Neofolk
| Neofolk | |
|---|---|
| Other names |
|
| Stylistic origins |
|
| Cultural origins | 1980s, England |
| Derivative forms | Martial industrial |
(complete list) | |
| Other topics | |
| |
Neofolk, also known as post-industrial or apocalyptic folk, is a form of experimental music blending elements of folk and industrial music, which emerged in punk rock circles in the 1980s.[1] Neofolk may either be solely acoustic or combine acoustic folk instrumentation with various other sounds.[2]
Contents
1 History
2 Culture
3 Related terms and styles
3.1 Apocalyptic folk
3.2 Folk noir
3.3 Martial industrial
4 Notable artists
5 References
6 Further reading
History
Sol Invictus in live concert
The term "neofolk" originates from esoteric music circles who started using the term in the late 20th century to describe music influenced by musicians such as Douglas Pearce (Death In June), Tony Wakeford (Sol Invictus) and David Tibet (Current 93).[2][citation needed]
Anglo-American folk music with similar sounds and themes to neofolk existed as far back as the 1960s.[2] Folk musicians such as Vulcan's Hammer, Changes, Leonard Cohen, and Comus could be considered harbingers of the sound that later influenced the neofolk artists. Also the later explorations of Velvet Underground's band members, specifically those of Lou Reed, have been called a major influence to what later became neofolk.[1]
Culture
A majority of artists within the neofolk genre focus on archaic, cultural and literary references. Local traditions and indigenous beliefs tend to be portrayed heavily as well as esoteric and historical topics.[2]
Various forms of neopaganism and occultism play a part in the themes touched upon by many modern and original neofolk artists. Runic alphabets, heathen European sites and other means of expressing an interest in the ancient and ancestral occurs often in neofolk music. Aesthetically, references to this subject occur within band names, album artwork, clothing and various other means of artistic expression. This has led to some forefathers of the genre and current artists within the genre attributing it to being an aspect of a broader neopagan revival.[3]
Related terms and styles
Apocalyptic folk
As a descriptor, apocalyptic folk predates neofolk and was used by David Tibet to describe the music of his band Current 93 during a period in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[4] Initially, Tibet did not intend to imply connection with the folk music genre; rather, that Current 93 was made by "apocalyptic folk[s]": in other words, apocalyptic people.[5] Tibet and Current 93 did dabble in covers of traditional English folk song and Tibet himself was a great advocate for reclusive English folk singer Shirley Collins.
Folk noir
Other vague terms sometimes used to describe artists of this genre include "dark folk" and "pagan folk". These terms are umbrella terms that also describe various other forms of unrelated music.[1]
Martial industrial
Martial industrial or military pop is a genre that shares a lot in common with neofolk and developed very close to it.[6]
Notable artists
Andrea Haugen[2]
Ataraxia[7]
- Blood Axis
Camerata Mediolanense[2]
Current 93[8]
Death in June[8][9]
- Der Blutharsch
- Empyrium
Fire + Ice[8]
Harvest Rain[10]
- Havnatt
- Kentin Jivek
Kirlian Camera[8]
The Moon lay hidden beneath a Cloud[11]
Moulettes[12]
- Naevus
- Nature and Organisation
Nest[13]
- Neun Welten
Of the Wand & the Moon[8]
Oniric[14]
- Ordo Equitum Solis
Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio[15]
Orplid[8][16]
- Ostara
Rome[17]
- Romowe Rikoito
Sorrow[8]
Sol Invictus[8]
Sonne Hagal[18]
- Sturmpercht
Spiritual Front[19]
Tenhi[20]
- Von Thronstahl
- Werkraum
References
^ ab Webb, Peter (2007). "Neo-Folk or Postindustrial Music". Exploring the Networked Worlds of Popular Music. Routledge. ISBN 9780415956581.One milieu to develop out of Punk was the scene that later became known as either apocalyptic folk, postindustrial, or later neo-folk.
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^ abcdef Neumann-Braun, Klaus; Schmidt, Axel (2008). Die Welt der Gothics: Spielräume düster konnotierter Transzendenz [The World of the Goths: Scopes of a darkly-connoted Transcendence] (in German) (2nd ed.). VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. p. 280. ISBN 3-531-15880-5.
^ "I'm very happy about that because I see Death In June as part of a European cultural revival. I'm pleased that the Old Gods are being resurrected, for want of a better word. Old symbols. I feel very pleased that I am a part of that process and that I have had influence. At this stage in the game, so to speak, it's not false modesty to say that I am content with my influence." Powell, Erin. Interview with Douglas Pearce Archived 2007-10-18 at the Wayback Machine, 2005.
^ Rehill, Anne (2009). The Apocalypse Is Everywhere: A Popular History of America's Favorite Nightmare. Greenwood Publishing. p. 205. ISBN 0-313-35438-3.
^ "The Apocalyptic Visions of Current 93"
^ Brill, Dunja. "Transgression ohne Queer – die Inszenierung martialischer Männlichkeit als 'Anti-Drag' in der Industrial- und Extreme Metal-Szene [Transgression without 'Queer' – the Staging of martial Masculinity as being 'Anti-Drag' in the Industrial and Extreme Metal Scene]". In Nagelschmidt, Ilse; Wojke, Kristin; Borrego, Britta. Interdisziplinäres Kolloquium zur Geschlechterforschung: Die Beiträge [Interdisciplinary Colloquium on Gender Research: the Contributions] (in German). Peter Lang. p. 133.
^ "Ataraxia". FluxEuropa. Archived from the original on 2009-02-10.
^ abcdefgh Schmidt, Axel; Neumann-Braun, Klaus: Die Welt der Gothics. Spielräume düster konnotierter Transzendenz., Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften 2004,
ISBN 3-531-14353-0, p. 277
^ Powell, Erin (April 9, 2005). "Interview with Douglas Pearce". Death in June.
^ "Interviews:Harvest Rain". Heathen Harvest.
^ "The Moon lay hidden beneath a Cloud". FluxEuropa. Archived from the original on 2009-12-09.
^ Roy, Sanjoy. "The Seafarers Review – A Lyrical Ode to the Ocean". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2018-05-27. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
^ "Nest". Darktronica. Archived from the original on 2011-10-03.
^ "Oniric Cabaret Syndrome". Northern Gothics.
^ "Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio". Darktronica. Archived from the original on 2008-12-01.
^ Schurmann, Martin (April 1, 2006). "Neofolk – mehr als nur eine Musikrichtung" (in German). Archived from the original on January 19, 2010.
^ "Rome". Darktronica. Archived from the original on 2011-10-03.
^ "Sonne Hagal Interview". Heathen Harvest. January 23, 2006.
^ "Spiritual Front". Darktronica. Archived from the original on 2011-10-03.
^ "Tenhi". Darktronica. Archived from the original on 2011-10-03.
Further reading
- Anton Shekhovtsov, 'Apoliteic music: Neo-Folk, Martial Industrial and "metapolitical fascism"', Patterns of Prejudice, Vol. 43, No. 5 (December 2009), pp. 431–457.
- Peter Webb, Exploring the Networked Worlds of Popular Music: Milieu Cultures (New York: Routledge, 2007),
ISBN 0-415-95658-7. - Andreas Diesel und Dieter Gerten, Looking for Europe - Neofolk und Hintergründe (Zeltingen-Rachtig: Index-Verlag, 2005),
ISBN 3-936878-02-1.
