Label
What's So Funny About
What's So Funny About is a German experimental music label from the 1980s, known for its abstract soundscapes and interdisciplinary releases.
About
In the liminal spaces of Germany's 1980s experimental scene, What's So Funny About emerged as a conduit for dissonance and abstraction. From 1983 to 1992, this label sculpted a small yet potent catalog, releasing 15 LPs and a single VHS that spoke to interdisciplinary ambitions. The label's aesthetic was both exploratory and fractal, with releases weaving together abstract soundscapes and conceptual themes. Einstürzende Neubauten's partnership with What's So Funny About is a key node in the label's network, with releases like "Halber Mensch" (1985) and "Fünf Auf Der Nach Oben Offenen Richterskala" (1987) embodying the found sound manipulation and industrial textures that defined their era. Nikki Sudden's "Texas" (1986), both as a solo artist and with the Jacobites, added a layer of raw, avant-garde rock to the mix. Meanwhile, Die Erde's "Leben Den Lebenden" (1990) and "Kch Kch Kch" (1989) further expanded the label’s sonic vocabulary with dark ambient influences. The label's multimedia venture, a lone VHS release, hints at a broader vision — a willingness to engage with the sculptural possibilities of sound and image. This interdisciplinary approach is mirrored in the varied roster, from Scratch Acid's visceral "Just Keep Eating" (1986) to Blumfeld's introspective "Ich-Maschine" (1992), the latter marking a significant moment in the label's vinyl narrative. Each release was a process-driven endeavor, sculpting sound not merely as music but as an evolving form. What's So Funny About served as an incubator for artists whose work defied easy categorization, setting a foundation for sonic evolution that continues to resonate within the experimental landscape.
