Slowcore is a subgenre of
alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
and
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
. The music of slowcore artists is generally characterized by bleak lyrics,
downbeat melodies, slower tempos and
minimalist arrangements. Slowcore is often used interchangeably with the term
sadcore.
Characteristics
Slowcore is a fusion genre of
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
and
sadcore,
characterized by minimal musical backing, played at extremely slow speeds. Slowcore songs often feature "depressing lyrics", according to Listverse.
[ Swedish singer ]Stina Nordenstam
Kristina Ulrika Nordenstam (born 4 March 1969), better known by her stage name Stina Nordenstam, is a Swedish singer-songwriter and producer.
Life and career
Nordenstam was born in Stockholm on 4 March 1969. As a child, she was highly influenc ...
has been described as slowcore because of "her sadly beautiful little-girl whisper" style of singing.post-rock
Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation ...
, often times straddling lines between genres.
History
The genre began in the early 1990s as an act of rebellion against the predominant energy and aggression of grunge. The genre is linked to the band Low
Low or LOW or lows, may refer to:
People
* Low (surname), listing people surnamed Low
Places
* Low, Quebec, Canada
* Low, Utah, United States
* Lo Wu station (MTR code LOW), Hong Kong; a rail station
* Salzburg Airport (ICAO airport code: LO ...
, who began experimenting by playing quietly and slowly to traditional rock audiences.
See also
* Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...
, a genre of heavy metal that also focuses on slow tempos and pessimistic lyrics
* Sadcore
References
External links
Subgenre on CDBaby
{{Alternative rock
Alternative rock genres