Distort sound, distort norms – that’s the watchcry of Paula Temple’s Noise Manifesto. But even though it’s a celebration of ten years of the label, if you love any distortion at all, you owe it yourself to tune into this four-part guide to some of the most inventive sonic destruction around.
Right from the outset, and to anyone who knows the artists named here, it’s notable what this compilation is not. It’s not paint-by-number techno, with flat, overly cautious arrangements. It’s not hashtag genres, chasing the trend of the moment. And it’s not influencer celebrity, picking artists by their number of followers.
Instead, what you get right away is the free-flowing creative output of artists who live and breathe hard sounds. Berlin and Europe are hubs, to be sure, but this also reveals some of the far-flung geographies that intersect here. (Paula for her part lived here but recently relocated to the Netherlands.)
And I’m really pleased to see favorites like OCD, Esther Dune, and Femanyst show up here – Paula has picked plenty of criminally underrated artists all around. As often happens, the label that focuses on women and nonbinary producers tends also to wind up with top-quality material.
Part 1 arrived this week. Whether this genre tickles your fantasy or not, each is a gem of sound design, too – and it all passes that “listenable with headphones” and “also starting to dance while listening through headphones” test for me, at least. The quartet is also surprisingly cinematic, on top of the rhythmic violence – unfraid of being trippy, melodic, and even a dose of sentimentality and, uh, fun, actually. Listen:
The full plan here is mapped out in the description – with the sales benefiting anti-slavery work:
Noise Manifesto proudly celebrates 10 years of subverting the techno sound with a fabulous 4-part compilation showcasing 18 artists.
The artists were carefully selected for their unassuming brilliance and represent a broad spectrum of bodies and techno subgenres. This is a queer positive world Noise Manifesto was dreaming of in 2012 with only a Manifesto and music as a starting point. Now 10 years later, Noise Manifesto celebrates by bringing together artists from Syria to Poland, Japan to Netherlands, Northern Ireland to United States, the blooming queer collectives and the modern twisters of old school. This is a celebration of the interconnectedness of our scene.
10 YEARS of Noise Manifesto presents techno of sonic storytelling (L Ʌ V Σ N, Linn Elisabet, Ayako Mori), classic techno (Hemka, Lindsey Herbert), punk (Angel Karel, Samantha Togni, Sentimental Rave), industrial (Jassass, Hybral, Lesser Of), fast-paced (OCD, WTCHCRFT), rave (RIOTCODE, Esther Dune), acid hardcore and gabber (Femanyst, Tymon). To conclude the celebration there will be a bonus track from Paula Temple.
100% of the Income generated from this album will be donated to thebridge2hope.org/en/ – a registered not-for-profit in Amsterdam who focuses on supporting 30 people a year recovering from modern slavery.
There will be showcase parties coming in 2023.
10 YEARS OF NOISE MANIFESTO:
PART 1 [OUT ON 18 OCTOBER 2022] NM10-1
PART 2 [OUT ON 15 NOVEMBER 2022] NM10-2
PART 3 [OUT ON 13 DECEMBER 2022] NM10-3
PART 4 [OUT ON 17 JANUARY 2023] NM10-4
FULL [+ BONUS TRACK ][OUT FEBRUARY 2023] NM10-FULL
Thanks, Ciara!
Digital only for now.
