The term "noise music" has come to define a variety of artists and sounds, from guitar feedback to drones to white noise. Japan is certainly no stranger to the concept, birthing formidable pioneers of the genre such as Merzbow, Hijokaidan and Incapacitants over the years. However, singer Taichi Nagura of self-described "noise band" Endon has a slightly different take on the idea.

"To us, 'noise music' as a concept was already there. It was normal for us," he says. "The fact that we listened to harsh noise as normal music was a big influence I think. Harsh noise is about speed. Metal and hardcore as well. So if you think of noise in terms of time and speed, you can listen to all of those things in the same way."

For Nagura, noise is only one of the many elements of the five-piece Endon, which also includes guitarist Koki Miyabe, drummer Shin Yokota, and Taro Aiko and Etsuo Nagura on what are usually credited as "electronics" in their liner notes, who handle noise and sampling duties.