Finding the Lost Playground; when sonic layering plays nice in the sandbox
One of the hidden treasures of the Lofi community is the speed at which collaboration and networking can take place; often resulting in individual palettes-of-sound homogenizing into a single playground of texture and ear-candy. Envision a jungle gym; one connected structure consisting of various pieces of play-equipment that form a single, unique recess experience for the lucky children who occupy it. Lofi listeners get to indulge in this every time they click shuffle on a kick-ass editorial playlist. The rate and ease at which these collaborations can take place, thanks to the power of the internet and the simplicity-of-setup needed to put together a rad Lofi tune, is truly a special thing.
Low Key Trampoline and icey wavs have assembled a bundle of absolute audio-joy with their recent release ‘Lost Playground’; provided by the folks at Another Imprint. When a well-regarded Lofi juggernaut like icey wavs shares his treasure chest of texture with a stellar guitarist and ambient producer like Low Key Trampoline, this is what we get; a petri dish of unique sounds that play nicely in the sandbox.
The track opens with a spacey, underwater-feeling mix of automation. We get a nice teaser of what’s to come; a beautiful conglomeration of vibey guitar licks, ambient keys and analog synth chords. These elements are glued together with the sound of crashing waves on the seashore, as well as an enjoyable, juicy palette of texture and foley. The intro provides an ethereal foreshadowing of the full-frequency sonority that hits when we arrive at the drop. When it kicks in, we’re gifted with a buoyant, head-bobbing Chillhop soundscape that makes it difficult not to grin feverishly. From this point forward, we get to indulge in a consistent serving of smooth, sixteenth-note guitar riffage, pulsing synth chords, and crispy hip-hop drums. There is truly a playground-esque feel to this beat with the sound of children playing in the background, as well as the sheer jollification the track evokes; with its lively groove and melodic range. After a few minutes of playful progression, the track ends right where we began; fading out into ambient, automated bliss.
‘Lost Playground' is a bit more upbeat and brisk than we’ve come to expect from an icey wavs project, as he is often known for his gentle and nostalgic compositions that inspire childlike wonder and relaxation. This contrast to his typical blend of sounds is refreshing and adds a nice variety to his esteemed catalogue. Low Key Trampoline, a genre-fluid artist who frequently alternates between ambient, jazz, post-rock, folk and lofi, is right in his element. You can always expect something different from his multifarious musical offerings. ‘Lost Playground’ is a testament to that wonderful Lofi jungle-gym we referenced earlier. Needless to say, both producers came to recess with something distinctive to offer.
You can enjoy ‘Lost Playground’ on your favorite listening platform here.
