the.com/chillwave
nostalgia with a synth and zero memory of what it's nostalgic for.
means A genre of dreamy, lo-fi electronic music defined by hazy synths, washed-out production, and a wistful, sun-faded mood.
from A blend of "chill" (relaxed, laid-back) and "wave" (a stylistic movement, echoing "new wave"). The term emerged around 2009 in music-blog culture — reportedly coined half-jokingly by the parody site Hipster Runoff, which floated several labels ("glo-fi," "chillwave") for the same drowsy, retro-synth sound. "Chillwave" was the one that stuck.
- named jokingly
- a blogger coined it half-mocking in 2009
- also called
- glo-fi, hypnagogic pop, by confused critics
- signature haze
- cassette warble disguised as deliberate atmosphere
- summer obsessed
- built almost entirely on faded beach memories
- key acts
- Washed Out, Toro y Moi, Neon Indian
washed out — ernest greene's project that defined the genre with 'life of leisure' in 2009
toro y moi — chaz bundick's south carolina bedroom pop project, debuted 2010 with 'causers of this'
neon indian — alan palomo's psychedelic lo-fi project from san marcos, texas, 'psychic chasms' 2009