Best Experimental Music Memes of Reddit
Because sometimes a meme says more than 3,500 words of nothingness
The intersection of memes and music represents a bizarre convergence of contemporary digital culture and artistic expression. Applied to experimental music, it gets even more meta.
Many smart people have written about memes, music, and what they say about people. Songs like "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X exemplify how musical fragments can become meme-like vessels for cultural commentary, simultaneously carrying multiple layers of critique of genre boundaries, commentary on racial dynamics, and playful subversion of traditional music industry paradigms. The relationship between memes and music also manifests in what we might call "sonic vernacular" – recurring musical motifs that become shorthand for specific emotional or cultural states.
As you can guess, Reddit is a haven for memes, including music-oriented memes. Enough with the postulating. Let’s see pictures.
For example, I am unsure how serious this meme is, but it’s eye catching.
The effort to recontextualize what we think we hear and know into something more acceptable is perhaps one of the great marks of fandom.
If you are a loyal harsh noise listener, few other sounds suffice, as this meme reminds us. Let’s go Spongebob characters.
And finally, this edition is shorter to avoid Substack’s limits due to the size of this meme. Originally a multi-part image, it is pieced together to illustrate the variety of outsider music available.
FAQ + TLDR
What role do memes play in music?
Memes serve as cultural tools for reinterpreting and sharing music, often highlighting deeper critiques or humorous aspects of sound and fandom.
How do memes influence experimental music?
Memes make experimental music more accessible by reframing its complexity with humor and creativity, inviting broader engagement.
Why is Reddit significant for music memes?
Reddit provides a collaborative platform where fans create, share, and discuss memes that reinterpret musical genres and artists.
What is ‘sonic vernacular’ in meme culture?
Sonic vernacular refers to recurring musical motifs in memes that convey specific emotional or cultural meanings, creating a shared language among listeners.
How do memes impact fandom?
Memes allow fans to negotiate their relationship with music, creating shared experiences and deepening their engagement with specific genres.
Found Sound
7ΔV ask if harsh ambient is a thing. Probably no, but this has fascinating textures.
Othercast has released a new album, which has been in the works since 2021. Dubbed a sci-fi landscape concept album, In Grey Space features ambient and drone elements, a bit of found sound, and a decidedly experimental bent.
Andrew Allison offers this synth-heavy, modular LP with orchestral elements based on the idea of being a hand model.
Pitch Dark and Trembling is the new release from Alma Laprida. Her exquisite blending of sounds is fetching as it is rattling at points.
YouTuber sympathetic anonymous does not produce tons of content (but do any of us, really?), so a new video is good. This shares the process and gear for experimental noise. “This performance dives into rhythmic deconstruction, noisy textures, and chaotic pulses, pushing the boundaries of organic synthesis and real-time sound manipulation,” the artist writes on Reddit.
New from the prolific TRBLMKR, who has made everything from dungeon synth to electronic. Noise flourishes and drone merge to make something curiously ambient.
