Art of Noise

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• Genre: Synth Pop
• Hometown: London

About

The Art of Noise were one of the most revolutionary sounds in early '80s dance music. They created complex, confounding collages of every genre in the spirit of early hip-hop, but their breaks were undisciplined, unwieldy and uncanny. As jazz horn blasts collided with cartoonish voices and crushing Industrial beats with syrupy synthesizers, their music seemed as much a mockery of music as a brilliant example of it. (The accompanying video for “Close [to the Edit]” had them destroying a grand piano with a chainsaw.) Their glib, catchy loops and samples made for perfect dance music, despite their comic value. They continued to evolve through the decade, creating sounds for both the dance floor and chill room until they disbanded at the turn of the decade. They recently reunited to pay homage to French composer Claude Debussy -- who evolved a formative approach to harmony -- and they continue to be a major sampling source and inspiration for sampladelic music.

- Marc Kate