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diff --git a/blog/2021-03-28-vaporwave-vs-outrun.org b/blog/2021-03-28-vaporwave-vs-outrun.org new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b441152 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/2021-03-28-vaporwave-vs-outrun.org @@ -0,0 +1,120 @@ ++++ +date = 2021-03-28 +title = "Vaporwave vs Outrun" +description = "This post discusses Vaporwave and Outrun, which have become almost synonymous in the minds of those online who aren't hardcore into these genres of media." ++++ + +## Overview + +When it comes to an aesthetic that originated primarily online, there tends to +be a lot of confusion around what falls into each specific genre. This post +discusses Vaporwave and Outrun, which have become almost synonymous in the minds +of those online who aren't hardcore into these genres of media. More +specifically, Outrun is largely an unknown term while all aesthetics in these +two genres are usually attributed to Vaporwave. For example, take a look at the +image search results for Vaporwave: the results include **a lot** of +Outrun-themed images. You'll find a similar trend almost everywhere. + + + +## Vaporwave + + + +Okay, so what is Vaporwave? I'm going to just copy-and-paste some general info +from the Wikipedia article on +[Vaporwave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporwave), so that I'm not repeating +everything you can already search for online: + +> Vaporwave is a microgenre of electronic music, a visual art style, and an +> Internet meme that emerged in the early 2010s. It is defined partly by its +> slowed-down, chopped and screwed samples of smooth jazz, elevator, R&B, and +> lounge music from the 1980s and 1990s. The surrounding subculture is sometimes +> associated with an ambiguous or satirical take on consumer capitalism and pop +> culture, and tends to be characterized by a nostalgic or surrealist engagement +> with the popular entertainment, technology and advertising of previous +> decades. Visually, it incorporates early Internet imagery, late 1990s web +> design, glitch art, anime, 3D-rendered objects, and cyberpunk tropes in its +> cover artwork and music videos. + +This is an excellent summary, and it helps address my point here: there are +specific aspects that make Vaporwave unique: + +### Time Frame + +The time frame for references, logos, etc. focuses mostly on the 1990s in +Vaporwave. You'll see old school Pepsi logos, Microsoft 95 screens, tropical +plants, classic marble sculptures, and many references from Japan's influence in +the 90s. + +### Art + +The color scheme is generally a soft, light palette that uses pastel colors. The +backdrop will often be in a light-pink or teal blue. + +### Music + +The musical genre of Vaporwave incorporates soft tunes, lounge music, and sound +effects that will make the listener reminisce of the 90s. The sounds of the +genre are generally slower-paced and calming. The major breakthrough artist for +Vaporwave was [Macintosh Plus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vektroid), who +released the album +[Floral Shoppe](https://archive.org/details/MACINTOSHPLUS-FLORALSHOPPE_complete) +in 2011. Another more recent example is the artist +[sadbert](https://sadbert.bandcamp.com/), whose latest album incorporates the +upbeat tones of the 1999 Dilbert TV series. + +Notice that Vaporwave doesn't include things like racing cars, futuristic +technology, chrome, or the deep orange/purple color scheme. Vaporwave is a focus +on the idyllic state of the world when technology was becoming common in +households, a reality that we have already experienced. Focus on the most +aesthetically-pleasing parts of that past is a large part of Vaporwave. + +## Outrun + + + +Now, let's get to Outrun. This one is a little trickier since the genre has +largely been lumped under the Vaporwave title for so long. However, it stems +from the [Synthwave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthwave) music genre and is +likely named after the 1986 racer game, +[Out Run](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_Run). + +### Time Frame + +Outrun can be thought of as a retro-futuristic aesthetic born from the 1980s. + +### Art + +The color scheme uses a very dark color palette with the main colors being deep +oranges, blues, and purples. Red edges are common around objects in Outrun art. +The background of the Outrun aesthetic is almost always a neon grid like you'd +expect to see in Tron or a 1980s arcade machine. + +Classic sports cars, chrome robots, computer generated graphics and fonts, and +the occasional use of rain or palm trees can be found in Outrun art. + +### Music + +This aesthetic has a more aggressive and fast-paced style of music, which tends +to match the subject of the art in this aesthetic. + +Outrun enthusiasts love what people in the 1980s thought the future would look +like. Take a look at a common video game discussed in Outrun circles, Far Cry 3: +Blood Dragon: + + + +Another example that doesn't force the color scheme as hard as some online art +does is Kung Fury: + + + + + +## Conclusion + +While Vaporwave and Outrun share similarities, they are two distinct aesthetics +with many important distinctions. Someone who enjoys one may not necessarily +enjoy the other, so it's important to make sure we properly describe the +aesthetic we're looking for. |