Over the last few years, a Lo-Fi strain of hip-hop production influenced by the likes of J Dilla, Madlib, Nujabes, Onra and The Avalanches became popular throughout music-sharing sites like SoundCloud and Bandcamp, giving birth to genres like cloud rap, vaporwave and other associated subgenres.
The art form has likely existed since the beginnings of recorded music, and even became an underground movement in the American rock scene in the ’80s and ’90s. Rather than spotlighting the technicalities, those like Frank fully embrace their imperfections and put emphasis on raw artistry and vibes.Īlthough Ocean is not the first artist to come up with this idea, he (along with Toro Y Moi, Mac DeMarco, King Krule, Jaden Smith, Ariel Pink, Lil B, Clams Casino and a few others) is one of the key figures in popularizing “low-fidelity” in today’s music. Ocean was one of the few popular artists to make music that was minimal and contained low-bitrate samples this subdued approach gave his music its distinct vibe and an overall “Lo-Fi” effect. “My TV ain’t HD, that’s too real,” sang Frank Ocean in his Channel Orange standout, “Sweet Life.” This motif did not only describe Frank’s preference for low-definition videos, but was also characterized in his music.
