Anders Hana, "Flesh Dispenser"

No further proof of noise's validity needs to be made; there are plenty of people in the world messing around in their basements and making annoying sounds that their parents, neighbors, and roommates hate them for. Recorded at the Kongsberg Jazzfestival in 2005, Hana had the chance to annoy a whole crowd of people at once and likely succeeded.

 

Utech

I'm holding on to this disc just for the occasion that someone tells me "anyone can make noise." I suppose, in some way, that's right. Anybody can "play" a guitar and just about anyone can pound out something resembling a rhythm on a drum set, but that doesn't mean anyone's going to want to listen to it. Similarly, just because someone has a guitar, some pedals, and plenty of time on their hands doesn't mean anyone is going to want to hear the results. Anders Hana's noise is bland, a repetitive affair littered with random sounds, but nary a cohesive thought.

Getting through the eight minute opening piece is a chore enough, but finding a way through the final 16 minutes is worse. These evidently untitled tracks sound like a guitar being put through a grinder, though the sound is still definitely that of a stringed instrument. The first choked rhythms and non-melodies are enough to get an idea of what the record is going to sound like: semi mechanical noise with a hint of improvised performance. Some feel that's enough to make certain electronic pieces a cousin to jazz, but I don't.

Although the first track is by far the most chaotic on the disc, none of the calmer bits have anything to offer, they simply drag on longer despite having shorter playing times. I liked the packaging idea Utech had, with the simple cards and semi-transparent sleeves, but the minimalist and relatively eye-catching design (in all its utter simplicity) says nothing about the dull tones kept inside. Had I been at this concert, no matter how loud it was, I would've fallen asleep.

samples:

• Track 1
• Track 2
• Track 3