In the early 2010s, a new subgenre of electronic music was just starting to hit the mainstream, and a select few artists were pushing this new movement. Blogs and different media outlets dubbed it “Chillwave,” an experimental blend of synth-pop, danceable tempos, and psychedelia-tinged ambiance. While the essence of this fusion-based sound can be traced back to the early 90s, it wasn’t until 2009, when blogs started covering the work of Toro Y Moi and Memory Tapes, that the official term was coined and given a proper definition. Another name began appearing in these articles around the Chillwave Boom: Washed Out, which was just starting to find its footing, stumbled into a scene on the precipice of a cultural explosion.
Ernest Greene, the multi-hyphenate artist behind Washed Out, began recording music in Georgia after graduating college. His work started as a lo-fi bedroom rock project called Lee Weather, and it wouldn’t transform into Washed Out until 2009. That year, Greene released High Times, his debut project under the new name. The cassette-only release would go on to be considered a landmark release in the Chillwave Boom of the blog era. Greene’s unique blend of hip-hop-tinted synth-pop with psychedelic undertones was an instant success. Washed Out released its second EP, Life of Leisure, that same year. The stand-out single, “Feel It All Around,” would be featured in multiple TV series and inevitably lead to Greene’s contract with Sub Pop Records. This is where Greene would release his debut studio record as Washed Out. Within and Without was released to critical acclaim with infectious drum patterns and trance-inducing vocal performances.
After a few more label jumps and album releases, Washed Out has landed on Notes from a Quiet Place, his fifth studio album and fourth release through Sub Pop. The 10-track LP is set to be released this Friday (June 28), and the singles are shaping it up to be a groovy pop-leaning extravaganza. Before the anticipated release of Notes from a Quiet Place, Glide dug deep into the corners of Washed Out’s discography to unearth ten essential tracks from the artist to feel refreshed and primed for June 28.
Check out Glide’s picks for Washed Out’s ten essential tracks below.
“Feel It All Around”
Life Of Leisure
2009
Taken from one of the first two EPs Greene released under the Washed Out name, “Feel It All Around” broke significant ground both artistically and commercially for the young project. The song became essential in Chillwave and became the theme of the famous sketch show Portlandia. The whimsical keys accent the dense yet warm drums as soaring melodies cascade down to set the tone for the youthful genre.
“Belong”
High Times
2009
The first official release in the Washed Out catalog started as a limited run of cassettes but would evolve into a groundbreaking project for Chillwave. High Times helped usher in a new era of electronic music that favored fuzzed-out bliss and hypnotic pop melodies. Fans widely regarded “Belong” as one of Washed Out’s best songs, with its infectious hook, danceable tempos, and psychedelic vocal runs.
“Within and Without”
Within and Without
2011
Greene’s first official full-length as Washed Out saw the artist honing his signature sound while showing how expansive it can become. Within and Without is consistent with its tight structure, while Greene brings in balladry and slow-burning tempos to show that Chillwave isn’t all dance music. “Within and Without,” the title track from the debut, starts with swaying vocals against nimble keys, only to transform into a sprawling ambiance and end with twinkling synth work.
“Burn Out Blues”
Mister Mellow
2017
By 2017, Greene was already looking for a new way to reinvent his sound. The result is the jazzy experimentation on Mister Mellow, the artist’s third studio LP. The album saw Greene flipping otherworldly samples into groovy orchestrations that range from hazy disco to experimental noise work. “Burn Out Blues” leans toward the hazy disco side of the project. Neck-breaking drums drive funky rhythms for a standout from this visual LP, marking Greene’s only album with Stones Throw Records.
“Falling Back”
Paracosm
2013
Greene’s sophomore effort and second album for Sub Pop saw the artist taking their time and allowing each track on Paracosm to reach their full potential. Rather than creating tight instrumentals for his distant vocal tones, Greene allowed his songwriting to steer the direction of the LP. The results are imaginative pop that unfurls on its own time while harkening back to the Chillwave sound he invented. “Falling Back” is arguably one of the most moving performances Greene ever stamped his name on. The acoustic intro explodes into a technicolored electro-pop ballad with hauntingly beautiful vocals and winds down the serene touch of field recordings.
“Don’t Go”
Purple Noon
2020
The fourth and most recent Washed Out LP saw Greene returning to the lyrically-driven sound of Paracosm while adding an emotional flair to this outing. Purple Noon features some of the more personal and vulnerable songwriting Washed Out’s discography has to offer, as dark lyrics juxtapose moments of spaced-out synths and toe-tapping drum patterns. You can hear the longing that drives Purple Noon crystal clear on “Don’t Go.” The emotional B-side is driven by sentimental songwriting and grandiose crescendos for an intimate moment in Washed Out’s musical legacy.
“Soft”
Within and Without
2011
Another standout from Greene’s studio debut, “Soft,” hints at the emotionally dense direction Washed Out would take over the subsequent few releases. The whirling synths and shoegaze-style vocals anchor the colorful drum patterns that bring this song to life. The track’s magic is in the quaint vocals and, more importantly, the words they deliver. The vague yet powerful poetry of “Soft” is a testament to Greene’s songwriting ability as he tugs at the heartstrings with simplistic yet ethereal lyrics.
“Step Back”
High Times (Reissue)
2018
Nine years after the original release of his High Times EP, Greene reissued and remastered Washed Out’s debut and added four unreleased tracks to the project. Two of them, “La La La La La” and “Don’t Wanna,” hint at Greene’s history in lo-fi rock, while “Chimes” and “Step Back” lean toward Greene’s Hip-hop influence. “Step Back” has subtle hints of MF DOOM influences while detailing the blueprint that would be constructed into Washed Out’s signature sound.
“Don’t Wanna”
High Times (Reissue)
2018
Before Washed Out, Greene went by Lee Weather and created lo-fi rock records. While finding anything from this creative era online, two of the four bonus tracks from the reissue of High Times may be the closest we get to hearing Lee Weather’s work. “Don’t Wanna” is a surf-rock-style stand-out from the re-release with jagged harmonies that blend beautifully with the thudding claps and subtle guitar work.
“The Hardest Part”
Notes From A Quiet Life
2024
One of the lead singles from Washed Out’s upcoming LP, “The Hardest Part,” hints at Greene’s next sonic direction. The vocals are more present, and the confidence in his range reaches new heights as Greene’s crooning accents the contagious pop arrangement. The singles from Notes From A Quiet Life hint at a less experimental side of Washed Out and show signs of Greene reaching back to the Paracosm era except with a brighter outlook on life and with some of the more honed pop tunes Greene has ever laid his hands on.
