Three chillwave essentials

Washed Out – Feel It All Around, 2009

1Arguably the definitive chillwave track. Released on the Life Of

Leisure EP, this dreamy chugger found a broader audience as the opening theme for Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein’s hit TV show Portlandia, a comedy series which, fittingly for chillwave and its Hipster

Runoff origins, spoofs millennial hipster life. Retro synthpop credentials are further solidified by the fact that Feel It All Around samples the 1983 single I Want You by Italo-disco singer Gary Low.

Neon Indian – Should Have Taken Acid With You, 2009

2None more lo-fi, Alan Palomo’s kitschy psychedelic pop chops are at the forefront on this simple love letter-cumapology to an ex. In less than two and a half minutes, all the key features of chillwave are ticked off: simple, catchy pop melodies, stoned psychedelia, swirling synths and dreamy lyrics: “Should have taken acid with you/ Touch the stars and the planets too… Melt our tongues and become unglued… Take our clothes off in the swimming pool…”

The Beach Boys – All I Wanna Do, 1970

3Long considered an influence on shoegaze and dream-pop of the early ’90s, this deep cut from the Beach Boys’ 1970 album Sunflower was cited as an inspiration by Toro y Moi. Described by Brian Wilson as “a boring song”, the haunting tune has an endearingly psychedelic arrangement including 12-string guitar, Moog modular synth and the rare Rocky Mountain Instruments Rock-Si-Chord, a quirky electric harpsichord which offered strings, cembalo, lute and guitar.