Here, I ask some artists from the recent Meltdown 3.0 event about their perspective on how noise and sounds are an artform and how they create their own sounds.
John Caing & Sam Pipebomb, photo by Pj Ong
What made you decide to create this kind of music?
Lush Death: “My discovery of Japanese harsh noise immerse me to something until now I couldn’t explain well. My fascination with artist like Masonna, Hanatarash, Incapacitants, C.C.C.C. and Hijokaidan excites me and later on I decided to do Noise.”
Lush Death is noise killer artist from Binangonan, Rizal. He takes inspiration from almost everything around him. From his feelings, new experiences, films, arts, people and music. He started doing noise since 2008 with his first noise project called thera barra.
PGR, photo by Lush Death
Another Artist, PGR also known as Paolo, an Italian guy who grew up musically in Norway and graduated at Milan’s jazz music academy in bass guitar said, “I think it has not been a decision so far. More urgence. I needed something I didn’t know. I found it in those chaotic sounds.”
His inspiration in making Noise Music was triggered when he had to get a way to escape and find a comfortable shelter from the madness and the uselessness of what humans generate, since 2012 he continued creating this kind of music.
John Caing, photo by Lush Death
Two artists that hail from Cebu, John Caing & Sampipebomb, are known pioneers of Noise Rock—their band Bombo Pluto Ova. When asked why they decided to create this kind of music John said, “Same as everybody else, ganahan mag enjoy sa life while they can, this kind of music it is nothing new, for me this kind of music is rock n roll, just wanna have fun and enjoy. to keep the blood thin.” He was inspired by his family and continues to play in the band since 1997.
“I think the reason was I just keep on exploring new music and experimenting sounds. keeping my open mind to the possibilities.” Future Teenager is a solo experimental project by Karl Lucente which explore and creates music from ambient to noise. Being a fan of Radiohead, Sonic Youth and Bon Iver, he develop his inspiration from the different level of frequencies such musics are producing but still you can totally grasp it. He started doing this since 2015 when his friends made a show called Abrupt Shift.
Chris Murillo, credits to Lush Death
How would you describe your music and how is it different from other genres?
“Rock n roll, sound art, I dunno. Call it anything you want, ganahan ra dyud ko mo tukar and have fun while mo tukar. I think pareha raman siguro sa uban naa passion tapos even wala naka time motukar pangitaan gihapon nmu paagi kay kibaw ka inig at the end of the day fullfiling siya para nmu, padayon gihapon ka kay malingaw man dyud ka.” -John Caing
“Noise worship” “It’s everything they try to avoid on a radio type of music.
“Feedback, static, glitches, unwanted frequencies and a lot of mistakes.” -Lush Death
“Medicine for life boredom. Honest. it’s just different, as luckily anything else is.” -PGR
“As of now, I’m not sure, Future Teenager is still rarely new. Just a different take on appreciating music.” -Karl Lucente
Lush Death
How does this kind of genre become art? Or how is this genre an art form?
“Well yes, it is art and there is a lot of discussions about this. But it doesn’t matter to me, if people recognized this or not as an art form or music. As long as I feel something in doing it and people who watched me perform live or listen to my record get some kind of a trip or experienced something, well that is more important to me. I tried not to over analyzed everything, art/music whatever they call it.” -Lush Death
“Music is Art!” -Karl Lucente
“Self expression, it takes time and patience para ma sharpen ug mugawas natural sa imuha ang gusto nmu buhaton, i think mao sad na ang art, padayun lang dyud permi until kung wala na gana mo tukar di mo undang na.” -John Caing
“I am not aiming to art and i don’t consider myself an artist. thus i cannot answer to this. Someone would say it’s art, but for me it’s just pleasing sound. something i like to listen to.” -PGR
PGR, Photo by Lush Death
What is your goal or vision when you create music?
“For me,doing noise is like a therapy. It helps me to cope with my anxiety and ruthless routine.” -Lush Death
“Inig tukar nako mag imagine raman ko, tapos ako e transort sa guitara after that imuha na i-let go ang outcome.” -John Caing
“As of now, I’m not sure about it but what in my mind while playing was i just wanted to share what’s on my mind” -Karl Lucente
“I like the fact that anyone can get to his/her own conclusion. the listening it’s open to any response. my goal is to have no goal.” -PGR
What is your creative process when making your music and what are the gadgets you use to create sound?
“For recording and live set, its almost the same set of gears. For recordings, I always have a title in mind first, before I record a track. Almost all of my recordings are raw and unedited. Usually its from various things I experience from day to day basis. I love the appeal of one take recordings. For live performance, its on the spot. I just make sure before the show that my gear is working perfectly. I use a contact microphone and feed it to a series of effects pedal. It’s pretty much simple, I try to fit everything. I need into a portable suitcase.” -Lush Death
Lush Death also uses a contact microphone while playing in his gig in Cebu. It amplifies vibrations and impact and send the signal to any inputs. Which is amazing when your an audience watching the set, trying to listen to the sound produced by every hand gestures.
“The process is totally improvised. on the other hand i know my set up quite well, so i know how to get this or that sound. The set up is very simple. Contact microphones or microphones run into distortion and equaliser pedal. I like to use radio as sound source too.” -PGR
PGR, photo by Lush Death
PGR’s set the energetic one, he moved a lot and even stood up in the table while performing which resembels the energy of the sounds he produces. He also used an old mic from an hifi. Which he puts in his mouth to produces breathing sounds, screams and other sounds to change the feedback frequencies.
“Both, there are times on the spot and sometimes i prepare before a gig. I loop, oscillate and reverb! I just combine it. Something holistic yet destructive kind of sound.” -Karl Lucente
Future Teenager, photo by Pj Ong
“Improvised tanan. Since bombo pluto ova nag start improvisation dyud na. During sa Melt gig wala dyud ko gadget kay ganahan ko raw siya. mas raw siya mas doul sa akong kasing kasing, mas nindot e manipulate ang noise together with rhythm and chords. sa ako lang simplicity sa set up, simple ug concept mas lingaw kaayu ug dali makabuhat sa imuhang imagination tapos imuha e transform sa music gamit imuha guitara, then let go. mao rana.” -John Caing
Throughout the years, Cebu has been a place of continuous experimentation and innovation. The music scene opens up new and exciting music while the crowd and the community always support each other.
“The crowd in Cebu seemed to be curious for something which maybe doesn’t happen so often in town. I am glad many people showed up. I am confident the other performers and me managed to plant some seeds in the adventors’ ears.” -PGR
“It always feels good playing in front of other people. It doesn’t matter where and to whom i am performing, as long as they are willing to be blessed with static,then we have a deal.” -Lush Death
Trying to grasp all kind sounds I heard that night I felt like my ears were overwhealmened but I am simply amazed on how creative we can be with different kinds of medium to produce art. All the artist produced very distictive music that I personally enjoy. When you listen carefully you can distiguish each sound produce by every movement, every click and every material that is being moved. That’s what made it fun actually listening to it. Just ignore what you’ve learn about how music has to be. Enjoy and feel it. Music is an artfrom, It needs to be felt, that’s how it’s supposed to be.
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“Meltdown is a collaborative platform and series of concerts conceptualized by Cebu-based MELT Records showcasing the most prolific sound practitioners who dabble in noise, experimental and sound art,” says Pj Ong, Co-Founder of MELT Records & Creative Director.
Together with these genres, they also add visual aesthetic videos projected behind the artists to complement the sound they produce. Melt Records, an independent record label based in Cebu, also aims to produce and release music from both up-and coming and more established independent artists from Cebu. They created this event to determine and explore unlimited possibilities of multi-genre music.
Paolo Gàiba Riva
“[It’s] A good balance between good indie music and more progressive forms to further art,” adds Dexter Sy, Co-Founder of MELT Records.
We can’t deny that mainstream music in Cebu has made progress this year, so Pj thought that there was a need to create an outlet for Art and Rebellion.
“Manila has been doing this since the 80’s, and we believe it’s time to bring it to Cebu on a bigger scale.” He says. He adds that although experimental music has been around in Cebu since the 90’s, it has never been formally recognized or documented. It was when he participated in a dialogue with Souther Asian Artist through the WSK Music Festival in Manila last year that he realized there was a need to establish an avenue for the avant-garde, exploratory sound scene here in Cebu.
“Because of its interdisciplinary nature, the discipline of sound art has definitely earned it’s reputation as an artform.” This specific genre has been applied in other fields too.
Existing in a hybrid form, it can be combined with other elements too, such as visual art and performance art. And as how MELT really wants to push the boundaries of the music scene, Meltdown 3.0 and the combination of artforms challenges Cebu’s music audience in terms of their audiovisual and live event experience. Dexter also notes that “As diverse as our local music is, there’s still a “comfort zone”, hoping that these kind of events opens up Cebu to other new forms of music and art.
Kazehito Seki
In terms of opening up Cebu for more exciting form of music, MELT also paved way for local artists that for most people, didn’t know that they created these kinds of sound. They were linkage that MELT already had. Some of the local artist that played where Future Teenager, Budoy, Chris Murillo, John Caing & Sam PipeBomb. They also had artist from Manila from their partnership with WSK and Noisebath PH—Joee & I, Lush Death, Sigalot.PJx and Small Town Press.
“Each artist brings something new to the table. Art is very personal and highly-subjective, and this unique sense of individuality is reflected in each of their sets,” says Pj.
Les Belles Noiseuses
Even if the scene has its ups and downs compare to bigger cities, Cebu’s music scene still progresses and continue to innovate; sub communities offer something for everyone, supporting music venues and artists too.
“There’s a lot to be improved on with regards to how we generate interest and income for our independent artist, but at the moment, things have been decently sustainable and people are enjoying themselves, which is an essential factor to keep the music scene alive.” Dexter states.
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