First of all, sorry if this is a repost of some kind but TA's search function clearly didn't reveal anything.
So, there seems to be an 80s New-Wave/Synth-pop revival among the hipsters (and boy, do i hate hipsters). Leaving aside the tight jeans, the glasses and the scarf, there is some good (IMO) stuff to be found among this heavily Pitchfork-praised new (pseudo-?) genre.
Since i always loved the 80s new-wave/synth-pop/italo-disco stuff it seems like a fresh (!) retro-futuristic revival in today's completely blatant (for the most part) and boring clinical EDM stuff. The good thing is that electronic music is escaping the club (again) and its strict four-to-the-floor prison into every (hipster's? well yeah but not only) house.
Personally, i had enough of the "mathematical-type-EDM-woosh-sound-in-forth-bar-click-clicky-in-8th-bar-breakdown-in-24th" and i start loving the raw, directness and power of the analogue (well i always loved it). There is nothing like direct interaction with your instrument and this is what electronic music has missed for a long time (since Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Jarre and the 80s). I hope that this is the start of a new musical revolution where every guitar will be substituted by a distinctive synth-sound.
Chillwave has its roots in older "indietronica" (The Notwist/Lali Puna, The Limousines, Her Space Holiday, Ghostland Observatory, DNTEL/Postal Service) and neo-psychedelic-pop stuff like MGMT, Ariel Pink and the craziness of Animal Collective and Panda Bear.
Here is some stuff. Its still cheap pop (and those hippy vocals can get disturbing at times...) but its raw, fresh and in a way clever at the same time. It truly is a pseudo-genre since it is highly heterogeneous. Toro Y Moi has a heavy old funk and disco influence, Memory Tapes sound like IDM with pop-vocals at times, whereas Small Black are much darker in an 80s Depeche Mode style. The only common thing is that they all use retro analogue synths and influences from the past (especially the 80s). I don't like a lot of that stuff but some i do. ;) Check some out...
Com Truise - Iwywaw (pure analogue instrumental brilliance)
Small Black - Camouflage (LOVING this. Bringing to mind stuff like early Depeche Mode and The Cure and the French/German 80s coldwave/darkwave scene reminding me of my goth youth :P)
Emeralds - Candy Shoppe (Very 70s Tangerine Dream-ish ideal for illegal substances [but stay away from drugs kids] more ambient and exprimental than your average chillwave project. We need more artists like these guys)
Give a listen (if you already haven't) and discuss
And if you have some nice similar recommendations go for it!
Tangil
Will have a listen to some of those samples, they look nice.
I saw both Toro Y Moi and Washed Out this summer after getting into them last year. It's pleasant music, not sure how it will hold up in 20 years time but it is easy on the ears and is a nice change up to a lot of other stuff out there.
Ted Promo
I was on this stuff quite a bit but then left it for beachy psychedelic and drone which is where I've been lingering for quite a while. This 's the jam though at times. Makes you wanna molt all your feathers and read racy chick novels.
Mr Game+Watch
I really like stuff by Neon Indian, Ducktales and Toro Y Moi, regardless of how "hipster" they are. Will have to check out some of the videos you've posted when I get home.
kadomony
"Put THAT in your chillwave triangle and smoke it."
netroM
Some (if not most) of those artists get mentioned at http://blog.iso50.com/ fairly often. It's a design, architecture, photo and music-blog, mostly. Lots of interesting stuff on it. I never really got into chillwave though.
PETRAN
quote:
Originally posted by Ted Promo
I was on this stuff quite a bit but then left it for beachy psychedelic and drone which is where I've been lingering for quite a while. This 's the jam though at times. Makes you wanna molt all your feathers and read racy chick novels.
lol
I would like some "beach drone" recommendations please. I'm stuck with Sunn O))) which is strawberry drone
enydo
As you said, some of it's good, some of it's complete wank. Hipsters moved to this apparently when their beloved "indie" died.
PETRAN
quote:
Originally posted by Tangil
Will have a listen to some of those samples, they look nice.
I saw both Toro Y Moi and Washed Out this summer after getting into them last year. It's pleasant music, not sure how it will hold up in 20 years time but it is easy on the ears and is a nice change up to a lot of other stuff out there.
Yeah? Were they any good? I like Washed Out more than Toro although Toro is more fun. But it is a highly heterogeneous genre. I really like the "live" feel i hope more artists will follow.
I guess that it won't be known in 20 years except maybe for some fans of the specific time period. But then again the majority of music won't be known in 20 years. Look at the 90s EDM. Except for the few retro fans of some 90s prog/house/techno/trance/D & B the only thing that is left is the more "intelligent", "IDMish" and "trip-hop" stuff like Aphex, Autechre, Boards, Biosphere ,Massive Attack etc. Which is trully great and i hope that long it will continue (even among the most "elitists") Oh and Eurobeat :P :P :P
Ted Promo
quote:
Originally posted by PETRAN
I would like some "beach drone" recommendations please. I'm stuck with Sunn O))) which is strawberry drone
