Five easy masterpieces: an introductory guide to no wave
When it comes to music listening habits, it is all too easy to stay within your own personal bubble. Simply accepting whatever tracks the singles charts or TikTok push upon you is an undeniably easy option. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this method of musical discovery, if you push your boundaries ever-so-slightly, you can discover a vibrant new world of musical brilliance, namely no wave.
The no wave scene of New York’s underground is famously diverse and hard to pin down, largely by design. The darker cousin of the city’s blossoming new wave scene, largely characterised by bright colours, a dilution of the punk spirit, and pop sensibilities. No wave, on the other hand, signified a move away from this sense of conformity, celebrating the weird and wonderful world of musical experimentation.
No wave could incorporate everything from the avant-garde compositions of Glenn Branca to the disco and funk imbued on the recordings of Lizzy Mercier Descloux. This diversity within the scene is something of a double-edged sword: on the one hand, you are bound to find at least something that tickles your fancy, but on the other, getting into the genre can be a difficult task.
While the countless new wave and punk groups that were born from New York’s vibrant East-side scene were largely pessimistic towards other musical styles, no wave celebrated disparate collections of genre conventions. With a heavy focus on dissonance, prominent artists like James Chance championed the incorporation of free jazz and disco, while other artists favoured punk and the avant-garde.
The conversation surrounding no wave does not get very far without mentioning ZE Records, the independent label established by Michael Zilkha and Michel Esteban in 1978. Looking over the discography of the short-lived label acts as a fairly good summation of the underground scene in general. The label also established ‘mutant disco’ – a kind of sub-genre which focused on innovative disco-influenced styles, which were distinctly more danceable than much of no wave.
Aside from the prominent releases of ZE, which often received the stamp of approval from New York musical legends like Patti Smith or The Velvet Underground founder John Cale, there is a wide breadth of albums that largely flew under the radar. Nevertheless, the short-lived musical scene had an undeniable effect on rock music as a whole, inspiring seminal groups; Sonic Youth likely being the most prominent example.
So, with that in mind, allow us to guide you on an introductory journey through the intense underground scene of 1970s New York, shining a light on some of the most legendary releases to arise from no wave.
Five introductory albums to no wave:
Glenn Branca – The Ascension
Starting off with a plunge into the deep end of no wave’s avant-garde inspiration, the debut album from Glenn Branca is one of the scene’s most intense and interesting moments. Released in November of 1981, The Ascension sees Branca experiment with resonance, created by multiple electric guitars with alternate tunings.
While, in traditional music making, feedback is seen as something to avoid, Branca turns this expectation on its head, mastering guitar feedback and placing as much musical importance on it as the sounds of guitars themselves. Among those guitarists featured on the album is Lee Ranaldo, who would later join Sonic Youth, who were mentored by Branca in their early days.
James Chance and the Contortions – Buy
An unavoidable figure within the world of no wave, James Chance pioneered the inclusion of free jazz influences within the scene. In addition to his unique vocals, Chance also proved himself to be a fantastic saxophonist with a penchant for dissonance. The debut studio album of his group, The Contortions, was released through ZE Records in 1979, at the peak of the no wave explosion.
A chaotic inferno of sound, Buy is a truly unforgettable effort, with the defining track undoubtedly being ‘Contort Yourself’. Though Chance featured on various compilations throughout the no wave period, this album certainly deserves to be listened to in full, demanding your attention for the entirety of its 30-minute run-time.
Lizzy Mercier Descloux – Press Color
One of the few prominent no wave artists to hail from Europe, as opposed to the American underground scene, Lizzy Mercier Descloux is among the greatest exports of the era. An archetypal figure within the Parisian punk scene, Descloux moved to New York in the late 1970s alongside her then-partner Michel Esteban, who then established ZE Records.
Throughout her career, Descloux incorporated a vast range of influences, from Afrobeat to out-and-out disco. Press Color, in addition to being her debut release, is perhaps her most accessible. Featuring a mix of haunting pieces that build tension throughout, as well as catchy dance numbers and an unforgettable disco version of Arthur Brown’s classic track ‘Fire’, this album has something for everybody.
Suicide – Suicide
The debut studio album from Suicide is a somewhat contentious inclusion within this list. Strictly speaking, the duo, made up of Alan Vega and Martin Rev, weren’t strictly a no wave band. In fact, the pair had formed years prior to the movement’s beginnings, first getting together in 1970. Nevertheless, Suicide were hugely influential on the no wave scene.
Featuring rock and roll-inspired vocals and minimalist electronic influences, Suicide was largely ignored upon its initial release in 1977. However, within the landscape, Alan Vega became something of a legendary figure, continuing into his solo career, which saw the release of iconic no wave songs such as ‘Bye Bye Bayou’, which was later covered by LCD Soundsystem.
Various – No New York
Is it a cop-out to include a compilation album on this list? Well, maybe. But the fact remains that the Brian Eno-produced No New York encapsulates a large portion of the no wave scene. Featuring the likes of the aforementioned James Chance, along with seminal acts DNA and Mars, the album also espouses the brilliance of Lydia Lunch, a vitally important figure within the movement who led Teenage Jesus and the Jerks.
The fact that the album was produced by Brian Eno, a truly iconic figure in alternative and experimental music, speaks to the legendary nature of the no wave scene. Although most groups operating within the movement received little mainstream attention, the attention they got from the elder statesmen of alternative rock, such as Eno, Smith and Cale, is a great signifier of how vibrant and underrated no wave music was.