The term honours Jack Foley (1891–1967), who worked at Universal during the move from silent films to sound. He became known for adding effects by performing them live while watching the screen: footsteps, the movement of clothing, props being handled. Foley artists in film and television still work in this way, recreating the small sounds that bring a scene to life.
In music, foley-style sounds, such as a cup placed on a saucer, pages turning or keys on a desk, are recorded and layered into tracks to create a sense of place. Jazz lo-fi and the visual culture around it borrow the idea to suggest a café, a bedroom or a rainy evening, giving an instrumental track a lived-in, human atmosphere.