It’s all just noise! Despite the ear aching sighs of detractors, noise music has always been one field in which I have been drawn to explore. The genre knows no boundaries, and the many artists working within are easily able to carve their own territory without worry. While some musicians border on sexism, racism, homophobia, I have found that there are way more friendly and openhearted noise musicians than most people would think. In fact, it has probably been noise musicians that have most embraced Lagniappe Exposure, and by extension, I want to extend the olive branch.

So here is a small wrap-up on my year in noise, the labels I stumbled across, had the pleasure to listen to, and the kind supporters that I have met through Lagniappe’s first half-year of existence.

This isn’t so much a review of any artist, label, or release. Instead, it serves mainly as a shout-out.

All labels listed alphabetically

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Labels

Bent Window Records

Having put out one of my favorite noise releases of 2021, Harm Signals’ Embrace Extinction, Bent Window has offered me a lot of long noise jams to explore. I look forward to listening to their future releases and diving deeper into their already sizable discography.

The Church of Noisy Goat

The most recent label for me to pour over, Noisy Goat, possesses a vast catalog of releases by many artists I am yet unfamiliar with. However, now that they are securely within my radar, I know it’ll be enjoyable to traverse their vaults!

Cloudchamber Recordings

Altars, There Is No Talk In My Mouth, and Havuz I-II were all notable releases for me this year; all three, two of which featured on my 50 favorite albums list, came from Cloudchamber, made me instantly a fan.

Elm Records

Elm might not be a noise label. Their releases feature comforting ambient soundscapes, while their album covers often feature delicate nature photography. However, Elm is the first label I directly communicated with, and for their support, I look at Elm as the launching pad for my future endeavors.

Giraffe Tapes

Like Elm, Giraffe Tapes is another ambient label. I felt this list would be incomplete without their inclusion. Giraffe Tapes’ catalog is already deep for a young label, and I’m excited to watch it expand. There is already a wealth of sonic beauty across its current thirteen releases. A carefully crafted approach to the presentation makes for great listening and eye candy.

Negative Tilt Records

Upon being introduced to Negative Tilt Records, I knew there would be much about the label to admire. Not that gay men don’t participate in the realm of noise music, they do, but never had I seen a label that was so unashamedly open with their support of brazen sex-positive messages. From the themes of their records, some sexual, some political, some social, I was happy to discover their roster of LGBTQ+ noise purveyors. Negative Tilt also boasts an excellent method of releasing music that puts the collaborative and social aspects of the art front and center.

Tribe Tapes

Tribe Tapes is another label that has a deep catalog, one with which I plan to spend some time familiarizing myself. Band’O’Mammoth’s A Digestible Society was my first offering; I wrote bout it in The Roux the week I happened to set eyes across it; intrigued by the name and the artwork. Michaela Koran’s Magnétique Romantique was another favorite. Tribe Tapes offers hours upon hours of potential new favorites!