Notes on lo-fi, jazz and slow listening

Lo-fi started as a description of cheap recordings and became an aesthetic people choose on purpose. Here is how imperfection turned into a style.

The aperitivo hour has its own rules: relaxed, sociable, a little elegant. Jazz lo-fi follows the same rules, which is why it fits so

Jazz lo-fi did not appear out of nowhere. It grew out of two producers born on the same day, an anime soundtrack and a

Relaxing is easier when it has a shape. A short evening ritual, with music as its anchor, can turn the end of the day

Can background music help you study? The evidence is more nuanced than playlists suggest, but it points in a clear direction on one point:

Working from home gives you control over your sound environment. Used well, music can give the working day a structure the office used to

Summer evenings have a rhythm of their own: long light, warm air, nowhere to be. Here is how to give them the right soundtrack.

A timer gives a work session its shape; music can give it a feel. Combined, they make focused work easier to start and easier

Behind the calm surface of jazz lo-fi there is a precise palette of instruments and textures. A listener's guide to what you are hearing.