The Secret Beauty of Weird Music
This is not a conventional post, but I thought I would write it since no one talks about it. I’m often labeled as someone who makes weird music. Perhaps there’s something in electronic music where weird music is more acceptable, or maybe even appreciated, than other genres of music, but why?
What is weird music, and why is it essential are questions that have led me to multiple lovely conversations over the years. I think the first time I had this conversation was in the beginning, when I used to work at a startup where people heard I was doing electronic music. They were expecting me to make something like Daft Punk, which was the mainstream reference of quality electronic music. In Quebec, which has always been a place of folk and Rock music, there has always been a certain disdain towards electronic music, especially in the 90s, and so, if y90s be a weirdo to make that kind of music, you’d keep it to yourself. At the end of the 90s, there was a transitional period where post-rave music emerged as something more refined and thoughtful than standard dance-oriented music. That was due to people having been raving for a decade, exploring the production side of it, getting matured and coming up with something new that wasn’t meant for mainstream music.
Why would you make music for only a handful of people who would love it?
I once had that question after one of my albums came out, which wasn’t meant to be played on the popular radio. While I get that person’s point, I offered an answer that I still connect with today: “If you try to please everyone, you might end up pleasing no one as well as yourself.” In other words, I would rather follow what I love, explore it, and, down the road, connect with others who also enjoy that music.
Being passionate about music, going out to many events, whether raves, intimate loft parties, experimental events, festivals or any other performances, I would always leave the place with some personal notes. I’d try to remember what the peak experience of the event (eg, most decisive moment) was, what would stick with my mind in the following days, what made the crowd react, and what was something I loved that perhaps people didn’t. In many cases, as for my experiences, I felt that moments of surprise, where people were slightly caught off guard, were the memories that would stick with me. Many people would react strongly to drops and breakdowns, but it would easily get tiring after a few times. A trick can only be done a few times until people figure it out.
But the WTF moments were intense and stayed with me long. Even 30 years later, some are still on my mind. I think this comes mostly from how the narrative of a musician comes to create a flow with predictable music and then makes a moment of instability, the audience will be looking for the feeling of resolution. While EDM is known for its epic drops and breaks, there are other ways to do things but it’s not for everyone or every genre.
Why is it Essential?
When I used to perform on stage and improvise, I was known as the weird one with the most unpredictable dialogue and actions. Performers who did improv were interested primarily in making the audience laugh. I noticed that once the audience understood you can make them laugh, they would appreciate if you’d move away from the apparent joke routine to propose something else. I made the connection early that if you only serve the people one dish, they would quickly grow tired of it. A dose of unpredictability would always feed expectations of what would come next, such as “What other trick will he pull next?”
In music, I noticed people have some modes when they go out. Some people will attend an event to hear the music they love or know, while others want to discover something new. There’s a zone between the two where there is success, so you feed the audience with what they love and then step out of your comfort zone to educate them. If you start too weird, people won’t connect.
I remember this video of Villalobos sharing a view on this, regarding the first part of his sets:
I drop the easiest music to understand so we reset the dancefloor with a language everyone can connect with.
But when the crowd is warmed up and going, you can throw a few curveballs, and people will eat them.
So why is it essential to celebrate weirder music?
Especially nowadays, there are multiple reasons to share.
Weird is tomorrow’s normal
If you try new things and people love it, you might have discovered some ideas people want more of. In music, many people want to be validated, appreciated and be part of a community of music makers, which will bring them to follow trends, imitate what has success and learn the methods that deliver results. While this works, most of the time, it also brings nothing new to the table. We’re just recycling ideas and numbing people out with what pleases them. There’s no need for any intellectual effort to consume these; there’s nothing wrong with that. But it does not contribute to the viability of a genre.
Innovation is not consistently recognized at first, but it is necessary to bring excitement back. Some innovations never get endorsed, though. What happens is that you’ll be exploring some new techniques that will lead you to new sounds. Moving forward will help you access that zone where you’ll eventually feel at home.
I’m sharing a video I thought was pretty interesting. It shows where things can go based on what music has been offering. But it shows that music is about change and that things should always move forward, sometimes out of where we think it should head to.
One thing I noticed, as a mastering engineer, is that I have some clients who keep doing the same song, but slightly different each time. It feels like they either have fun doing it or they feel they will eventually find the right combination that will provide a hit. But they rarely go out of their way, where a new world of opportunities awaits them. After a coaching session, this client did the opposite of what he usually does. After exploring this new direction, he got some attention from a pretty respected label. Things started from there. I wouldn’t credit myself for that, as he did a hell of a job, but he needed this gentle nudge or encouragement to move on to something else.
Breaking Patterns
As I said in the previous point, exploring new ideas helps you acquire new skills. Venturing into a different genre forces you to break your habits. But where and how does one break patterns?
Here are a few things to explore.
1. Radio Garden
https://radio.garden
Spin the globe and tune in to live radio stations from almost any country. Fantastic for immersing yourself in regional music you’d never find otherwise. Try jumping into small islands or rural areas for unexpected finds.
2. Every Noise at Once
https://everynoise.com
A massive genre map built on Spotify data. Click on any genre (like “Deep Filthstep” or “Zolo”) and get a list of artists. It’s overwhelming in a good way. Use it to explore genres you’ve never even heard of.
3. Aquarium Drunkard
https://aquariumdrunkard.com
A blog and label that curates obscure, psychedelic, folk, ambient, world music and lo-fi gems. Great writing and lots of free mixes to discover long-lost or niche records.
4. Boomkat
https://boomkat.com
Known for leftfield electronic, avant-garde, and experimental releases. Their staff picks and album descriptions are very tuned into the strange and wonderful.
5. Bandcamp Explorer / Randomizer
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Bandcamp Discover → use the tag browser to explore things like “ritual”, “glitch”, “field recordings”, “abstract”, “weirdcore”
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Or try this random Bandcamp generator: bandcamp-random.com
6. Use Reverse Geography
Pick a country you’re completely unfamiliar with (e.g. Kazakhstan, Angola, or Tuva), then search:
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“[country] experimental music”
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“avant-garde [language or region]”
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Search on YouTube or Bandcamp using that country’s name.
7. Shuffle through a Music Subreddit
Reddit has niche communities like:
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r/ObscureMedia
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r/ListenToThis
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r/Vaporwave
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r/ExperimentalMusic
…where people post obscure or genre-bending tracks. Dig through archives and see what sparks.
8. Search Labels, Not Artists
Find a weirdo label (e.g., PAN, Sublime Frequencies, Important Records, Nyege Nyege Tapes, Black Truffle) and go through their catalogues. Labels often curate specific aesthetics more than any individual artist does
9. YouTube Digging
Start with a niche artist or keyword (“Japanese noise music”, “80s Iranian funk”, “French concrete”), then let the algorithm take you down rabbit holes. Tip: Find channels like “Vinyl archaeologist” or “Unheard Music” that post full obscure albums.
10. Ask ChatGPT (or use AI tools) like this:
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“Give me 5 artists from Mongolia who make electronic music.”
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“What are some weird genres I’ve never heard of?”
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“Show me playlists that mix ritual and glitch aesthetics.”
Discovering what you didn’t know you loved
Discovering new music and exposing yourself to it is one thing, but you need to train your brain to like it. As an engineer who works with music of all genres and producers of all levels, I sometimes encounter music that challenges my taste. But I discovered a few tricks that let me appreciate music that I wouldn’t like in some cases. Strangely enough, outside my studio, I let myself to be picky, which is the same when I go out. But for the sake of my work, I need to love the client’s music to showcase its best parts.
But here are some tricks you can try:
1. Pair It With Familiar Habits (Associative Listening)
Your brain loves patterns and repetition, so sneak the new sound in during routine moments.
How:
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Play the new music while doing something comforting or familiar, such as cooking, walking, journaling, or gaming.
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Over time, your brain starts linking the music to that positive feeling, even if the music itself felt “off” at first.
Example: You might not love drone or glitch at first, but if it’s the soundtrack to your morning coffee ritual, it starts feeling like “home.”
2. Repeat Exposure Without Pressure (The Mere Exposure Effect)
Science says we like things more the more we’re exposed to them. The key is low-stakes repetition.
How:
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Create a playlist of “not sure if I like this yet” tracks and loop it quietly while doing other things. Indirect and background listening can be a good way to expose yourself to music as many people have this relationship with it.
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Don’t force close listening—just let the brain soak it in passively over a few days.
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Pro tip: Your taste often lags behind your perception. What feels confusing on Day 1 might feel genius on Day 4.
3. Remix Context (Compare It to Something You Know)
Your brain can handle weirdness better when it has a frame of reference. Find a bridge between what you know and the new sound.
How:
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Focus on one familiar element in the track (e.g., a beat, instrument, texture, or emotional tone).
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Ask: “What does this remind me of?” or “If this were a movie scene, what kind would it be?”
Reframing turns confusion into curiosity. Once your brain has a “hook,” it opens up to the rest.
Also, there’s contextual imagining:
1. Contextual Priming
When you imagine a setting where the music is loved (e.g., a sweaty warehouse, a spiritual ritual, a sunrise rave), you’re giving your brain a frame to understand the music.
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Our brains don’t judge art in a vacuum—they rely on context to interpret intention.
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Simulating a positive environment creates emotional cues that make the music feel more meaningful.
You’re basically giving the music a narrative it didn’t have before, and your brain loves stories.
2. Mirror Neurons & Social Enjoyment
When you witness others enjoying music—even if it’s just in your imagination—your mirror neurons fire in response.
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This system evolved to help us empathize and learn from one another socially.
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Seeing joy or connection in others activates your reward circuits, and your brain starts linking that feeling with the sound itself.
3. Predictive Processing & Reframing
The brain constantly tries to predict what will happen next in sound. With unfamiliar music, it struggles at first. But when you reframe the music in a positive setting, you lower resistance and allow the brain to explore the sound with curiosity instead of defence.
Opening to new ideas
As I was relating how genres and techniques are tied together, I thought I would give you a few ideas.
1. Dub (Jamaica)
Signature Technique: Live mixing with tape delay and spring reverb
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Originating in the 1970s, Jamaican sound systems.
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Producers like King Tubby and Lee “Scratch” Perry would take reggae tracks and strip them down, using the mixing desk as an instrument.
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They’d drop out vocals or drums, and blast snare hits into space with delay and reverb.
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Heavy emphasis on spatial effects and repetition.
Great for exploring: Send automation, tape echo feedback loops, and spring reverb tails.
2. Glitch / IDM
Signature Technique: Micro-editing, granular resampling, and digital “failure” artifacts
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Pioneered by artists like Autechre, Alva Noto, and Oval.
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Often embraces “errors” like buffer underruns, bitcrushing, clicks, and skips.
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It uses tools like Max/MSP, Reaktor, and destructive audio editing.
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The music plays with the texture of malfunction and fractured rhythm.
Great for exploring: Granular synthesis, sample slicing, probability sequencing.
3. Detroit Techno
Signature Technique: Machine sequencing with swing and analog character
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Driven by hardware like the Roland TR-909, SH-101, and MPCs.
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Often emphasizes cyclical loops, groove by timing shifts, and a futuristic aesthetic.
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Producers like Juan Atkins and Derrick May fused precision with warmth, using step sequencers to build hypnotic momentum.
Great for exploring: Step sequencing, drum machine swing, filter modulation over time.
I find there’s some homework one should do by exploring all genres to see how they approach their music. By understanding it, you won’t necessarily be qualified enough to make some music that would fit that community but you will have some material to explore to bring some depth to your art.
Guidelines for Introducing Weirdness Without Losing the Plot
1. Respect the Core Identity, Warp the Details
🔧 “Stay in costume, but improvise the lines.”
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Stick to the genre’s structural skeleton (tempo, instrumentation, mood, or rhythm).
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Pick one element to swap or distort—like replacing a standard hi-hat with metallic noise, or a pad with a vocal texture.
Example:
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House music track with a 4/4 kick and bass groove, but all percussion is made from heavily processed field recordings.
2. Alter Time Signatures Surgically
“Keep the loop danceable—but sneak in a 5/4 bar once in a while.”
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Maintain an accessible pulse, but inject odd time signatures or polymeters in short bursts.
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You can also fake complexity by shifting note groupings, swinging subdivisions, or nested rhythms.
Example:
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A 16-bar loop where bar 8 briefly switches to 7/8 before returning to 4/4—creates a jolt without derailing the groove.
3. Treat Weird Sounds Like Spices, Not the Whole Dish
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Use unconventional sounds (granular bursts, detuned drones, glitch textures) at low volumes, or layer them beneath familiar elements.
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Timbre management is key: use EQ, transient shaping, or saturation to blend weird elements into the mix more organically.
Example:
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Replace a background riser with reversed vocal murmurs—weird, but texturally similar and easy to absorb.
4. Keep Arrangement Familiar, Play With the Microstructure
“Structure gives you the right to be weird.”
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Follow a typical arrangement (intro → drop → breakdown → rebuild) to anchor the listener.
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Get strange in transitions, fills, and layering rather than in the overall structure.
Example:
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An ambient techno track with standard phrasing, but each drop introduces one new disorienting texture, like an LFO-warped chord or sample slicing.
5. Introduce a Motif and Mutate It Over Time
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Repetition gives listeners trust and memory—once they know the motif, you can gradually twist it.
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Use pitch-shifting, reverb morphing, stereo movement, or envelope manipulation over time.
Example:
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A melodic hook starts clean, and over 3 minutes, becomes a distorted ghost of itself.
6. Balance Predictability and Surprise
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Think of your track like a journey with tension and release.
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Introduce a surprising element after a moment of familiarity. People are more open to new ideas once they feel safe.
Example:
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After a recognizable chorus or groove, introduce a full drop into an abstract ambient break—then bring it back.
Bonus Trick: Start with a Reference Track, Then ‘Corrupt’ It
Take a standard genre structure, recreate it as a template, then substitute one part at a time with something unexpected—like:
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A modular synth patch instead of a piano
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Foleys and texture in place of synths
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Spoken word snippets as rhythmic elements