I often see situation which is a bit odd. Often it is someone saying they are not checking out what is happening, but claiming nothing happens. I recall when one old timer mentioned he is not following things, but trusts that if there would be something really good, he'd hear about it. That is sort of trust to old school. To idea that after someone was exposed to great things, they wrote all their friends about it:
"Check this guy out, here's flyers, that's one to grab" -type.
Last year I was going through my old paper letters from the 90's, tearing them up and throwing in garbage. Just can't save every piece of paper you ever got... I did stop that process after a while, and though maybe couple bags at the storage ain't much trouble. It was quite a revelation to be reminded how many people all over the world wrote me simply because of Thomas of Bawler tapes (ger) told them they should. It was all sorts of guys who are globally known noise veterans now, but back then, many of them probably like myself. Just sending out tapes, sending out letters, asking things, recommending things.
Or finding letter from Membrum Debile label, sending me letter before any of his releases had come from press, saying Donna of Artware told him he should check out Grunt and gave the address.
Fast forward to this moment. I have my doubts. Certainly there is information, but its quality is different. It is not like anyone would be so hungry, that you run to buy all things that are mentioned in junkmail you receive or things you see in feed. Utter paradox of abundance of information what is out there, but equally large opposite: silence of listener reactions and critical evaluation. Almost everybody I know, trust latter one more, and reject "check my bandcamp" emails in blink of an eye.
This leads that even people who are active within genre, are not hearing about bands, unless just buy them blindly themselves. Like mentioned by former posters, there is this lack of visible discussion, lack of some sort of accessible, somewhat permanent talk (interviews, reviews, gig reports, etc). It would be highly unlikely to "hear about it" at this moment. At least it is my impression. Forums are little help, and podcast name dropping may be too, but as we can hear, it seems surprisingly tough for people to drop 5 latest remarkable releases of recent years? It is almost mind boggling.
I have been wondering for example low visibility of big labels such as Tesco or Hospital productions. Apart from HOS-700 can of sand, and Merzbow/Prurient LP, I don't think I have read anyone, anywhere, comment single item, out of dozens and dozens that are coming out in constant stream? If OEC puts out something, or Malignant did... where they are acknowledged? Perhaps there is some talk of something that is really new, but likelyhood that this type of acknowledgement would reach beyond the core of noise collectors.
Lets say for example Satatuhatta label stuff, being talked and praised as its new label on the rise. But would this buzz break outside the core of active noise buyers? Perhaps very small scale. Certainly not getting into ears of guys who are not following actively.
So what I am saying, if pretty much nobody knows what is going on, most do not bother to follow, it is very hard to estimate what is really going on and what type of progress and advancement has been happening. If there is great new thing, one generally tends to not know about it instantly, but it may be recognized in few years.
So what was said, I dont necessary complain. Just acknowlege the changed climate and therefore can have different expectations:
It feels we can probably start evaluating period of 2015-2020 now, and 2022 is largely pure mystery as most of stuff remains unheard and never publicly discussed? Some now interesting things, may need a test of time.
Anyways, pushing things forward, improved, making things better than many others, things that one could consider worthy to check out. Here is some of my subjective picks. I must underline, not check out like 30 seconds and "uhmm.. I heard this before", but actually listen album so you hear album, not one small fragment.
IFOTS and IRM was mentioned as ones pushing forward the genre sound. If one appreciates such sound, I would guess HUMAN LARVAE is something to check out. Not all his sounds are revolutionary & unheard, but man is pushing this sound of well composed, well produced, richly textured approach pretty damn well. When a lot of heavy electronics gets criticized for "one finger on MS-20 and flanger on vocals" -type of remarks, Human Larvae is far more. It is firmly in tradition of genre, yet also hardly piling up cliches. Artwork, lyrics, all has dirt, but they are not really obscene. Every album seems like pushing things to better. He isnt victim of template either, but on tapes he'll be more flexible to try out other ideas and albums display the highest song oriented composed "heavy electronics".
Kovana have got noticed more in recent times, thanks to some releases on Freak Animal that got wider circulation. They didn't start project in attempt to leech into old scene, but started to arrange their own gigs, own private gigs for crowd they knew. Putting out own tapes, spreading them around the people they are in touch. Style would not be strictly following any particular. You could hear they must be younger generation who gets first exposed to things like Puce Mary and Prurient. Which is the case here. But background is also different, so themes of songs, aesthetics, they are not the PE/noise standard, but all sorts of oddities. Musically from sheer noise to rhythmic pieces, sometimes closer to Finn filthy sound, sometimes turntablism, odd digital noise. It is a fresh blow, in a sense, old school of "lets try out stuff", instead or firmly fixed and aesthetically strictly planned stuff that is very popular these days. Sometimes I think of Club Moral, sometimes Puce Mary, sometimes Bizarre Uproar, sometimes Posh Isolation feel to it, but when you got the Kovana material in your hand, I'd be surprised if someone was like "not again stuff like this!". Project keeps changing all the time, and songs are very diverse, not all gold, but that is exactly the good progression. Boldness, unpredictability, and the crazy back in noise. Not over produced "brand".
Decondition is not newbie. He has been around for 15 years at least. I guess there was hiatus for a while. He has been busy for years now, and while CD on Freak Animal is certainly good, I released it for very specific reasons. It is not really accurately displaying what project is about, just showing one very restricted approach that is anomaly in his discography. I am quite sure many would actually like his other material more. I'll be probably putting out more, as that what it probably takes before other labels start noticing, heh..
Guys who like the sharp electric feel of Eleczema, Cloama, perhaps even
Strom.ec, and this cleaner Prurient, Damien Duprovnik... perhaps IFOTS is also obvious. "Twilight of self Illusion" and track Death Comes reeks of IFOTS type of approach.
No filth, no analogue juiciness, but kind of icy cold production that can be heard on mentioned projects. Like Human Larvae, there might not be new utterly unheard patches and modulations, but pushing "PE" towards sound that has more sonically almost Mika Vainio type vibes as opposed to nasty PE.
He has bunch of stuff at bandcamp that doesn't exists in physical form. I would think someone would offer the man at least tape deals!
That said, he has done vastly better stuff that the ones that appear on bandcamp. Not all stuff at bandcamp is good. There is a lot of material, and some I have rejected, some approved for the future!
Contortus ain't exactly new name either, and also one may ask what's the point of shamelessly self promoting all this stuff you put out? Well, because I put it out for exactly same reason as I want to talk about it. I ain't responsible for much else than recognizing exceptional quality and therefore felt someone got to expose world to these works. Most these guys have or will have releases elsewhere.
Contortus has so much contradiction and unexpected qualities. Totally radical legit sociopaths, yet talented artists. Visually gifted (not often showing in their visual art, but clearly in composition of sound), = sonically have same talent in composition on works. It becomes clear that they are not here to just sound raw and nasty, but always finding good combinations of acoustic elements, electronics/synths, beyond generic buzz, actually having clear vision/taste. Not giving you any lessons of new tech, but there is nothing vintage about it. Really neat dynamics, innovative sounds, always good sound, stylish abstract textures on covers, but then lyrically it is just as blunt and unpleasant as vilest contemporary PE can be. I could assume that its example that due sheer musical merits, people would listen to this even if being turned off by their attitude. It shows that the brutal and antihuman content is not synonymous to blunt and one dimensional racket, but open for pushing each track to be nee ideas. It is in a way like Ultra. Not sonically, not compositionally, but putting together perversion and violence in sonically almost elegant form, as opposed of pure dirt and chaos.
Neither of guys are youngsters. They started noise fairly late, after years of visual arts, hardcore, black metal, etc.
Aprapat is probably important mostly in Finnish context, but it is great in global perspective too. I think pushing things forward, doesn't need to be necessarily about re-inventing entire genre, but also sometimes the expression grows collectively from the example and push forward. In this case, in short time, I would say Aprapat ain't like any other Finn noise, even if it has a lot of same things. Aesthetics are different, it has very firm and refined taste how the timbre, the color of sound must be. It most definitely seems to be setting bar higher what harsh noise should be, and shows how just swinging piece of chain to aluminium scrap ain't going to make you stand out. You got to know the craftmanship and have a taste, preferably personality. Sure, it is harsh noise, tape loops, scrap metal, dust and rust and creaking and rumbling, but if you are harsh head, you can easily spot why after Keränen, Umpio and Vanhala, this guy sets the standard into next level, without being anything like two formerly mentioned.
Moozzhead, he is the old gentleman, I posted while ago appreciation topic with zero reactions, haha. For me, this is like re-vitalization of pedal noise genre. Often it is just little shakerbox and chain of pedals into analogue 4-tracker. What's new in it? I would say it is his taste. Man is such a harsh noise hedonist, who has like 30 years of die-hard collecting and constantly refining of his collection, getting rid of crap, half-good and keeping and praising the masterpieces and buying new promising things for evaluation and appreciation. From this kind of set of mind, it seems only natural that one knows his noise. You know when it hits the spot, and when its better than just about every noise tape you buy, and you slay it with better own noise. What is the new in it? For me it seems like so many noise fans keep telling they have no time, no interest keep checking out things. Moozzhead seems to know what is out there, and how to make it better. The process of "this is good... but lets make it better!" gets you to another level compared to "lets make havoc!".. many times you hear guys saying they never listen their own works, and I get it... but also... don't. Moozzhead is the type of noise that needs to be so good he prefers it over other noise. Thats my impression.
Totenslaut - all what he does, is not gold, but a lot of it is. There one upcoming item I heard in advance. Perhaps 10" vinyl or something. It had the kind of Mego computer noise approach, combined with gutter filth. The old trick of opening data files as audio, and some of the Mego recording artists did innovations already decades ago. I generally do not like most of "computer noise", but I acknowledge that some of these methods can not be done in any other way. It is purely unique sound that did not exist way back. Totenslaut did not do just that, but just like I have said about Kartio who did complex modular synth patching, but amplifier and modified the sound quality into charming rusty harsh-head-audiophile quality, Totenslaut here is not just data files opened and published, but recycled into tape or whatever neat treatment there is, what adds that extra something, making it something more than the "digital broken file music".
When I heard his recording, that was later published by FA as cd, I was blown away. I had absolutely never heard the blend of stuff, that was like most ruthless Ramirez harsh noise combined with "lonely-bedroom-misanthrope" approach martial industrial. No Von Thronstahl, no Triarii, no Karjalan Sissit. More like early hand made Blood Axis and Naos. With grim and fierce quality of sound, its innovation is most of all blending unlikely genres together with pure success and in times when pretty much all matrial music sounds like Terminator soundtrack, it takes it back into dark and alchemic, not like teflon and movie soundtrack type feel. Brutality of noise is totally unlike Moozzhead or Aprapat, but I am not sure even those guys could make noise in -this- way. It is so simple and primitive.
H.Ö.H. could be described as very old school, but it is hard to say is it old school, or kind of low-tech apocalyptic future? What is so cool with it, that most of noise and industrial, I know pretty much right away how it is made. I may not know model of each pedal, synth or eurorack unit, but overall there is pretty good idea how its made. With HÖH, it is often situation that I know there is like no tech, almost at all. Tape loops, sure, but.. how? What? Why? Even who the hell is this guy really? It is enigmatic and stands are one of the totally unique projects of current moment over here, but also globally can't name many. Sure I understand that the ultra primitivism is not the "pushing forward" what some people look for, but it sure is pushing it forward. Just not in sense of running after latest gear, but pushing into almost diametrically opposite way of what may be described as noise regressed into professionally manufactured gear -fetish. Taking it back into pure experiment of things not even meant for making music in first place.
Why not much international mentioned? Well, there are hundreds of other guys who should be well qualified to start dropping names and tell why those artists feel like pushing things further, not imitations, not nostalgia,.. all these who I mentioned have also quality of GETTING BETTER all the time. That is not quality that can be found from stagnant and lazy projects. There is clear hunger for advancing and progressing in what they do - in their own terms.
I must stress all mentioned are still what one could file under GENRE MUSIC. If one seeks something totally different, combinations of PE & other music styles, stuff that no longer resembles power electronics at all, then that's in my opinion not really discussion of advancing PE, but there is one topic about "noise elements in other music styles".
