Merzbow isn't really IDM (but who is? ...no, don't go there...)
and I actually like hearing some of his stuff. It's actually not
all the same but a lot of it is similar sounding (like a lot of, say,
rockabilly or shania twain records). There's no point in owning
very many cds (or whoever many there are, I don't think even he knows)
but one or two you might want to check out include '1930' or 'Age of
369'
There a 50 CD box set out there somewhere, which even the artist seems
to think is a bit over the top.
There's quite an amusing overview of some of these works here with some
nice
insight into where Merzbow is coming from (death metal, Napalm Death,
that
type of thing...) and the author acknowledges the...er...difficulties
involved
in listening to it...
http://noiseweb.com/merzbow/disc.html
The above includes a review of an album of remixes which I haven't
heard but which includes remixes of Merzbow tracks by such IDM
luminaries as Autechre and Pansonic as well as the mighty Jim
O'Rourke and the excellent Russell Haswell. It's got a nice cover too.
The really great thing about Merzbow is that if you know someone (and
I'm sure you do) who hates Autechre, etc, you bung on some Merzbow,
they go "holy shit, turn that off NOW!" you put on Autechre and they go,
"ahh, that's better, some real music..." Everything sounds reasonable
after Merzbow.
Enjoy.
Robert (Pugsley)