Power Electronics
Power electronics may be the most diverse and hard to identify form of noise music. Power electronics is really an umbrella term for extreme electronic music that consists of predominantly harsh screeching feedback, synthesizers used to create off-kilter menacing rhythms, and harsh screamed, grunted, and growled vocals that are highly distorted. As I said before power electronics is the most hard to identify form of harsh electronic music, this is mainly due to the sheer amount of power electronics that exists. Power electronics was a term that was coined by William Bennet of power electronics forefathers Whitehouse. It is important to note that power electronics began in England and was born out of the industrial scene that existed there. Groups like the aformentioned Whitehouse, Ramleh, Stutfliffe Jügend, and others made up the early scene and soon adopted the name as did many in the noise scene to describe their cacophonous brand of sound.
The power electronics world can, fortunately, be divided fairly easily into regional scenes so it is easier to digest. Bizarre Uproar stands as Finland's most accomplished noise artist with a extremely diverse and expansive discography. Along with Bizarre Uproar, Finland has a strong power electronics scene that is centered primarily around two record labels, Filth & Violence and Freak Animal. Acts like Grunt and Will Over Matter also add to Finland's thriving scene.
America also has a thriving power electronics scene, both coasts have their own identifying qualities but the some of the oldest and harshest power electronics coming from the States is from Chicago. Chicago's "No Coast" power electronics scene is particularly violent. It began with Bloodyminded who actually formed in New York but relocated to Chicago. Their sound is made of screeching synthesizer, loads of feedback, and hatefully delivered vocals.The influence of Bloodyminded on the Chicago power electronics world is extremely evident through current no coast practitioners like Bottomed, Deterge, Machismo, and Winters in Osaka.
Power electronics is a genre firmly rooted in ideology and theme. Many bands adopt a certain aesthetic and that imagery is as vital to their sound and music as the music itself. German luminaries Genocide Organ adopted a very controversial and somewhat fascistic aesthetic as did The Grey Wolves, an English project rooted in what they called "cultural terrorism" a term they created to explain their worldview and message which they distributed through pamphlets. Flirtations with fascism (in an almost satirical or disgust-inducing way) and other political ideologies is common within power electronics and really noise as a whole, yet this is only one of the boundless themes explored by noise artists.
Sexuality and all of it's forms also often plays a major role in the world of noise, exploration of human sexuality has become a cornerstone of noise and primarily power electronics since the genre's inception and has only been carried forward by current practitioners. Prurient (whose name literally means "having or encouraging an excessive interest in sexual matters" and is pictured in the heading of this section) is one such example. Prurient is just one of many, the aforementioned Bizarre Uproar has devoted much of his noise to the fringe aspects of sexuality, often performing in a gimp mask.
One final example and really the group that completely exemplifies what power electronics can be (and often is), both sonically and thematically is Machismo. A no coast duo (though often enlist the help of many other Chicagoans on their recordings) Machismo focuses on animalistic sexuality, however like both aforementioned bands (Prurient and Bizarre Uproar) are not limited to sexuality as a concept with concepts like disgust for humanity, urban existence, and at it's core the utter depravity and meaninglessness of existence also playing a role in their disgusting murk of sound. This entire package is captured in their 2013 cassette tape Severe Disconnect which can be heard below.
The power electronics world can, fortunately, be divided fairly easily into regional scenes so it is easier to digest. Bizarre Uproar stands as Finland's most accomplished noise artist with a extremely diverse and expansive discography. Along with Bizarre Uproar, Finland has a strong power electronics scene that is centered primarily around two record labels, Filth & Violence and Freak Animal. Acts like Grunt and Will Over Matter also add to Finland's thriving scene.
America also has a thriving power electronics scene, both coasts have their own identifying qualities but the some of the oldest and harshest power electronics coming from the States is from Chicago. Chicago's "No Coast" power electronics scene is particularly violent. It began with Bloodyminded who actually formed in New York but relocated to Chicago. Their sound is made of screeching synthesizer, loads of feedback, and hatefully delivered vocals.The influence of Bloodyminded on the Chicago power electronics world is extremely evident through current no coast practitioners like Bottomed, Deterge, Machismo, and Winters in Osaka.
Power electronics is a genre firmly rooted in ideology and theme. Many bands adopt a certain aesthetic and that imagery is as vital to their sound and music as the music itself. German luminaries Genocide Organ adopted a very controversial and somewhat fascistic aesthetic as did The Grey Wolves, an English project rooted in what they called "cultural terrorism" a term they created to explain their worldview and message which they distributed through pamphlets. Flirtations with fascism (in an almost satirical or disgust-inducing way) and other political ideologies is common within power electronics and really noise as a whole, yet this is only one of the boundless themes explored by noise artists.
Sexuality and all of it's forms also often plays a major role in the world of noise, exploration of human sexuality has become a cornerstone of noise and primarily power electronics since the genre's inception and has only been carried forward by current practitioners. Prurient (whose name literally means "having or encouraging an excessive interest in sexual matters" and is pictured in the heading of this section) is one such example. Prurient is just one of many, the aforementioned Bizarre Uproar has devoted much of his noise to the fringe aspects of sexuality, often performing in a gimp mask.
One final example and really the group that completely exemplifies what power electronics can be (and often is), both sonically and thematically is Machismo. A no coast duo (though often enlist the help of many other Chicagoans on their recordings) Machismo focuses on animalistic sexuality, however like both aforementioned bands (Prurient and Bizarre Uproar) are not limited to sexuality as a concept with concepts like disgust for humanity, urban existence, and at it's core the utter depravity and meaninglessness of existence also playing a role in their disgusting murk of sound. This entire package is captured in their 2013 cassette tape Severe Disconnect which can be heard below.
