De chill out music is said not to be heard, but rather to feel. It is a musical style that in 20 years has gone from occupying a secondary place, to being a true lifestyle.
The musical rise of this type of music starts in the early nineties at parties held outdoors. Chill out music receives the inheritance of the hippie communes of the 70s, with different musical styles that caused a high, which had to be compensated later with calm sounds, so that the mind returned to its tranquility.
Ibiza and chill out music
Spain, and especially Ibiza, continues to be one of the world benchmarks of this style. At the end of the eighties the Café del Mar emerged, an ideal place to enjoy a sunset or a sunrise, combining the sounds of the sea with the chill out background. But you don't always have to be on the beach surrounded by cushions to enjoy the chill out. The style has traveled the world absorbing very varied influences, sounds and textures.
What is chill out music like?
Basically, it's about combine different styles and musical genres in a harmonious and relaxed way. Literally, "chillo ut" is an Anglo-Saxon expression that means to relax or calm down.
In its style, it is characterized by use slow tempos and soft, harmonious sounds, with melodies without fanfare or fright, and mixing genres so different from each other, such as opera, tecnho, rock, jazz, ambient music, flamenco or tango.
To deliver its sounds, chill out music uses instruments electronic like samplers, synthesizers, drum machines and sound effects, and also wind instruments, like the saxophone or the flute.
The main purpose of chillo ut is convey a feeling of relaxation, calm and enjoyment. Nowadays, an authentic culture of chillo ut has been developing with places, bars and restaurants that use this concept and offer environments designed to have a few drinks, relax and talk after work or before going out to dance.
there is already radio stations specialized in this genre. And a great variety of artists have emerged around the world creating relaxing music but with a lot of originality from the list we have Blank and Jones, Tony Marin, Buddha Sounds, Koop and many more.
It's not electronic music
Chill out music it has nothing to do with techno or electronic sounds, which are characterized by being repetitive and simple. Chill out is different, it is complex and combines different rhythms and incorporates very varied techniques where the result achieves harmony and tranquility.
Examples of chill out music
As we have seen, it is a set of very different combinations.
When it comes to the more classic style, there are a disk called «Chill: Classical»Which, along with compositions and opera choruses, contains some instrumental pieces by Beethoven, Schubert, Vangelis, among others.
By 1990 it was launched on the market oAnother classic album, "Chill Out", by the KLF group. On the cover of the album we have the image of some white sheep sitting on the green grass of an open barn, with an idyllic blue sky in the background.
In Spain, the singer from Malaga «La Mari» of the Chambao group, makes a fusion between chill out music and flamenco.
Must be remembered the theme "Submerged", composed by Rogelio Conesa, which was used by Spain's youth synchronized swimming team to win the Comen Cup. Also the guitarist and composer of Spanish origin Oscar Portugués has managed to stand out in this genre.
Latin America It has been an interesting breeding ground for Chill Out music. There we find the Argentine group Soda Stereo, Peruvian group Novalima, Peruvian Hispanic Miki González, which makes a fusion between Andean music, Afro music and Blues, to the Colombian Fabián Quiroga, etc.
In Chile there is an interesting sample of chill out music with Claudio Pérez and his project "You No!" which is a mix between Jazz, Chill Out and House.
Chill out music in Asia and other examples
In Asia the group from South Korea, Clazziquai Project Acid jazz, Lounge and House mix. Mention should also be made of Japanese producer and DJ Nujabes, among others.
Other important examples around the world They are those of the British group the XX, the American producer Marcel Everett nicknamed XXYYXX, the Romanian producer Michael Cretu and his project Enigma, Audilong, Tony Marin, Ney Angelis, Chervy Martin, the New Yorker Moby, Late Night Alumni, Blank and Jones, the Swedish duo Koop, Buddha Sounds, the British group Zero 7, Thievery Corporation, Bonobo, the Norwegian duo Röyksopp, ABG-Swing, etc.
In 2014, the Universal Music label integrated into 2 cds, several songs from Chill out, with the title of «Cafe mambo 20 years of ibiza chillout«. In these two albums, artists of the stature of Lana Del Rey, the British singer George Michael, Phil Collins, among other musicians appeared.
Image sources: Relaxing Music / YouTube