There is very nice episode of new noisextra. Decided not to comment on noisextra topic, but topic of its own. Noisextra crew with Anthony Saunders talk about Prick Decay's "Mud Sound for Car Stereos". It has same conclusions I have heard from a lot of other people: Stuff that is described nowadays as sounding like "90's noise", very often does not sound like the stuff sounded back in the 90's.
I would probably attribute some of this change of perception to The Rita, perhaps Troniks too, who were one of the most vocal admirers of "Mid 90's crunchy harsh noise". The sound and approach found in stuff like Dead Body Love, Ramirez, Macronympha, etc. I'm sure everybody knows the type of sound. Great type of sound, that was quite unlike the Japanese harsh noise sound. Very specific frequencies creating thick slab of harshness on blown-out saturated tape. Then the popular 90's sound, often is narrowed down to Merzbow, Pain Jerk, etc kind of Japanese harsh noise. That is perhaps also the type of sound that has been reissued more than some other approaches?
So these days, when you buy a tape, that is described to be "like 90's noise", the stuff is most likely either of this category. Either full blast PJ/Merz or even more likely leaning to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania direction. However, like clearly articulated by mr. Saunders in this episode, that wasn't the noise in 90's. It was one crucial element of it, but what really was unique of noise is 90's was the uniqueness of sounds, approaches and aesthetics. It would be unlikely to buy noise tapes, and get linear presentation of xerox collages and crunchy harsh blast all way through the batch.
It is also a bit of geographical thing. I know noisextra gets probably ton of advice and requests, that it gets tiring. If I was asked, I would suggest couple episodes abandoning track-by-track observation, and check out some geographical observations. Such as, if picking up for example 5 seemingly random noise releases of 90's, what it really was when looking specific area of the time, picking up something that was active at the moment.
From Japan. Yellow Cab, Pain Jerk, K2, Aube, Incapacitants?
From UK. Dogliveroil, Putrefier, Onamotopoeia, S&Q, Expose Your Eyes?
From Finland. Bizarre Uproar, UND, Grunt, Cloama, Temple Of Tiermes?
From Germany. Stabat Mors, Kadef, Freudwerk, Krachgau, G-Hörsturz?
From Italy: DBL, Murder Corporation, Iugula-Thor, SRS, Deison?
... usa, can, etc.. I guess enough examples here to display how it applies to countries.. It would certainly give reason to circle back to some of them, for individual more indepth observations. It is very easy to forget ton of great names, who -really- shaped how 90's noise was in the 90's, when you grabbed somewhat random stuff coming on your way on network, distrolists, labels, etc.
It is funny when Saunders concludes that when he gets something new that is described sounding like "90's", it is usually NOTHING like 90's. No wonky filters, no surprises, no oddities, etc I guess!?
Those who have this Prick Decay CD, will probably conclude that there isn't really this nasty and odd noise abundant these days. Nothing as rugged, strange decisions, strange mixes and balances.... Prick Decay CD is really the real deal 90's noise. That is not necessarily saying it is better. That's up to taste. For me, many of these raw and nasty releases that wasn't that special back then, have displayed they can survive the test of time vastly better than "well done" and seemingly flawless releases that was done later on.
Listen here:
https://www.noisextra.com/2021/09/01/prick-decay-mud-sound-for-car-stereos-with-guest-anthony-saunders/
