of the album was happening on certain volume and certain frequencies, suddenly bassy droning element was slowly crawling in, using both, way way wider frequencies and way louder volume, that it really added another dimension to piece you thought you were already listening loud.
With this Mania tape, there are some of those moments. When you crank it up, on volume, and it slowly starts scraping and clanging and crushing, but there is more to come. Parts of the tape, compared to other parts are extra punishing if you thought to listen it with the volume it has in very beginning.
Favorites, recommendations? Not perhaps just the cut-up noise that vary with expected silences and maximum bursts, but albums with somehow surprising dynamic elements?
Das Synthetische Mischgewebe & Artificial Memory Trace albums go widely everywhere... many more i'm sure...
Off the top of my head; MONDE BRUITS - Purgatory. It's been a while since I lst played the tape, but I always think of it as a very wild ride, both in terms of 360 degree stereo mixing, almost surround sound experience, and also for it's dynamic sound levels. It's a real rollercoaster with volume shifting from quiet to loud and back again, swirling around everywhere. Especially in headphones. And though being an overall loud ass tape, it feels like theres plenty of space for the sound to move around, not packed to the very max.
First one that came to mind was Jason Crumer's Ottoman Black. Very cleverly mixed and works wonders with headphones.
Maybe I'm venturing too far into concrète-ish stuff, and maybe that's tangentially what you're looking for...? But Mlehst has always been a huge favorite as far as never quite knowing what will come around the corner, so to speak. Wildest array of sonic textures that still constitutes a brilliant whole piece.
All these, familiar with and certainly appreciated.
Just listening Dave Phillips "Ritual Protest Music / clearing" CD. It is indeed dynamic, but also makes me want to specify this topic to pretty much harsh noise. I can expect electro-acoustic, musique concrete and such recordings to be very dynamic. Harsh noise, much less examples to find?
I had similar experiences to what you were describing in OP listening to Radboud Mens / Hyware 's compositions - especially his tape on GROSS.
Personally, I like using dynamic range both for acoustic journey throughout a track or to blast loudness but it really depends on the atmosphere of the whole piece. What you called "jump scare" or what I would call "PE drop" is really cringe in my opinion.
Kevin Drumm's Trouble CD (iirc) was mastered at a shockingly low volume - I believe there was a very specific reason for this (to force the listener to "focus" on the audio, perhaps?). I don't know if I thought it was an interesting idea but it was an interesting concept at least.
Just listening Peter J. Woods "Creation Death Machine" CD for long time. First time it rip my ears out but i think it fits perfectly here because it fkin up your hearing if you dont find right spot from volume.
I dislike loud digital mastering which in most cases means lack of dynamic range. I have seen tracks with 0.0dB waveform peaks and total RMS 0.0dB , zero dynamic range, total loudness. Call me pussy this doesnt sound good to me, digitaly. But it can be worse ! Having big dynamic range and RMS peaks at 0.0dB. You start listening, starts low volume, you adjust volume knob, sit down and then ... boom ... you spill your coffee ! I like balance. Not too loud, not too big jumps. Tape medium seems to offer it better. Hm, i am getting older ...
I really liked Mania's "Insidious and Alone" for this reason. Shifting from harsh walls of static to atmospheric junk sound in the background gave the album great dynamic range - while also, in my mind, adding to the meaning of the music.
I don't think I fully understand the question or direction of the thread, but when I think of dynamic range in the noise context, I think of Merzbow in that golden period of the 90s. That's not really dynamic range though. That's more really good production value rather than dynamic range. Even then, on a dynamic range meter, like the one you can install in Foobar, you get all 0s.
Don't some of Hal Hutchinson's recordings have big dynamic range? I can't think of any titles in particular. I'm not well versed in his work, but I seem to remember that about him. Those are more industrial and style shifts than "noise". Correct? Maybe that is more what you mean in the context of noise? Early Dissecting Table has decent dynamic range, but that is also inherent in the composition for dramatic effect and within reason.
I love me some dynamic range in recordings, but dynamic range in the context of style shifts or especially in production fuckery just to cause someone to run from their seat with fear they're going to blow out their speakers because that moment or passage is jacked...yeah, no thank you. That's a game I'm not interested in playing. It's rinky-dink.
That's like the Exit-13 - Ethos Musick CD version, when you transition from the grind tracks to the noise track. BAM! As a novelty, sure, yer real funny. It ain't much else beyond that. You can read about that nonsense in the bottom paragraph here:
https://www.discogs.com/Exit-13-Ethos-Musick/release/411773
Quote from: Decrepitude on October 09, 2019, 10:28:06 AM
First one that came to mind was Jason Crumer's Ottoman Black. Very cleverly mixed and works wonders with headphones.
Couldn't agree more. Endless praise for that album.
And while I know they don't get a lot of love here, at least publicly, many of Wolf Eye's CD album had lots of dynamics in volume in sound.
Burned Mind,
Dread and
Human Animal especially come to mind.
Prurient also had some "surprising dynamics" in the 2006-2010 period, with some songs kicking into much louder sections seemingly out of nowhere.
Rose Pillar and
Cocaine Death come to mind.
I believe I understand what is being asked. Extreme volume shifts are not it; although, a waveform may appear that way. Usually recordings that exhibit a useful dynamic range have elements that are forceful, weighty and emotive rather than suddenly LOUD, disruptive or obnoxious.
I would offer K2, Rainy Tritium 1 on Oxen as an example. The overall album is indeed harsh noise and, obliquely, noisy. Yet there is a wide range of sources and, at lesser times, an unsettling smooth, peacefulness. That repose is repeatedly washed over with what I would call sickening fronts of deranged waves. Without being literally loud--as in, rush up, turn down the volume surprising--the waves are right over the edge of being uncomfortable in their dynamic volume.
Rainy Tritium is one of my favorite K2 recordings. Both the sound palette and composition are evocative and appropriately disturbing for the album name and song titles: Pollution with Huge Lies, MOX [i.e. Mixed Oxide Fuel] and Unpeaceful Song for Rainy Tritium.
"In June 2016 the Tritiated Water Task Force released a report on the status of tritium in tritiated water at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant," which stated, "Tritium could be separated theoretically, but there is no practical separation technology on an industrial scale. Accordingly, a controlled environmental release is said to be the best way to treat low-tritium-concentration water." Source: Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium#Fukushima_Daiichi).
"All titles de-composed & played... Sept.-Oct. 2016" Source: CD booklet.
For me personally encephalophonic is a master using these kind of dynamic skills
RICHARD RAMIREZ - Medusa
lots of HIMUKALT work like this, absolutely spastic arrangements, the lp on malignant and "sex worker" cs in particular.
Quote from: W.K. on October 14, 2019, 04:09:14 AM
I was thinking about Iron Fist of the Sun but that's maybe more because of the way he uses a lot of room (silence) in his tracks and everything being well produced.
In general this is a great artist for production: not too polished, but a full range, although not necessarily much harsh noise as Mikko brought up for the topic.
I'll have to echo what Zeno Marx said, that "dynamic range" is not something I'd term for sounds that are going from quiet to loud, etc. I'd say dynamic range is just full optimization of sound capabilities. For instance, some people use compression to make their work louder, but that compromises the dynamic range in most cases.
I personally use a lot of layers, I'm not a minimalist at all, but some artists, The Rita being an obvious example, can make one signal very dense no matter the format.
I have some releases that I regret putting on cassette because it cut out the high end too much, and anything I enjoyed about the track was lost that way.
I'd say that the recent tape by Knurl on Absurd Exposition capitalizes on a full dynamic range. It also has the hills and valleys of intensity to keep a person interested on more than just a wall.
NECKHOLD is a favorite, their tape on WCN is a perfect example of full optimization of harsh noise on cassette format.
As for CDs:
Blue Sabbath Black Cheer / Pig Heart Transplant CD on Phage capitalizes on full bass range exceptionally.
The equalization and crescendos on Fatale's first CDR are exceptional.
Skin Graft is always great at this, no matter what format. He is also exceptional at mastering in general. And with CDs/CDRs I always put emphasis on not being too polished, but having a full sound that is still nasty.
POPE JOANNA was exceptional at this as well, and while she did do a great split on cassette once, her CDRs are stellar. My favorite harsh noise / PE artist, sadly drifted off into obscurity.
I'm not sure how obvious it is, or if it works for HN purists, but Controlled Bleeding's "Shanked and Slithering" CD is excellent for distorted sheet metal abuse, and perfect use of high end frequencies.
the term "unusual dynamic range" made me instantly think of Pentti Dassum - specifically the SM/DP - fault tolerant system CD, but i think a lot of his work would qualify.
I think the term "unusual" can be addressed from 2 different perspectives. There are those who use a wide dynamic range intentionally and with skill for "dramatic" intent, and there are those who end up with a wide dynamic range due to to lack of knowledge on how to mix/master properly, or accepting flukes / mistakes in volume spikes or dropouts. Mania certainly falls into the former category. I'd say many fall into the latter category, which still often has a charming, and in some cases, powerful effect.
That said, I think we're conditioned through how pop/rock music is mastered and consumed (boombox, in car, headphones, cellphone speakers, etc.) to expect to hear everything at about the same volume all the time, so I love it when noise artists take advantage of the richness of potential of volume variance, which is totally limited in most other music. There is no reason not to have quiet parts be actually quieter and loud parts be actually louder on a recording designed to be listen to on a decent soundsystem in a room, where the sound of the tires on the road aren't going to drown out what is going on down below, for example.
This issue of range also applies to the range of dynamics within a small fraction of a second of audio, and not just between "parts" or passages ca. 1 second or more long. On a lot of GREAT and the loudest sounding recordings, the waveform it totally brickwalled so you basically just have one volume all the time, and the noise just sound loud as fuck. Cool when done right. Still, I appreciate those that take it back a little bit and allow the jags, peaks and valleys to really differentiate from each other and the noise to really RIP. Might require turning the overall volume up a bit. Again I think Mania falls into this category, though I've never looked at the waveforms of one of his recordings.
The tape format works wonders for many artists whose recordings are unmastered - take a digital recording with some awkward volume variances and dub it to tape a little bit in the red, and the dynamic range is tightened up nicely. This can of course be undesirable for certain recordings where a wide dynamic range has been intentionally achieved. This is where I think CDs are great, but I really only want to hear CDs from artists who know how to mix / master their music tastefully and somewhat precisely
Some recordings off the top of my head that make use of a wide dynamic range:
KIRAN ARORA - Formication - a new masterpiece - roaring jags of noise with pressure and intensity, bug-like clicks cutting through the mix perfectly, passages that volume, parts that blast even louder than you were expecting.
TAINT - Sex Sick - insane disturbing jumps in volume between all of the disgusting samples and the piercing sadistic feedback that blasts in over and over again.
SEWER ELECTION - Sex/Death - the beginnings of "Sex" has such a dramatic jump in volume in the fist few seconds, that almost feels off, but that is what makes it so great. Yes, this is NOISE music, why shouldn't it rip your head off?
THE RITA - The Voyage Of The Decima Mas - Example of a brickwalled waveform (from my memory when I looked at it one time) that's basically always either one volume or silent, but gives an incredible audio illusion of wide dynamic range with all the airy/watery parts.
I guess I was mistaken in using the term "dynamic range" as a way to define noise that utilizes the full spectrum of possibility, in terms of highs and lows, and fullness of sound. I'd agree with WCN otherwise.
Since the first time I heard Grunt's "Dog In The Leash Pt. 1" I've always loved the swirling and rough textures over that softer drone in the background, how they build up until it turns into some junk-metal fucking tornado. This track is still pretty spacious at times, and I occasionally prefer that over non-stop abrasive noise. The whole first CD of Seer of Decay is a good example of this.
Quote from: Baglady on October 09, 2019, 10:11:30 AM
Off the top of my head; MONDE BRUITS - Purgatory. It's been a while since I lst played the tape, but I always think of it as a very wild ride, both in terms of 360 degree stereo mixing, almost surround sound experience, and also for it's dynamic sound levels. It's a real rollercoaster with volume shifting from quiet to loud and back again, swirling around everywhere. Especially in headphones. And though being an overall loud ass tape, it feels like theres plenty of space for the sound to move around, not packed to the very max.
I was fairly recently going through all the Monde Bruits I had on hand and thinking exactly that ^. About Purgatory in the specific. Among the possible culprits I would include some of WCN's observations and the dictates of GROSS chromium format. Along these lines I might sneak in the Thirdorgan half of the United Syndicate split with Crack Fierce. And the Thirdorgan GROSS tape. Hyware was mentioned, and I'd back that up with, again, acknowledgements to GROSS.