By Jack Sutton

“Mainstream” is a term that often comes up in popular culture. It describes current trends in media that have become widespread. In terms of music, the mainstream is often a certain genre, and nowadays, that genre is pop. It is repeated over and over again. It dominates the atmosphere in stores, our cars and social gatherings. Despite this, there are some with different tastes. As far as music goes, I’ve never been into what was popular. Even at a young age, I had a knack for finding songs and genres that were up and coming or unheard of. Recently, I discovered a genre called lo-fi.

Lo-fi is a vast, yet hidden genre. It mixes traditional hip-hop and r&b with jazz elements to create a unique sound. The term is short for low fidelity. In the 1980s and 90s, the fidelity in music production was quite low, given the technological limitations. This meant that there were minor imperfections in recordings. Certain characteristics were hissing or crackling, which could sometimes be heard in the background of a track. Nowadays, musicians record in hi-fi, meaning high fidelity. As such, modern music features a cleaner sound. Although this is certainly better, there are many people who yearn for the days where atmospheric imperfections were present. Although I was born long after this time, I have developed an odd appreciation for it. When I discovered lo-fi, I felt nostalgia for a time I wasn’t even alive for. I fell in love with the genre and scoured the internet for more. Now my studies are accompanied by chill beats with a retro sound.

Although the genre itself is still rather unheard of, there are many artists who have made a name for themselves. Take Jinsang, a young beatmaker from California whose tracks are universally recognized in the genre. Since his debut album Kona Park from 2014, his music has only gotten better. I consider his work to be lo-fi in its purest form. Anyone looking to get into the genre should start here. My personal favorite album of his is Life, a 25-track beattape that is filled with variety. The tracks have an overwhelming vibe of positivity and serenity. I couldn’t name a single track that I prefer over the rest. In truth, I couldn’t even name 5. My favorite tracks on the album are “Genesis,” “Bliss,” “Trees,” “Reflection,” “Struggles,” “Affection,” and “Eyes.” However, all the tracks are fantastic. I greatly encourage you to sit down and listen through the release from start to finish. At 46 minutes long, I can guarantee that you’ll be searching for more by its end.

My favorite artist in the genre is bsd.u, pronounced “beside you.” The Canadian artist from British Columbia uses techniques such as audio distortion and sampling to create his sound. What he does is truly impressive. He is able to perfectly replicate the ambient imperfections of the 80s and 90s in his music. At the root of his tracks are his instrumentals and beats, which are originally produced. However, they often contain vocal samples of the 90s. This adds to the authenticity of his songs. My favorite track of his is “If We Meet Again” from volume 2 of his album tetralogy, Late Night Bumps. The track features samples from Patti LaBelle’s “If By Chance,” which was released in 1997. In comparison to Jinsang, bsd.u’s tracks tend to feature more vocals. His style is also vastly different. Bsd.u’s tracks are often far less playful. A great example of this is Lighter, an album of his from 2017. The way the tracks sound is completely up to the listener. They could be perceived as extremely relaxing, or perhaps melancholic. My favorite track from that album is “French Inhale.”

Whatever your taste, all of lo-fi is fantastic. When I discovered the genre three years ago, I spent hours looking for new artists and tracks. This may sound boring, but it’s incredibly satisfying to find a gem of an artist that deserves more recognition.