GenReflections
A lot of times, I find myself getting in and out of a certain music genre, or even a "microgenre." Because of this, I thought it would be even fun to post descriptions of said genres that I enjoy, why I'm into them at the moment (if there even is a reason), and what they mean to me. Kind of like a "personal" music history. And yes, I'm aware that "microgenres" are usually just labels put onto music with no particualr meaning of their own; people just like to make music. But I find that it's fun to play the microgenre game, and hey, maybe you'll discover something new. So, enjoy my reflections on different genres (my genreflections, if you will).
Chillwave
I thought I'd start off with something that I was around for and remember clearly. Chillwave is an interesting genre, because I remembeer being in highschool, hearing about these bands, and essentially just being around for the genesis of a genre, even if I didn't know it yet. It's such a 2009-2012 summer sound, though I got into it at the later end, probably around 2011. But if you take a look at some of the covers of these albums look like they were made on early Instagram, back when it was about posting photos and playing with the filters. But what exactly is chillwave?
The quintessential track, to me, is represented in Washed Out's debut EP Life of Leisure, which contains the hit (and eventual Portlandia theme song) "Feel It All Around." But Life of Leisure is more than an album, it's a trip down memory lane to a place I've never been. It simultaneously evokes images of some generic tropical vacation while also being very personal and intimate.
It feels like "chillwave" and "synthwave" are used interchangeably nowadays, but there is a distinction; it's hard to describe, but you know it when you hear it. Put on some Washed Out records, or listen to the early work of Chaz Bear (the brains behind Toro y Moi) and Neon Indian; all are considered pioneers of the genre. Regarding the actual music: there's a focus on filters, on voice effects and instruments, to evoke a kind of memory, as if the song is coming from far away, deep inside you. A lot of times, these songs trick you into thinking "I've heard this before" but from some past life. They are fading memories that never completely go away.
Chillwave is also the epitome of "I've heard this song somewhere, but I cannot, for the life of me, remember the title, artist, or what the album looks like" (though I guess this fits in with the "fading memory" ideea). About A Feeling by Summer Heart is one such album that I put on recently, and instantly recognized about four or five songs that I've since forgotten about. The lazy, almost satirically-filtered vocals evoke summer heat and misty droplets, and remind me of the early college days where possibilities felt endless and the world could be fixed. Maybe it still can.
Most of these artists are still making music now. Washed Out had a fantastic album come out in 2020, Purple Noon, though I haven't heard his most recent work. John Jagos (mainly known as Brothertiger), however, has been consistently putting out albums that mostly fit the bill for chillwave, but with a slightly more eighties influence. Although I wouldn't consider Brothertiger a pioneer of chillwave, I consder him to be one of the best modern representations of the genre.
I encourage you to put on a chillwave record and lose yourself in its magic. Any of the suggestions below will do, but there are plenty more from that time period. And even if you've never heard the songs before, I'll be that you can't help but feel that, well, maybe you have.
Foggy's Favorite Chillwave
