Noise. It is a word usually connected to its most basic definition as an unwanted sound, but not often thought of as a music genre. During recent encounters with the local Ames music scene, I have experienced firsthand the creative movement that is noise.

Before interviewing several artists who identify with the noise genre, I had never intently listened to that style of music. While writing a preview for a recent noise event, I listened to the artists I interviewed and was somewhat shocked upon the realization that I enjoyed the strange waves of sound pouring through my speakers. 

Noise is an interesting style of music for several reasons. The artists do not use any specific tone or technique to create a piece, which are two basic elements to most music, both popular and alternative. There are no guidelines or rules to creating noise and to me, that is the beauty of the genre.

To effectively listen to noise, one must clear their mind of any expectations or criteria for what they are about to hear. It is a widely defined genre, so don’t be discouraged if you dislike the first pieces. It may take a few tries to find a preferred artist, but exploring this unique genre is definitely worth a shot.