INTRODUCTION:
The lofi (low fidelity) aesthetic is typically characterized by nostalgia and relaxation, typically in the form of music accompanied by similarly nostalgic imagery. Within the music, a slow minimalistic melody is used to create a soothing atmosphere that helps to encourage the listener to relax. This type of music is generally combined with other calming sounds such as ambient noise like rain or scratching vinyl noise. The simplicity of the environment that is created by this aesthetic is usually used to help listeners concentrate on homework or other activities. The most popular form of this aesthetic is lofi hip-hop which fuse rhythmic elements of hip-hop with the mellow vibes of lofi.
The history of lofi is generally muddy as the term is so broad that many musical influences can be contributed to the modern sound that is heard today. Historically, the term “lofi” or “low fidelity” can be traced back to the 1950s where records were made cheaply which created small distortions in the music which was why it was termed as “low fidelity” music for low quality sounding music. The popularization of the term is usually credited to a radio station host by the name of William Berger who frequently used the term to describe home made recordings in 1986.
- https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Lo-Fi
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/04/26/what-to-know-about-lo-fi-music-the-viral-hit-thats-taken-over-youtube/?sh=41be24814aba
- https://musicorigins.org/the-origins-of-lo-fi/
- https://registerforum.org/13560/arts-entertainment/five-minutes-to-make-you-love-nujabes-and-j-dilla/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo-fi_music#:~:text=In%20the%20late%202010s%2C%20a,as%20Nujabes%20and%20J%20Dilla.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lofi_hip_hop
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCuvTIF9k_k&ab_channel=Lauwd
- https://www.grizzlybeatz.com/lofi-hip-hop-blog/j-dilla-his-influence-on-lofi-hip-hop#:~:text=One%20of%20J%20Dilla’s%20most,to%20create%20entirely%20new%20compositions.
- https://www.grizzlybeatz.com/lofi-hip-hop-blog/nujabes-his-influence-on-lofi-hip-hop#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20famous,of%20jazz%20vocalist%20Yusef%20Lateef.
- https://www.japannakama.co.uk/the-evolution-of-lofi-girl/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEo9mGWk6RA&t=258s&ab_channel=Genius
4 Comments. Leave new
It is interesting that the Lofi musical genre is associated so closely with the visual aesthetic you described here. Do you think that the Lofi girl youtube livestream is what led to the popularization of the genre in the mainstream? Also, how does Lofi hip hop differ from other forms of hip hop, and what are some similar genres? Good job overall as well.
Thanks for reading my post Alex.
To answer your first question, I do believe that the Lofi girl livestream was very pivotal in popularizing the genre and transforming it into a significant part of modern pop culture. As the stream gained some popularity due to changing trends in musical taste and the modern generational aesthetic, the lofi girl in the background became a symbol of this new wave, breaking past the barriers of its genre to become an icon that most likely helped to accelerate its popularity.
For your second question, Lofi hip hop is different from traditional hip hop in several key aspects. One of the most notable distinctions in the two genres is the production style in which lofi tends to gravitate toward simple and mellow beats while hip hop tends to be much more varied and complex. Another large distinction is the role that vocals play in the genres. Traditional hip-hop places a large emphasis on lyricism or vocal delivery and incorporate the vocals as a major component of the songs. On the other hand, lofi hip hop will tend to lean more toward instrumental composition with many songs lacking any sort of vocals.
Hi David! I really enjoyed reading your aesthetic exploration on Lo-fi. I think Lo-fi is such an interesting aesthetic to consider because it evokes such a unique feeling in listeners, like a distant, fond memory. For me, I love listening to Lo-fi when I’m doing homework or teaching my recitation section; I find that when I put on Lo-fi music, it seems to blend into the background and I end up focusing more on the task at hand then really listening to whatever Lo-fi song is playing. I was really interested in reading about your findings of the history of Lo-fi. I didn’t know the genre has existed since the mid-20th century! Overall, I learned a lot from your post about Lo-fi!
Yeah, I can relate to your experiences with Lo-fi songs. I almost always have Lo-fi music playing if I am doing homework I need to concentrate as it seems to help that concentration. There are also so many different subgenres of Lo-fi music that it is honestly kind of incredible. Sometimes, I try to lean into that nostalgic feeling with the ambient noise like rain and some quiet but emotional vocals. Thanks for reading my post!