Draft:Thai noise music scene

Thai noise music scene

Unfortunately, the information about Thai Noise Music Scene now is mostly limited to the area in vicinity of Bangkok, Thailand from 2010s - present. More research on the topic is still needed to present the full picture of the Noise music scene in Thailand.

Noise music is a genre of music that is defined by the unconventional use of noise. The music is usually made by manipulating audio media or noise that is generated acoustically or electronically, such as amplifying, creating feedback, and adding distortion. There is always improvisation involved in the performance. The genre is developed under the big umbrella of industrial music, which resulted from the progress of industrialization in the modern world. People also consider noise music to be a form of anti-music.

Thai noise music scene refers to the community of people who participate in events and activities related to noise music that take place in Thailand.

The topography of noise music in Bangkok, Thailand, densely intertwines with various other underground scenes, including metal, electronic music, experimental, and Thai indie scenes. Sounds and visual arts materials, especially from Japanoise artists and experimental music figures and groups such as John Cage, Fluxus, and John Zorn, among many more extreme music genres, heavily influence Thai noise musicians’ styles of performance.

The scene used to be comprised of numerous small collectives, for example, Nospace Gallery and its event Make Noise, Not War!!!, Moontone Records, and Cacophonous. These collectives include individuals with diverse artistic backgrounds who occasionally unite to organize independent events. Their self-promotion primarily relies on word-of-mouth and online platforms. The scene remains small and tight-knit because of limited recognition and access to resources. Nonetheless, there is usually a multitude of international noise artists traveling to Thailand to perform their music. On the other hand, Thai artists also have opportunities to perform abroad from time to time.

While many noise collectives are short-lived in nature, their legacy of innovative musical experimentation often resurfaces within the Thai independent music scene. For instance, the band Stylish Nonsense on Panda Records features Pok Wannarit Pongprayoon and June Yuttana Kalambaheti, as well as Kijjaz, the member of Monotone Group, who also does the production for Singto Numchok, a Thai singer-songwriter. These individuals are regulars in Thai experimental circles, and their specialties showcase the mutuality between local music and the noise music scene.

More widely known Thai harsh noise projects, such as Gamnad737 and Chamber of Tapeworms also have gained recognition from niche groups of noise listeners around the world.

History

First appearance

In 2010, Nospace Gallery, an art gallery in Bangkok founded by Bank Sorrawis Insiriphong of the band RedTwenty on Panda Records, launched an event program called "Make Noise, Not War!!!" which marked the first recorded instance of a noise music event in Thailand.

"Make Noise, Not War!!!" was a noise performance event featuring various noise artists, both international and Thai. The organizer labeled it as an art performance event rather than a music event, where there was “no music, no electronics, no DJ, no nothing, but noise.” The event has already taken place a few times between 2010 and 2012, showcasing a wide range of artists, from well-established artists such as Kijjaz (producer of Monotone Records), Tuan of Day Tripper, Pok and June of Stylish Nonsense, Koichi Shimizu (founder of SO::ON dry FLOWER Records), Thom AJ Madson of Asajan Jakkawan, some international artists such as BLU (Brazil), and new emerging acts at that time like ____, whose members would later form the group Cacophonous.

Growing in recognition

Following the promising milestone of “Make noise, not war!!!”, a noise music organization called Cacophonous has emerged in 2012 and kicked off their journey with Cacophonous #1, their first event featuring Thai noise artists who were previously participated in Make Noise, Not War!!! Such as Kijjaz, Jin Matutamtada, including themselves. They have continued to host noise music events, especially harsh noise, regularly ever since then.

During the 2010s until nowadays, countless independent artists, events, and festivals related to noise and experimental music in Thailand have kept springing into action, regardless of lacking bigger support and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Event organizations and collectives

Panda Records

In 1999, the duo musicians Stylish Nonsense gathered with Bear-Garden's Somsiri Sangkaew, and other fellow friends to establish the Panda Records indie music label. Since then, they have been on a mission to encourage and spread independent underground music through DIY aesthetics. The label features Thai Indie artists such as Summer Dress, Hariguem Zaboy, Stylish Nonsense, Bear-Garden, RedTwenty, etc.

The genres of the bands coming from the label range from avant-garde noise to indie rock and electronic experimental. Therefore, it is ordinary to witness Panda Records’ artists frequent local experimental events such as Pok and June of Stylish Nonsense and Siwanut Boonsripornchai of Summer Dress. Panda Records was responsible for many indie events happening in Thailand during the 2010s, most notably three occurrences of Stone Free Music Festivals in Saraburi, Thailand, and Noise Markets.

SO::ON dry FLOWER Records label

SO::ON dry FLOWER (2003–2016), founded by Japanese musician Koichi Shimizu, was a music and sound production company in Bangkok. The label produced many influential Thai indie records for artists such as Desktop Error, Goose, Jean Mahasmut, Napat Snidvongs, GAD, and Assajan Jakgawan. At first, the band Goose already had its own record label. Koichi combined his title “SO::ON” with Goose’s already-existing label “Dry Flower” and became the SO::ON dry Flower Records label. The label released their first compilation, "Ghosted Note," on November 17, 2005.

SO::ON dry FLOWER has managed many local events since 2003, mainly experimental and electronic music live sessions. Following the current technology of the era, Koichi said that they discovered and contacted artists via MySpace. And made an announcement via physical brochures and SMS.

Koichi also cooperated with Rit Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr, the sound designer of director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and founded SOL (Space of Liberty) gallery, the venue that played a crucial role in the early experimental scene. Many fellow collectives, like Cacophonous, have held their events here many times already.

“This was at a time when there was an upsurge of new musicians in the underground music scene, raring to go with their experimental music and yet with no established party to showcase their work, so we decided to start our own.”

Koichi talked about factors that motivated the founding of SO::ON dry FLOWER.

Nospace Gallery

Nospace Gallery (2007–2012) was founded by Bank Sorrawis Insiriphong of the band RedTwenty from Panda Records with the intention of “exhibiting indie, pop, street, and experimental art by international artists in the various formats of drawing, painting, printing, and installation, including performance.” The first Nospace Gallery was located at Sukhumvit 71, and the second was at Royal City Avenue (RCA) in Bangkok.

During its years of operation, Nospace Gallery hosted many art exhibitions by Thai and international artists such as Pisitakun Kuntalaeng, Korakrit Arunanondchai, Megumi Endo, Ding Yu-Chung, James Johnson-Perkins, etc. They also host many events specializing in sound performance.

This organization can be credited as one of the pioneering groups to establish a distinct noise and experimental event in Thailand, as they were the first to conduct the only noise event happening as early as 2010, which was called “Make Noise, Not War!!!”.

Cacophonous

Cacophonous (2012–) is a still-running non-profit music organization dedicated to promoting noise-related genres. The collective was started by the passion of two music enthusiasts and noisemakers: Polwach Beokhaimook (drummer of Ecchymosis, Smallpox Aroma, etc.) and Visarute Virojanawat. And much later, in 2021, a long-timed, noise-headed fellow Gate Garnglai became a member who helped run the organization. The most well-known noise project coming from this collective is Chamber of Tapeworms, the love child of Polwach Beokhaimook and Visarute Virojanawat. Moreover, there are many more noise projects by the members, such as Corporal Stains (Polwach Beokhaimook), Impermanence (Visarute Virojanawat), and 624175 (Gate Garnglai).

Cacophonous, when compared to fellow collectives, places a stronger emphasis on Harsh Noise, Harsh Noise Wall, and Power Electronics sub-genres in particular. Although the line-ups were "almost never all-noise,"  they have three distinguished titles of events defined by characteristics of sound performed. They used “Cacophonous” for general harsh noise events and “Uproar” for a wider range of noise-related performance arts. Later in 2019, they introduced “Void/Wall” event, which was specially designated for a monotonic, unchanged noise sub-genre called Harsh Noise Wall.

Cacophonous has formed friendships with multiple international artists, and they frequently feature international artists in their lineup. Especially Fabrizio De Bon (Fukte), an Italian artist who used to appear regularly on the early Cacophonous’ lineup. His eagerness to tour Thailand was an important factor in why Cacophonous was formed in the beginning.

“…I think it's not until 2012 when Polwach started to get in touch with Fukte from Italy, who also own Toxic Industries labeled, that things started to take shape. At that time Fukte intended to have a gig or two in Thailand for his Asian tour, so Polwach and I decided to form a proper organizer unit called “Cacophonous” and we made it clear that our focus was “noise”.

Visarute interviewing for A WALL OF TEXT magazine Issue #1.2020.

In 2016, Cacophonous held Cacophonous #6 with the collaboration of SO::ON dry FLOWER, bringing noise artists from Japan: Shizuo Uchida, ASTRO, JAH EXCRETION, REIZEN. The first two also performed again in the subsequent event, Cacophonous #7. Not to mention Ryosuke Kiyasu, a Japanese percussionist who later joined the Uproar #3 event in the same year.

Outside of Cacophonous live events, the members also work on their personal and band projects, conduct other performance projects, and even manage a record label. For instance, Polwach’s Perpetual Abjection is a microlabel that publishes several noise music records from noise artists around the world, featuring his D.I.Y. cassettes and CDs produced in limited quantities.

Moontone Records

Moontone Records, led by Arkat Vinyapiroath, explores and supports performance arts ranging from experimental music to non-music. The group has produced music release for a number of Thai noise projects such as Arkat's projects (Gamnad737, SILENCE ((O)))), Acidwall), Space War, Genepool Submersion, Voidmist, and Tamluenk (คณะตำลึงค์). They also wrote news and articles promoting the scene to their website.

Gamnad737 (กำหนัด737), a noise project of Arkat, bassist of the Thrash metal band Killing Fields, started sometime in April of 2011 and officially emerged in 2012 when Arkat released his first album เดรัจฉานกิจกรรมหมายเลข1 and became continuously active as far as until 2021. This project was one of more widely known Thai noise acts in Thailand. Gamnad737 also featured in a couple of Cacophonous’ events, such as the co-playing with ๛ (Komootra) in Cacophonous #6: Japanoise.

Monotone Records has conducted several experimental and noise events since 2015. Their events, such as ones with the title NEW SOURCE, featured many old and new noise artists, happened regularly at small venues around Bangkok, such as Jam Sathon and The Overstay. Their most notable event, Bangkok Noise Festival 2018, was held at NOMA BKK, featuring Kijjaz, Warong Rachapreecha, Kittiphan Janbuala, Space War (Nap Pakanat Rattanabankruai), Chamber of Tapeworms of Cacophonous members, etc.

Primitive Synthesis (2018–) is single-handedly operated by Gate Garnglai. He routinely organizes close-knit events for local experimental musicians, aiming towards diverse approaches to sound art with event titles such as “Experimental Edge." And many other programs, such as WeaveLab, a free-entry, spontaneous collaborative event that breaks boundaries between artists and audience.

Bangkok Street Noise (2021–) Born amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangkok Street Noise is a music collective that settles small music events around Bangkok’s public space, preferably without advance notice to the authoritarian. The collective was originally started by fellow artists who met at Ram 10, including the main organizers, Pok Wannarit Pongprayoon, a member of Stylish Nonsense, Michael Honeycomb, an American electronic musician, and many more participant artists and volunteers. Since 2023, the team’s responsibility has hugely shifted to organize music event at the live house Noise House Lat Prao. Therefore, their concert program in public space is currently on hiatus.

APAVA (2023–) newly emerged event organization of a noise artist, SURIYA•YOTHIN, based in Chiang Mai. In March 2024, APAVA collaborated with Cacophonous to conduct the event “Negative Frequencies Over Siam, Vol. 1,” which included French pioneer Harsh Noise Wall artist Vomir.

See also

• Music of Thailand
• Noise music
• Japanoise

External Links

• Nospace Gallery Website
• Moontone Records Website
• Cacophonous Facebook
• Panda Records Bandcamp
• SO::ON dry FLOWER YouTube
• Chamber of Tapeworms Bandcamp
• Perpetual Abjection Bandcamp
• Jam Sathon Facebook
• The Overstay Facebook
• Primitive Synthetic Facebook
• Bangkok Street Noise Facebook
• APAVA Facebook