Noise music is ridiculous. Sonically, it lives and breathes on the outer edges of convention. Thematically, it makes satanic black metal look like child’s play. And the overall package, well, there’s really nothing to save this from a fate of excessiveness, and A Harsh Smoker’s Sonic Compilation by MEOVCO.com (in collaboration with FUZZ TAPE and Foxhole Atheism) takes noise packaging to its most eclectic outer conclusions.
Featuring 33 artists and over 5 hours of music, the package comes equipped with 33 rolling papers (1 track per smoke). But being the responsible noise compilers that they are, it comes with the warning: “That said, we cannot recommend smoking! ‘Ceci n’est pas une pipe.’” This hazy exercise in noise-fueled excess is quite the trip.
A Noise Odyssey…
Released on December 24, 2024, this mammoth compilation is the product of MEOVCO.com, a small independent label founded by Overload Collapse in 2004. The collaboration with FUZZ TAPE and Foxhole Atheism elevates it into an international effort, resulting in an anthology that spans the globe. A Harsh Smoker’s Sonic Compilation comprises 33 tracks, each a sonic experiment by a different artist, adding up to a mind-melting 312 minutes of sound. It’s not just an album; it’s an experience that melds visual art and sound in a way that only the noise scene could pull off.
The visual aspect is an important accompaniment to the audio. Black-and-white collage art by HARO (based in Onomichi/Hiroshima, Japan) and vivid color paintings by L OO N Y (based in Hanoi, Vietnam) decorate the rolling paper booklet that houses the release. The artistic direction and curation were overseen by sonic maker • • • (sometimes written as ‘ooo’), ensuring cohesion in this chaotic aesthetic.
The philosophy of the release is rooted in pushing boundaries—both sonic and physical. Each booklet is printed locally and sustainably, containing 33 ultra-thin rolling papers, each with a unique watermark and a paper tip. These aren’t just rolling papers; they’re pieces of art, carefully crafted to pair with the auditory experience. A QR code and link provide access to a private, ad-free hosting page where the album can be streamed or downloaded in MP3 (320 kbps) or uncompressed master file formats. There’s no tracking, no commercialization—just a pure connection between artist and listener.
The conceptual backbone is simple yet ambitious: one paper, one track, one smoke. But it’s also layered with irony and a touch of humor. The “cannot recommend smoking” disclaimer and the Magritte-inspired “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” quip show that the creators are fully aware of the absurdity of their own project.
But how does it sound?
There are some familiar names here. Sajjra Xhrs Galarreta I first caught wind of at the Jogja Noise Bombing Fest in 2020. The Peruvian noise maker’s contribution takes an intergalactic journey, full of rising modulators and cracked static transitions. Rudolf Eb.er also makes a contribution with the track ‘Sucking on the Rabbit Hole’. The track is avant-garde by design, featuring bizarre processed vocals with fluttering oscillations over the top.
RELATED CONTENT: SAJJRA XHRS GALARRETA ‘UCHURACCAY’ REVIEW
RELATED CONTENT: WATCH JOGJA NOISE BOMBING FEST 2020: THE FILM FEATURING SAJJRA XHRS GALARRETA LIVE IN INDONESIA
There is a great deal more than noise to be found here. Suicide Samurai Wann contributes a track of disassembled Japanese ambient. KUROPIPE’s contribution is some of the most accessible music here, featuring guitar based lo-fi noise pop with a punk edge. Monobloc Sound Fidelity on the other hand goes full ham with 8 minutes of modular drone.
However, it’s noise that steals the show here, and of all varieties. Self Toxification delivers a dose of harsh noise and vocal freak outs. And time is truly no object with Akh.Ianno U.cello, Biology of the Future, Manuel Knapp and Scobi Wan all delivering 20+ minute pieces of varying intensity, frequency and progression.
Honourable mentions go to • • • (ooo) for the diversity of instruments, from strands of orchestral charm to the most obscure of Aphex Twin meltdowns. The 15 minute build into devastation by Nguyen Hong Giang. The dark, yet peaceful abilities of NuR. And the deeply minimal rumblings of Yan Jun who concludes the experience (if you listen alphabetically, which I believe is the only listening order due to the lack of track numbering).
Alas, there are too many names to mention across the total 33 contributors. But this is a special release not least for its eclecticism and ambition, but also for being a truly global delivery of noise, featuring not only Europe/USA but also Japan, Vietnam, China, Peru and further afield.
Pick up a copy from THIS LINK, or from one of the stores below.
Victory CD & DVD shop – Hanoi, Vietnam
Humus Libraire & Espace d’Art – Lausanne, Switzerland
Skeleton Dust Records Shop – Dayton, Ohio, USA
Note on the format: The album was printed in the form of a “rolling paper booklet” containing a digital download code (QR code + link). 10,400 booklets were made. Support this venture by purchasing a booklet and help keep the underground weird.
Track list
Akh.Ianno U.cello – ‘composition pour violoncelles acoustiques’
ANNDOE
Biology of the Future – ‘Container 5HTA20K0.1’
Bob Bellerue – ‘Bambú Snafu’
Diaphragmatic – ‘người nuớc ngoài’
Digestive Frequency – ‘waiting room’
e ch – ‘Medusozoa’
EKD – ‘CUMBIA DE LA GALLO’
Joee Mejias – ‘YHYHFM’
KUROPIPE – ‘黒パイプ/KUROPIPE 気嵐/Kearashi’
Kurumi Kadoya – ‘Nature’
Laurent Lettrée
Luke Morse – ‘Glaze’
Manuel Knapp – ‘Hidden Observer Collapse’
Mei Zhiyong – ‘SPZ01’
Monobloc Sound Fidelity – ‘Amnesia trance’
NBDY – ‘wires chainsaw man from dark woods’
Nguyen Hong Giang – ‘OUT27-3’
NuR – ‘dazed&confused’
• • • (ooo) – ‘Boards of The Hadron Collider’
Pocalipse – ‘Tahitian Lover 2035’
POTAR – ‘I can stop whenever I want’
Ravi Shardja – ‘Il ministro spruzza il spruzzatore’
Rudolf Eb.er – ‘Sucking on the Rabbit Hole’
Sajjra Xhrs Galarreta – ‘Melismas IV’
Scobi Wan – ‘So What’
Self Toxification – ‘Hazyyy Chamber’
Sin Ned – ‘overclock’
Suicide Samurai Wann – ‘WASSHOI’
Synchromancer – ‘Every mirror you buy is in used condition’
Thibault Walter – ‘Harshtray’
Uranos – ‘Shag ass’
Yan Jun – ‘taking time’
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