The Strangest Musical Genres of All Time
Get to know the strangest musical genres – Author: Cat Badra, Alestorm by Niek van de Vondervoort
Genres mix and match so much today, and that can create some of the strangest musical genres. There was a time when musical genres seemed simpler. You were either in a rock band or metal band or county. But, now, there are hundreds, probably thousands, of musical genres, some that mesh with each other and others that are just random musical genres all their own. Metal has the most subgenres, but every musical genre has their fair share. So, explore some of the strangest musical genres ever.
The Strangest Musical Genres
Folktronica
Folktronica is pretty much what the name sounds like, offering a blend of folk and electronica. The genre blends acoustic instrumentation with hip hop, electronic and dance rhythms. Some of the most popular bands that fall under the folktronica category are Alt-J and Animal Collective. “The genre is often characterized by its use of organic and electronic sounds, as well as its incorporation of traditional folk music elements,” notes Volt.fm. “Folktronica is often seen as a bridge between traditional folk music and modern electronic music.”
Lowercase
Lowercase is a fascinating musical genre that features an extreme, very dynamic sound and style. The term was coined by late contemporary artist and musician Steve Roden. “Lowercase artists base their music on very quiet sounds and often use silence to juxtapose these sounds so as to amplify their intensity,” notes Rate Your Music. They add that, “Through the digital magnification of microsounds, lowercase artists may also reveal auditory experiences once inaccessible to the human ear.” Roden was also a fantastic artist and has an entire website dedicated to his art and music.
Nintendocore
Nintendocore is pretty awesome if you’re a fan of the classic 1980s Nintendo video games. HORSE the Band pretty much coined the term, and the band mixed 8-bit video game-like synth with heavy metal, creating a unique metalcore sound. “The rise of Nintendocore demonstrated the power of nostalgia in music and paved the way for other unconventional genres to emerge,” notes Indigo Music. Elsewhere, they add, “The result was a unique blend of nostalgia-inducing melodies and high-energy instrumentation that captivated audiences around the world.” It’s certainly one of the strangest musical genres, but it’s still awesome.
Pirate Metal
There’s nothing more metal than being a pirate, right? In that spirit, pirate metal is metal music that incorporates pirate themes and mythology, including chants and pirate jargon. You’ll hear all kinds of metal here, too, from thrash to speed to power. Scotland’s Alestorm is often referenced as the first and biggest influencer in the pirate metal genre.
Vaporwave
Vaporwave emerged in the early 2000s and features a mix of electronic music, visual art and, get this, internet memes. It’s the total merge of technology with music, and it’s very strange, but in a good way. As for the music, the genre often samples R&B, lounge music, jazz and more, adding other effects. It’s very 1980s-centric with some 1990s, too. “Many producers created music that was fairly distant from the original sound, though they used the visual aesthetic developed by vaporwave and often released on associated netlabels, and retained specific attributes like its hazy atmosphere, the use of sampling, or simply 1980s and 1990s nostalgia,” noted Rate the Music.
Aside from the strangest musical genres, check out Audio Ink Radio’s feature on underrated thrash metal bands.
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