Niche Genre Exploration
If you’re finding the predominant musical genres a little lackluster as of late, have no fear! We live in an era where nearly the entire world’s encyclopedic record of music is available on line. Lean just a little bit to the left or to the right and you’re discover some magical musical invention you’ve yet to encounter. This week, I’ve done a little digging and would like to present you with my findings.
For the numerically minded musician, there is Math Rock, a genre characterized by complex and atypic rhythmic structures, counterpoint, odd time signatures, and extended cords. Pop music is swamped with 4/4 time signatures, but Math Rock rejects this familiarity in favor of 5/4, 7/8, or even 13/8 time signatures. Math Rock can be challenging and is best understood through the music of bands like Game Theory or the Japanese band Toe.
Another genre of interest is an extreme subgenera of heavy metal that combines elements of doom metal and hardcore punk: Sludge Metal. Slow tempos. Tuned down guitars. Lyrical nihilism focused on economic disparity, drug use, and environmental disaster define the genre. This sound great out of the 1980 hardcore punk bands of California culminating in the music of Balck Sabbath. Today, artists Primitive Man and Sunrot are carrying on in this nihilistic tradition.
For those rejecting analog soundscapes, I might recommend delving into Chiptune, a style of synthesized electronic music made with programmable sound generator (PSG) sound chips or synthesizers in vintage arcade games, computers, and video game consoles. It is as much about the technology of musical invention as it Is about the sound. Think of Chiptune like a more technologically minded cousin of Hyperpop. Relevant artists to check out include Bit Shifter, Nullsleep, and 8-bit weapon.
We live in an age when your ears never have to be bored. There’s an endless font of songs to listen to. A quick google search can lead you to your next favorite sub-genre. Hopefully some of the ones we explored today will excite you!
