A Whisper in the Noise is a musical project formed in 2002 by rock composer West Thordson. Centered in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, United States Twin Cities metro, the group is known for their dark sound and unique instrumentation, as well as their effective live performances. Eschewing the more traditional use of guitar or heavy keyboards that might be associated with the band’s umbral sound, the instrumentation of A Whisper in the Noise has included the cello, violin, French horn, synth/electronic keyboard, bass guitar, and percussion in some variation. The resulting minimalist expression, the unique arrangement of instruments, and the inclusion of visual media elements during live performance has seen the band described as “art rock”.

The band has occasionally performed without the French horn or cello, though these instruments are used heavily on the live recording of their first album, Through the Ides of March.

The band’s sound has been noted for fully incorporating the string and other orchestral instrumentation, a step different from similar rock and dark pop projects wherein strings are often added on as an afterthought or not given full room for expression and treated as integral elements within melodic musical structure. Other elements that mark the group’s work are the inclusion of barely audible soundscapes of text (often derived from news broadcasts) and the persistence of slowly constructed piano arpeggios onto which other musical layers are added.