noodle: Scotland’s Experimental Music Round-Up (June 2026)

A slightly condensed Noodle this issue: a whistle-stop tour of the fringes, if you will.

Firstly, a bit more information on Brian d’Souza’s Plants Can Dance project, which we discussed in the last issue, as he’s announced an album release and launch event.

d’Souza, probably better known around these parts as Auntie Flo, has been working on this project for around seven years now. It explores the different ways that electronic music can collaborate with nature: using contact mics on growing plants, converting electrical impulses from germination into sound, and collaborating with the Tate, V&A, and Chelsea Flower Show, amongst many others.

This has resulted in the compilation album Plants Can Dance, which features a host of incredible musicians like Tarun Nayar, Jason Singh, and Olga Maximova, and collaborations with jazz greats Liz Hanks and Arve Henriksen. The album is out on 28th June and will be performed at Scotland House, London, as part of the Sonica launch party in September.

A very welcome return from one of the key figures of the 2010s noise scene, a stalwart of the much-missed Cry Parrot sessions at the Captain’s Rest: Kylie Minoise is back with their first release in a decade. A 3” CDR of the kind of pulsating drone and power electronics that they are best known for, Cosmic Rock Hustle seems to be indicative of a surge of activity from their Kovorox label, which has pushed a slew of old releases onto Bandcamp, with physical media available direct from their website. Although, if anyone has a lead on that long-sold-out Lazer Bunny tee, give me a shout.

Edinburgh label Venalism have the new album from Georgia-based (the one in Eastern Europe, not the one in Southern USA) composer Zura Makharadze. The Tale Of The Bastard Child is a semi-improvised wail of abstract rage and mourning, of long periods of ominous intensity and cacophonous discord.

Using mostly instruments propelled by breath – trumpet, tuba, kazoo, and the wonderfully named ‘death flute’ – it feels like a cathartic hollowing out of long-held tension. It also includes some incredible song titles: ‘Despair, Lick My Eyes’ being a particular stand-out.

Further additions to experimental music with excellent titles: ‘We are fucked in a car’ by Glasgow’s rumours discipline. Twenty minutes of buzzy electronic drone that itches the inside of the mind. They claim to make music ‘to make your head hurt’ but I’d venture that regular readers (reader?) of this column may find it strangely soothing.

Finally, I have absolutely no idea what on earth is going on here other than it being very enjoyable: EvanTheMain and Shareece Forever, In Our Hearts And Our Souls, Amen (Ahhh Men), which I would very tentatively describe as experimental hip hop but more accurately as an anarchic burst of ideas and just making music for the sheer enjoyment of it all. It is utter, utter chaos and a whole lot of fun.

Their website has a dating simulator, which for me is yet to result in anything but getting dumped. Some things never change.