Canon of Power Electronics

Started by FreakAnimalFinland, December 08, 2009, 10:09:41 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

XXX

Quote from: Thor on February 03, 2019, 02:21:53 PM
I understand that this is the canon of "p.e" (opposed to indistrial) but if you're including SPK, isn't it strange not to include any Throbbing Gristle, which basically laid the foundation for what others worked with?

one might include we hate you 7" but otherwise i don't feel TG matches the sheer frenzied madness of SPK.

Kaaoskultti

#46
Really outstanding topic.

Since it's been four years since the last post, has it received any kind of update? In the meantime, as we cross another decade, is it easier to establish which specific releases have been influential through the last years? I mean specially from 2000 onwards, as the past two decades pretty much have their established canon of landmark releaes. Wouldn't it be interesting, thus, to update the first section of this thread with what has been discussed? This is just a suggestion, obviously.

I'm interested in exploring genres and music styles which I value with serious effort. In the midst of a thousand new releases being spawned within each year, it's kinda hard to keep in pace with what is "going on" at least for me, in terms of actual music. Outlining essential releases within the genre is a most valued effort I believe, in order at least to offer us fans of Noise and music in general a fair perspective on where to start within each realm of the style.

That being said, was the Hated Perversions split mentioned on this thread? I might have missed it, but guess would fit with the list.
ZOB ZYGGLAN - Brazilian Power Electronics - https://zobzygglan.bandcamp.com/

FreakAnimalFinland

I think that early works is possible to get some sort of overall view. When genre expands a lot, there comes moment when a lot of releases do not have same weight in terms of being kind of... "genre defining".

Of course, one would assume there could be bunch of "votes" what would be best albums of 2015 or what did bring something new on table. Sort of "noteworthy additions", besides being simply good. I have a feeling that for early works there is perspective - we tend to think in certain way.. while later days it may be changing into less trustworthy mode of favoring friends and associates. Perhaps not even intentionally, just that you got those, and didn't even hear most of other recordings.

Like I mentioned before, either on this topic, or where it formerly was (this was created already on Chondritic/Troniks forum!), I could do such list from my own perspective, no problem. Just it would then lacking the more collective perspective, where it is less about my taste, more about power electronics as a whole.

I would say that we don't need messages merely dropping names, but also why. To be able to briefly describe what it was that album did - even locally. How it stood out... Like lets say IRM "Closure". It can be debated is it anymore power electronics, but I've seen many mention how it took approach into something new they never heard and was outstanding album. You can find it from discogs for couple bucks, so the rare expensive cult album perspective is totally obsolete. Also thinking did it influence other makers to expand expression of PE? Not sure, but I know some current day appreciated names such as Human Larvae who has developed into new levels has name dropped IRM among influences.

Or same year, SHIFT "Altamont Rising". It has very unique approach, it has the malicious and cold hostility to levels not seen very often, plus was part of this almost movement of "United Forces of Industrial", that tied up lots of artists, fests, gigs, and such. More than just album and depending how you define "canon", how something ends up there, it may be just that kind of glue that pulled entire approach with it. Not meaning that those bands associated with label or gigs would not stand on their own feet, but I guess anyone gets what I am saying. Besides good, also meaningful force that creates development or change with it.

Anyone wanting to post, don't be shy. In the original discussion on other forum, I recall many names were dropped with reasons and also critic was given why not very relevant album. Discussion itself is good, and even if your suggestion didn't make it there, it can trigger someone to check out artist/release etc.

My hopes would be, that it would be something else than we see in metal scene for example. You got tens of thousands of bands out there, and you have someone making best of year lists and its like desperately scraping list together out of whatever release big known names did. As if latest Iron Maiden and new Mayhem is the best thing out there right now... hah..
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

Phenol

I wrote this small article a while back https://kalteldur.blogspot.com/search?q=power+electronics on 4 decades of PE in retrospect. It's obviously missing a lot of stuff, especially glaring is the complete lack of attention to the US scene, but it's a fair attempt at thinking about a possible canon... Should I do it again I'd probably throw some Final Solution, Intrinsic Action and Death Squad in the mix.

I'll be back later with some comments and suggestions on newer stuff that might be canon in the future when I get a little more time on my hands, but for starters I think Unpunished by Am Not will be added to the canon in due time.

HateSermon

Thinking about current US stuff... I'd throw Gnawed - Subterranean Rites in there. Made many people's 2020 "best of" year end list and is still talked about to this day as an influential album. Especially in my peer group.

HONOR_IS_KING!

KOUFAR x TERROR CELL UNIT
https://soundcloud.com/crimesofthecrown

PSALM 109

XXX



StrikeFirst

Pissior Rouge & Scatmother, their collaboration work / solo releases are top tier modern Power Electronics.
Welcome to 2030. I own nothing, have no privacy, and life has never been better.

FreakAnimalFinland

Too new of course for the "canon of PE", but I was pretty impressed by latest (?) Scatmother tape! I may have missed bunch of releases between this and the olders ones, but got to check that at what point the sounds/noises got into this level.
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

HONOR_IS_KING!

Quote from: XXX on September 06, 2023, 01:14:51 AM
Quote from: HONOR_IS_KING! on September 05, 2023, 09:11:25 PM
Quote from: HateSermon on August 09, 2023, 06:28:23 PMThinking about current US stuff...

Terror Cell Unit and Koufar

& he's humble too folks.

I ain't gotta be when I got the love and respect from the people you've been "worshiping" over the last 15 years. TCU just made history in the genre being the first duo PE act to do a full month tour supporting a powerviolence band and it being successful to boot (ie, bills paid, money made). Without changing a thing, playing samples that pissed people off and made them walk out the room. All on our own terms and not in the vein of the redundancies you all fancy in this world.

I mean ya'll got so desperate to talk about some new PE you started a Pharmakon thread first.

Being "humble" at this point is a "cool guy" move for fools who got big opinions and thoughts but only make small time actions in real life.

Back to the subject at hand though Shifts "Altamont Rising" is another for the canon.
KOUFAR x TERROR CELL UNIT
https://soundcloud.com/crimesofthecrown

PSALM 109

Balor/SS1535

Quote from: HONOR_IS_KING! on September 06, 2023, 07:47:15 PM
Quote from: XXX on September 06, 2023, 01:14:51 AM
Quote from: HONOR_IS_KING! on September 05, 2023, 09:11:25 PM
Quote from: HateSermon on August 09, 2023, 06:28:23 PMThinking about current US stuff...

Terror Cell Unit and Koufar

& he's humble too folks.

I ain't gotta be when I got the love and respect from the people you've been "worshiping" over the last 15 years. TCU just made history in the genre being the first duo PE act to do a full month tour supporting a powerviolence band and it being successful to boot (ie, bills paid, money made). Without changing a thing, playing samples that pissed people off and made them walk out the room. All on our own terms and not in the vein of the redundancies you all fancy in this world.

I mean ya'll got so desperate to talk about some new PE you started a Pharmakon thread first.

Being "humble" at this point is a "cool guy" move for fools who got big opinions and thoughts but only make small time actions in real life.

Back to the subject at hand though Shifts "Altamont Rising" is another for the canon.


Pride comes before a fall!

FreakAnimalFinland

#57
Like in the opening message is described, purpose of list is not to be only "albums I like" -type best of list. Neither about who is cool guy. As reminder of some quidelines:
 
QuotePlease, no suggestions based on who is your friend and who is cool & great dude.

What kind of releases should be included?
1) Preferably on their relevance influencing whole genre and importance in some sort of landmarks.
2) Releases with high status based merely on success, and therefore their obvious influence in getting into ears of big number of people.
3) Releases with exceptionally good/original/unusual contribution, to musical or cultural climate of power electronics, even if they may not be at their time or at the moment high "commericial" success.
4) Releases with high local relevance. Local not meaning "you and your buddies", but for example domestic scene of your country.

Purpose of the list?
To observe & investigate the development of the genre, it's highlights, exceptional releases. Basically landmarks of genre from 1979 to 2008. To observe something like this, can't be merely list of top-3 or evern top-10 PE releases and biggest bands. Every release doesn't have to be equivalent of RIGHT TO KILL in musical style, legendary status or such. There is needed to be releases that show where genre went after the first and biggest impacts. And also releases, what are not necessarily milestones of genre as whole, but some fraction of it.

So, before thinking about what is the good albums of couple recent years, I would suppose they are yet to be canonized in first place. Lets say album that have come out 2020, how could it be yet have become cult classics, canonized in genre history by people involved and critics? You could think some releases, such as from Linekraft would make it. We could observe that after slow starts of quite small releases, suddenly something happens. 2017 playing in German festival highly praised gig, and followed with albums on Tesco, Hospital, SSSM, Aussaat, New Approach, etc. While some of the praised American bands don't sell from my distro at all, their popularity over here seems to be next to nothight, I guess I took like.. 30 of Linekraft Howling CD alone. Not sure how many times Asura LP was re-stocked. People praising, buying and band topping themselves with many of the releases. However, what of the albums would survive test of time? That can't be really known now. It will be known later on.  Also, to think how remarkable "2020 release" something is, one should compared it with other 2020 releases, and I would assume most people have yet to even hear enough albums to evaluate what stuff even came that year?

More interesting would be looking back into years where we have enough distance and it is possible we even know a lot of releases that each year came. Unfortunately the topic on Chondritic/Troniks forum that had all the name dropping & suggestions, is no longer online. What all was suggested, but was hesitated to put it, unless enough people comment that it really is something made a difference.
Like 1999? Nothing there yet.  Think how good releases came in 1999!


-Taint - Dau ghter: Victimology 2 CD
-Proiekt Hat - Deform Process LP
-Genocide Organ   :The Truth Will Make You Free: LP
-IRM "red album" LP
-Folkstorm Information Blitzkrieg CD
-Atrax Morgue   Overcome LP (debut LP, plus marking stongly this changed style into big vinyl)
-Sutcliffe Jügend – The Victim As Beauty CD (many friends as why I don't like this album, since they are it among the absolute biggest landmarks of power electronics)

and so on...

Jumping into 2001 and there is 1 album? Con-Dom surely was great, no problem. JerUSAlem? Good, but maybe not good enough, since it barely does more than follows the previous album. Propergol   Renegade CD - like it or not, pushed production into quite new levels.

2002.. Control – Algolagnia CD. First was good, but this 2nd release, damn, it changed a lot what is done in "PE" and since then artists established its place in global scene, multiple tours in Europe, Japan, etc. Strom.ec Neural Architect probably had even bigger reach due USA label with bigger pressing (compared to debut album)...

2003.. If it was era of "what constitutes as PE" being even more flexible, artists who would be known as NOISE, would produce album that certainly fall closer to old PE than many of PE bands themselves. Lets say like Prurient "History of AIDS".  Same year, compilations as "Field Tales" 3xtape stood out as quite testament of this era. While tape advertised itself to be "inspired by the 80's cassette culture", I'd say it is much more than that.

2004 only one album? To me that era feels like there was a lot of things happening. While putting out things such as N12 "substitute", Pain Nail debut LP, they didn't appear in vacuum but in vastly busy flourishing genre of that time. Some could say even kind of new rise of PE? So there must be more. Just placing years and albums into any sort of chronology after almost 20 years is a bit tough!
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

PTM Jim

Looking at the first page again and noticed it stopping at 2008. I feel that 12 years is enough time to put something from 2011.
PRURIENT - BERMUDA DRAIN
This album does exactly what a noise/PE album should do in my opinion...DIVIDE! It pushed the boundaries of what PE is and can be, spawned endless clones immediately, and best of all, made people absolutely HATE it. By being what noise supposedly is not, it is the most noise album possible at the time. Love it or hate it, it is legendary. 

EXU

Quote from: PTM Jim on September 07, 2023, 09:17:42 PMPRURIENT - BERMUDA DRAIN


I was ready to trash you but then you just had me with your arguments.