Lo-fi music is nothing new. The Elephant Six Collective back in the 90s built a brand around it, and members of the collective like Neutral Milk Hotel and Olivia Tremor Control became known just as much for recording on 4-track cassette tape as making music. In an article for Discovery Magazine, Leslie Nemo explains this phenomenon in a more contemporary light: “Lo-fi” means “low-fidelity,” a term for music where you can hear imperfections that would typically be considered errors in the recording process. On YouTube channels like ChillHop music or DreamyCow, however, those “mistakes” become an intentional part of the listening experience. Listeners from around the world let the livestream play for hours on end, and the channels have boomed in popularity during the pandemic.” (July 16, 2020)
Channo has a good grip on the rediscovery of the lo-fi aesthetic which has recently gained popularity on certain YouTube channels. “OMO,” a tune he worked on during self-isolation, seems to float along like a breezy summer’s day, after you’ve cleared your head on the beach, with your thoughts breaking on the shore like the waves of the sea. Fans of Ariel Pink and Toro y moi will dig, and anyone else who loves that seventies vibe with the condition that it’s heard an all fuzzed-out, half-worn cassette-tape. I was pretty sold on it from first hearing. Channo has already released an ep named “Underwater Heart” and has gotten together with the Nice Guys for this latest jam.“In a scene that has become so fixed on content and exposure, Channo keeps alive the mystique in music. Making warm fuzzy, underwater, experimental pop songs this Australian producer/vocalist has already landed features with VICE, Noisey, Complex Magazine and many more…” and that’s straight from the horse’s mouth. Well, we’re excited to hear some more from this Aussie lo-fi solo force.
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