What is Post-Industrial?

Post-Industrial is a subgenre of industrial music that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s as an evolution of the original industrial music genre. It is characterized by a focus on experimental electronic music and soundscapes, often incorporating elements of ambient, noise, and musique concrète.

Post-Industrial music typically explores themes of technology, dystopia, and urban decay, and is known for its use of unconventional and avant-garde production techniques. The genre often features layered and complex soundscapes, incorporating field recordings, processed samples, and manipulated sounds.

Post-Industrial is considered to be a more atmospheric and introspective subgenre of industrial music, and its artists often employ a wide range of sonic textures, from abrasive noise to ambient soundscapes, to create their musical landscapes.

Some of the prominent post-industrial artists include Coil, FKA Twigs, William Basinski, and Tim Hecker. The genre continues to be an influential and innovative musical movement, and its influence can be heard in various other genres such as ambient, experimental, and electronic music.

Top Post-Industrial Albums

Coil – “Musick to Play in the Dark” (1999)

FKA Twigs – “LP1” (2014)

Throbbing Gristle – “20 Jazz Funk Greats” (1979)

William Basinski – “The Disintegration Loops” (2002)

Tim Hecker – “Ravedeath, 1972” (2011)

Cabaret Voltaire – “Red Mecca” (1981)

Current 93 – “Thunder Perfect Mind” (1992)

Nurse With Wound – “Soliloquy for Lilith” (1988)

Chris & Cosey – “Songs of Love & Lust” (1986)

Dead Can Dance – “Within the Realm of a Dying Sun” (1987)

This is by no means a comprehensive list and many other albums could be considered essential to the post-industrial genre. The genre is diverse and constantly evolving, and these albums represent a snapshot of the many different styles and approaches that make up the post-industrial musical movement.