Washed Out — Within and Without
I was a washed-up hostel-dweller during chillwave’s brief and wondrous life. I can’t imagine a better mental space to enjoy what I then (and now) considered the archetypical album of the (for some reason) much-maligned genre. I’d like to listen to this while sheltered under a blue umbrella on a white-sand beach that is neither too hot nor too cold, just temperate.
Chillwave is a super accessible subgenre of electronic music, and I’ve often wondered why it didn’t break into the mainstream, this album in particular.
You can check it out on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.
In this piece, I navigate the intricate soundscapes of Pinegrove's Audiotree performance, set against the backdrop of the bustling city and its ubiquitous cafes. My exploration of indie studio sounds, alongside an introspective study of key indie bands, unravels a tale of life, hope, rejection, and the unending rhythm of the urban existence.