In the first edition of a new column exploring ideas of musical experimentalism, Benjamin Bland expresses his passionate belief that drone lies at the forefront of boundary breaking music...
We are, on the whole, slightly suspicious of minimalism. We are brought up to appreciate creativity and, at the most basic level of our understanding, this comes hand in hand with a certain restlessness and vibrancy. What could be more opposed to this idea, in a musical sense, than drone? Yet it is, at least in my mind, the ultimate when it comes to music as a creative art form. There is an undefinable degree of talent necessary for writing a good pop song or a good metal riff, that is true, but to strip away the two primary conceptions of what most people associate with composition (melody and rhythm) and still create brilliant music. Now that is creative talent.
Of course, that is not to say that drone artists have a higher level of quality control than any other. Just because an artist shows willingness to work in the drone field, does not mean they automatically produce something of genuine worth. There is plenty of very average drone music out there. I’ve been guilty myself of providing some of it. So how can we judge it? How can we gauge what of it contains true innovation?
Well part of the trick comes in understanding that the mission of the drone musician is, ostensibly, more to challenge than to please. There is a reason why Sunn O))) are the most famous name in the drone genre at present. It’s because their music, especially in live performance, is genuinely difficult to appreciate. Their endless repetition and ludicrous desire for volume has made their music physically as well as aurally punishing. For many this is the antithesis of what makes for enjoyable music, but that is part of the fundamental point of drone. With the beacons of rhythm and tonality largely absent, ideas of texture and volume become necessarily significant.
There is, of course, much more to Sunn O))) than just volume. You could listen to their albums quietly on your record deck and still appreciate that the sound they produce is truly monolithic in proportions. They, as all good drone artists do, provide a mastery of texture that allows their music to remain interesting despite what many would see as its overt musical simplicity. The fact that they are named after their favourite model of guitar amp should tell you all you need to know on this front. Sunn O))) are all about tone. A more in-depth understanding of the role of texture within drone is, however, provided by listening to drone music not explicitly based around the guitar.
The majority of the output of ambient drone duo Stars of the Lid has been reliant on the minimalist classical ideals provided by twentieth century composers like Arvo Pärt and, although they do use guitars, you wouldn’t actually know it for sure until you saw them perform with your own eyes. The contrast between the soothing sounds of Stars of the Lid and the confrontational hurricane provided by Sunn O))) could not be much greater in terms of effect but both are exploring the idea of music as a textural rather than a tonal phenomenon. Although Stars of the Lid may utilise sweeping string movements the base of their sound are the undulating guitar drones that hold their pieces together. Yet, the instrument has been processed to such an extent that it is no longer recognisable. The pursuit of interesting textures often necessitates pushing instruments beyond what is normally possible of them.
As drone has progressed of course its instrumental scope has increased. Tim Hecker based his 2011 album ‘Ravedeath 1972’ around recordings made on a church organ. The pioneering Earth have forgone their original metal influences for those from the world of folk, and Thomas Köner is one of many who mostly utilise field recordings to create their soundscapes. This helps to demonstrate that contemporary drone music, although still ultimately indebted to the work of groundbreaking composers such as Glass, Stockhausen and Young, has a myriad of different possibilities inherent in its continuation. The exploration of sound that it is defined by will not just run out of new paths in the same way that most other musical styles do. Where is there left to go for hip hop or metal or rock? The same question need not be asked of drone.
Thus we are led back to our earlier questions. How can we in any way judge this music? How can we appreciate its capacity for exploring what is truly new? Well, like all genres, it has to be said that some drone artists are more forward-thinking than others. Those who challenge themselves and their audiences, who are willing to explore the textural nature of sound, are the ones who stand tallest at the head of the genre. There are imitators within the style, that much is for sure, and their music should not be discounted but they are not the ones ensuring that drone continues to provide the most indefatigably boundary breaking music around.
In Music vs. Noise 02 the drone theme will continue, looking at the extent to which the style’s ideas are applicable and transferrable to other genres.
