Surf Noir music

[Trash Magic 28,378]

I've seen some people ask about this before, to suggest albums that have a similar sound to this masterpiece

 

What is Surf Noir?

Some albums which I think have this Surf Noir sound are:

 

Come Around Sundown - Kings of Leon.

I'd say this is the most similar, It feels like a real running theme similar to Lana Del Ray.

 

Little Broken Hearts - Norah Jones.

 

Norah Jones - Come Away With Me

 

Nelly Furtado - Folklore

 

I'd also suggest artists such as Foals, Corinne Bailey Rae and Jack Johnson

 

I'd love to hear other suggestions of music similar to the LDR album.

[Mileena 2,691]

thank you, i've been looking for some more surf noir. 

[Trash Magic 28,378]

thank you, i've been looking for some more surf noir. 

This needs to be a real developed genre 

[TrailerParkDarling 5,691]

i just think of it as sort of slow/melodramatic beach beats, maybe w/ hawaiian/tropical themes. some of my faves:

dirty beaches

the zombies

the kinks

slowdive

lou christie

the ronettes!!!

tanlines 

WORK DRUGS <3 <3 <3

[VegasBaby 895]

 When I hear "surf noir" I think of...maybe Empire of the Sun, Passion Pit or Miami Horror or Nada Surf ...idk. Not really heard of that genre before tbh. Interesting though.

 

[Hello Heaven 1,578]

Bless this thread. I know I've mentioned this before so I'm interested in trying out some suggestions and I'll also have a dig around for any surf noir type albums I have lying around.

[eyelovelefteye 1,703]

I hate Come Away With Me so much

[Heaux 1,399]

i know surf music is a genre but i thought Lana made up 'surf noir'

[TrailerParkDarling 5,691]

i know surf music is a genre but i thought Lana made up 'surf noir'

 

she did haha just like dope cinema, hollywood sadcore, etc.

 

although there is this band i luv called beat connection whose album is entitled 'surf noir' 

[Viva 3,169]

i know surf music is a genre but i thought Lana made up 'surf noir'

 

she did haha just like dope cinema, hollywood sadcore, etc.

 

although there is this band i luv called beat connection whose album is entitled 'surf noir' 

 

Surf Noir is really a style which Lana didn't invented hahaaha and is also a slang lets say. Has also surf rock...eletro surf...Think Placebo style or Beat Connection like you said Beat connection's album is called surf noir. . At night surf is more dangerous, misterious and also more spiritual. the tone is more sad, the beats heavier lots of "wet' in guitars sounds. Its dark and romantic like noir cinema. Thats where the name came from. From what I know at least.

 

Ps: I love Beat Connection too.

 

[Monicker 3,035]

The pedant in me needs to weigh in here on the terminology (and i will suggest things that i think are truly befitting of the genre). 

 

“Surf Noir” as related to Lana Del Rey is bullshit. I think there are very little to no surf elements in the Lizzy Grant stuff. It’s always seemed to me like it’s just a catchy, grabbing name she came up with that ultimately is meaningless.

 

Let’s look at the term SURF from the genre of music and NOIR from the genre of film. Integral to surf music is a very straight, driving 8th note, fast 4/4 rhythm, though there’s definitely slower tempo surf stuff, and, of course, heavily reverberated electric guitars with lots of vibrato. There are other elements but those are the main, essential attributes, the telltale characteristics of surf music. And then there’s Noir, characterized by: darkness, shadow, bleakness, grit, mystery, and action. Carried out in ways that are expressionistic, gothic, off kilter, and even brutal.

 

That said, i don’t think there’s much music that actually fits the conflation of these two descriptors. I think that specific coalescence of surf and noir most likely has to come in a modern context because most surf music/other styles that incorporated surf elements from the late ‘50s/early ‘60s tended to be rather “lightweight.” The idea of surf + noir seems like a pretty postmodern one to me. But, again, i don’t think there’s much out there that is truly fitting of that mostly imaginary genre, especially in the way of vocal stuff. 

 

Here are a few things that, while having nothing really to do with the sound of the AKA album, are the closest to something that i think could be described as “surf noir.” Some of this stuff is a kind of natural evolution of Exotica: 

 

A surf style cover of a song by the black metal band Burzum. Truly as surf noir as it gets:

 

Actually, if you look up “trve kvlt surf” on youtube, you can find a lot of stuff in this style. Don’t fall for the joke in the description though--this stuff isn’t really from the ’60s!

 

 

Secret Chiefs 3 do a good amount of dark sounding surf stuff:

 

I couldn’t find this song on youtube, but it’s on grooveshark: http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/Book+T+Orbital+Ballroom+In+The+Hall+Of+Resurrection/4kZK13?src=5

 

 

There’s a certain tension and some dark undertones in The Chantays version of Pipeline that i think can loosely fit a noir aesthetic: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omG-hZfN6zk

 

 

John Zorn also has done a good amount of surf related stuff in a kind of modern Exotica context that has a darkness and mysteriousness to it: 

 

 

There’s this too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybz7kHdmi1k

 

 

I’m sure i’m forgetting stuff but that’s all i can think of at the moment. Maybe try some Man or Astro-man? too and some Stereolab. Joe Meek often had elements of surf and he produced a ton of girl groups and singers. Possibly try some Vincent Bell too. Check out Jerry Goldsmith’s score to the movies Our Man Flint (1966) and In Like Flint (1967), they definitely have some elements of dark surf, and they’re both some of the best film scores of all time to boot!

 

But, again, this stuff isn’t in a Lizzy Grant pop vein.  

 

Oh! Maybe some Julee Cruise:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uq_ix7nfkc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dINbJL9HoII

 

 

By the way, on an indirectly related note, i saw recently on wikipedia that Kill Kill is being described as having elements of... ELECTRONICA? Who writes this shit? 

[Rafael 3,513]

John Zorn also has done a good amount of surf related stuff in a kind of modern Exotica context that has a darkness and mysteriousness to it

 

I really liked his tunes, will definitely check his music out. Thanks! 

[drewby 9,246]

the album Restraint by Orca Team

[Trash Magic 28,378]

I knew Monicker would massacre me for this

[Monicker 3,035]

Ha, i wasn't massacring you. Incidentally, i was contemplating the term "surf noir" just the other day and listening to that trve kvlt surf stuff on youtube, and i wanted to generally speak on the topic anyway. I think i may have even considered starting a thread. I like the term surf noir, and i have since i first heard it. I even like it applied to her in that same way that i like other things about her that i don't take too seriously, despite it not actually fitting musically. I feel like it's more of a conceptual thing than anything.  

[VioletPrincess 962]

I didn't know this was a recognized genre, but it makes "Wicked Game" come to mind

[PrettyBaby 2,219]

Falling in love with Julee Cruise   ...thank you, @@Monicker , wherever you are!

[Anthem 1,558]

Would you guys consider "West Coast" to be surf noir?