Lo-Fi

[daftcombo]

Any song played on a totaldac would fit in this thread, actually.

 

[Martin]

Massive compression and extreme distortion are being purposely used by more and more mainstream artists. I’ve listened to some songs and wondered if there is something broken in my playback chain. But, no, that’s the way it’s supposed to sound.

My 17 year old son listens to some music that just sounds like noise to me. Then again, my parents thought the same thing about the distorted guitars in the rock music I loved as a teen (and still like today).

Martin

 

[scott wurcer]

Good honest lo-fi has been around a long time. This is one of my favorites noisy old Ampex and cheesy reverb.

 

[Gurkerl]

Obligatory mention of Duster - Stratosphere:

 

[Robin L]

How low can you go? Beck's STEREOPATHETIC SOULMANURE [SIDE C]:

 

[scott wurcer]

How low?

 

[Robin L]

Not the worst sounding Charlie Parker I've heard, but this version of "Grooving High" is uniquely terrible in its own sweet way:

 

[pavuol]

PS: if you embed media, always write artist/title in plain text as well

How low?
...

Your embedded example shows "Video unavailable" in my location..

 

[digitalfrost]

The Moldy Peaches

Hero (Family of the Year) - A cover by Nathan and Eva Leach

 

[outlookrt]

Great thread. I often think about how ironic it is I spend so much time thinking about 'hi-fi' equipment yet most of the music I enjoy the most would be considered 'Lo-fi' ultimately. That said sometimes getting 'lo-fi' to sound right can be the most challenging of all.

 

[Wombat]

Neil young would deny it but many of his live albums and some studio albums are 'slush'. Some shine through regardless but many don't.

So much for Neil's claims of care and fidelity from day 1 in his work.

 

[Moonhead]

Acquired taste yes, but I love the way he sings, so did cobain, Beat Happening.

Shonen Knife as well

 

[Bamboszek]

There is a slight difference between poor sounding recordings which could be named lo-fi (like awfully compressed Californication by RHCP) and albums recorded in lo-fi aesthetics. Personally I prefer the latter

I think Japanese band Boris should have mention in this thread. Truly unique music, almost every album is different genre.

There was some great indie rock examples in this thread. Tigers Jaw first album could be another one.

And finally The Glow, Pt. 2 by The Microphones. In my opinion beautifully sounding album. One of my favorites, I wish every album could be so "lo-fi" quality

 

[scott wurcer]

Your embedded example shows "Video unavailable" in my location..

Sorry, first time that happened. Boyd Rice (NoN) Carnis Vale

 

[pavuol]

Sorry, first time that happened. Boyd Rice (NoN) Carnis Vale

Easy Listening for Iron Youth: The Best of NON is a 1991 compilation album of Boyd Rice's NON recordings. It is a "best of" collection from 1975–1991.

 

[JustAnandaDourEyedDude]

Alida Chelli sang "Sinno Me Morro" for the soundtrack of the 1959 B&W movie "Un Maledetto Imbroglio" directed by Vittorio de Sica and starring a then young and very lovely Claudia Cardinale. The superb song was composed by Carlo Rustichelli, and remains one of my favorite songs to this day. imho, the recording released on the RCA Italiana LP of the OST remains unsurpassed in the six decades since, in spite of its lo-fi nature in the version that survives, based on the YouTube videos available. I have come to mentally filter out the distortion and the noise and to savor the beauty of the song, but what a pity that a pristine decently-recorded original may not be available. Alida Chelli's singing is perfection itself, moves along at a steady pace without dwelling and brings out the drama, the pathos and the undying love by its very restraint, though there is sufficient use of skilful embroidery. The quality of her singing shines through the limitations of the recording. Here is a YT video posted by YT user "windbird" of Alida Chelli's OST version, with small clips of the movie for context.

Here is a YT video (posted by YT user "777mylene") beginning with a couple of pivotal scenes from the movie with the song embedded in the soundtrack as the background, and ending (from about 5:40) with a montage of shots from the movie with the song in the foreground. The recording has been smoothed a little, though.

Every subsequent recording or performance by others imho falls a little short of the original in the singing and often the arrangement, more so when covered by amateur singers. There have been quite a few covers since, including some by singers of note such as Kishi Yoko and Gabriella Ferri. Of the versions by the always fabulous Kishi Yoko available on YT, the first (posted by "AyakoFuji2") of the following two treasurable ones comes closest to capturing the emotion of the movie, and uses the Italian lyrics. The second (posted by "ifyougoaway3") which uses Japanese lyrics for the most part, shows off her beautiful voice even better but loses a little of the drama and forlorn tone of Alida Chelli's original.

The redoubtable Gabriella Ferri also recorded the song multiple times. imho, the version from the 1970 album "Gabriella Ferri" comes closest to capturing the emotion in the movie, as compared with her other versions of which most have better recording quality. Video posted by YT user "zvjezd01".

though Gabriella Ferri's version on her 1969 album "Roma Canta" is also quite beautiful and veers a bit more toward the side of a resigned and forlorn tone than the 1970 version. Video posted by YT in the "Gabriella Ferri - Topic" channel.

 

[Vini darko]

Lofi Japanese themed mix I've been enjoying for the last year or so.

 

[pavuol]

Fog Lake - novocaine (uploader/channel "The Worst Taste" )

 

[zheka]

Bessie Smith / Zombies remix by Malcolm McLaren

 

[zheka]

John Maus - Believer