In The Age of the Spotify Playlist
I discovered the Chillhop Music channel on YouTube a few years ago and it has been something that I play in the background while I do other tasks during the day. The music isn’t a distraction and it usually kept me motivated and helped to pass the time. There is nothing worse than silence when you’re trying to pass time. Silence is the equivalent of watching water boil—am I right?
LoFi electronic music or also called LoFi hip hop is the genre of music that is closely associated with Chillhop. It generally has a slow BPM (beats per minute) which is in stark contrast to the high energy EDM (electronic dance music) that some might think about when they hear the word electronic music. Other aesthetics of LoFi music includes the use of old vinyl crackle or rain playing lightly in the background, a kick drum, snare rim shot, jazz-infused guitar chords, and the sound of Fender Rhodes piano just to name a few.
As the genre of LoFi music has evolved and may I say exploded over the past decade, there have been an influx of artists creating singles, albums, mix tapes, and collaborating with other artists to make a name for themselves. I get to meet these artists virtually through various social media platforms almost on a daily basis. Whether they are creating beats in their studios or chopping up samples in their bedroom, I’m inspired by it all.
This genre has created an interesting camaraderie through Spotify playlists. Not only is each artist out there promoting their own music, but they usually create a playlist to share the music they have created along side other music they relate to. In a way, this feels kind of similar to my past life as a gallery owner where I would curate group exhibitions pairing artists together that have similar styles.
I recently created my own Spotify playlist called Lo-Fi & Chill which features a large number of these LoFi artists with a little bit of my own music sprinkled throughout for you to explore and groove along to. Play this music at work, or in the background while you relax or study, or through your earbuds and headphones when you’re doing house work, yard work, or outside for a walk…………Enjoy!