Watch Sufjan Stevens Perform His Unreleased Noise Track “Harsh Noise”
If you’re going to name a piece of music “Harsh Noise,” that title either has to be completely ironic or completely accurate. In the case of Sufjan Stevens, it’s the latter. Stevens recently took part in One Night Stand, a musical project arranged by the cellist Gasper Claus. Over one 2012 evening in Brooklyn, Claus invited friends like Stevens, the National’s Bryce Dessner, and the Men’s Ben Greenberg to collaborate on a whole bunch of music. “Harsh Noise” is a Stevens contribution, and it really is a short burst of lurching, guttural electronic stabs, with some seasick growling overtop. The recording will be available on a new double-LP document of the night, but you can watch the video below.
One Night Stand is out 6/30, via Microcultures.