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Drone, Noise & Experimental

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Bristol's Drone/noise Scene

Bristol’s drone and noise rock scenes are some of the most awesome musical niches found in this city. Small packed-out gigs, captivated crowds and performers pushing the boundaries between music, white noise and sound art. While international names like Tim Hecker and the Haxan Cloak have made appearances in Bristol, it’s local label Howling Owl Records and promoters Cacophonous Sarcophagus who are leading the way here. Keep your eyes peeled for gigs at the Arnolfini gallery, The Cube cinema, The Exchange and small events spaces like the Scout Hut and Centre Space.

Intimate Drone/noise music in Bristol
The Bristol drone/noise scene, it’s not just the Bristol Hum like you’d think! Bristol drone and noise gigs can be some of the most intimate around, the crowd all huddled in silence in one of Bristol prestigious venues (like the newly rebranded Bristol Beacon). Although lacking big local names to rival international drone artists like William Basinski or Tim Hecker, there’s been a recent increase in ambient gigs, nights like Dark Alchemy and Lust Pattern have taken the beat out of music but still made it droney and noisey, and just very Bristol.

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Our recent drone/noise recommendations

Sell out warning! Dare you miss your annual dose of Pink Lady Lemonade? The definitive freak-out group of the 21st century unite with Teeth of the Sea’s crunchy mutant soundscapes for a potent dose of beyond-experimental psych. Unhinged music for unhinged fans of: Hawkwind, Amon Düül, Gnod, Comets on Fire, Föllakzoid. Acid Mothers Temple / Teeth of The Sea / Thee Alcoholics at Strange Brew.

Local virtuosic experimentalist Nik Rawlings lends their sublime operatic vocals to this new series exploring DIY spatial sonics! They're joined by Duncan Speakman’s visceral fog of guitar-processed musique concréte and spectral dronewave from Natalia Mamcarczyk – immersive minimal soundscapes await at this essential one FFO: Éliane Radigue, Kali Malone, claire rousay, Blank Forms. PUNK/T SPATIAL #1 Nik Rawlings, Duncan Speakman, Natalia Mamcarczyk at Arnolfini.

Enter The Noid dial in another heart-ripping display of cathartic skramz and slowcore introspection from Mitsubishi Suicide. You’ll scream, you’ll cry, you’ll wish you did more fretboard drills as a teen… and before all that you’ll be sucked into the utter oblivion of Betrayers’ crust-damaged doomgrinding. All the emotions at once FFO: Gillian Carter, Indian Summer, Slint, Dragged Into Sunlight. Mitsubishi Suicide, Betrayers & You Are Drowning in Evil.. at Moor Beer Co.

Sell out warning! A sweet, sweet tape release celebration in the snug surrounds of East Bristol Books. Bristol improv stalwart Danny Riley lulls 20 chosen bibliophiles with a fresh helping of his avant-garde fingerstyle instrumentals, alongside mesmeric support from Carnivorous Plants’ melodic distortionscapes. Danny Riley *Round Being* tape launch with Carnivorous Plants at East Bristol Books.

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What our editors say

“MOUNTAINSCAPE Instrumental post-metal Blending elements of post-rock, black metal, doom, sludge and ambient, MOUNTAINSCAPE meld dreamlike shoegaze with earth-shattering heaviness, unexpected twists and film score grandeur. A band on the rise, last year they notably played PORTALS festival and supported DVNE and NIGHT VERSES.”
From: Urzah

“Dawn Terry From the days of Bong to a host of collaborations; cranky lo fi Dungeon Synth to one of the most arresting and enveloping improvised solo drone projects around, Dawn Terry is a mainstay of the UK underground. She plays slow, melancholic, optimistic music for sad people. Based in Newcastle, she is a veteran drone artist, producing work that is heavy, dreamlike, open and hypnotic. In her recent music Dawn has turned towards acoustic resonances provided by accordion, hurdy-gurdy, and voice.”
From: SHFTD & SB pres. Jarboe feat. Thor Harris & Joy Von Spain + Dawn Terry ++

“They released their debut EP Ode To A in 2023, earning it a spot on The Thin Air’s “Best of 2023” list. "Ode To A succeeds not just in the artistic practice of the avant-garde, but as piece of an engaging, genuinely psychedelic experimental drone rock” – Stevie Lennox, The Thin Air. In April 2024, they released their second EP “GOING INSANE” on cult Porto based label Socorro, with a limited vinyl run via Ireland’s beloved Blowtorch Records, receiving much critical acclaim.”
From: pôt-pot

“S A R R A M,solo project of Valerio Marras,heads to Bristol,on tour ,and all the way from Sardinia, Italy.' A dark ceremony ' , promises ambient electronic noise , with a new album.FFO Coil,Sunn ((((0))))) ,The Body ,Nadja.”
From: S A R R A M + Colossloth + Prior+ DJ JG

“UK-based Australian vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Penelope Trappes Formally trained in opera and jazz in her youth, Penelope swaddles her voice and poetics in brooding atmospherics underpinned by subterranean drone. On April 4 2025, She released her fifth full-length album ‘A Requiem’ on London imprint, One Little Independent Records. ‘A Requiem’ collects ten haunting, ambient soundscapes - incantations of dreams and nightmares, of death and grief, as well as power and autonomy. Carnal, transcendent cello drones are used to exorcise historical and generational traumas in an evocative and macabre piece of gothic experimentalism.”
From: Penelope Trappes & Rún