Washed Out
Photos By: Summer Luu
By: David Lopez de Arenosa
Last Thursday, Washed Out played a stellar show at the North Park Theatre, supporting the release of their second studio album Paracosm. The crowd was put into a daze as the blurry vocals and enveloping synths took control of the room, the steady dance-beat driven by the live drums and bass guitar keeping everyone moving the whole time.
Known for pioneering the ‘Chillwave’ genre, their music feels like a warm bath of sunlight on a relaxing afternoon, with positive vibes and happy memories emanating from every instrument. Ernest Greene’s soft reverb-laden vocals can gently sooth even the most skeptical listeners, and his melodies slowly evolve into powerful resonating calls that glaze over the wall-of-sound synth lines. Progressing from the sound of his first album Within and Without, which was a fresh take on 80’s drum machines and keys, Greene has shown that his songwriting ambitions are bigger than the confines of Chillwave as he weaves acoustic drums and more organic sound sources into the mix.
His live performance has come equally as far, demonstrated by his energy and enthusiasm as the front man for his band. Each song of their set took the crowd on a journey through nostalgia and excitement, and of course the deep chest-bumping bass synths are just one of those things that have to be experienced live at a show.