Mallsoft
Mallsoft is a subgenre within the broader vaporwave musical movement, characterized by its nostalgic and atmospheric cultivation of consumerist ambiance. It evokes a haunting, dreamlike quality through the lens of a retro-futuristic shopping utopia. The music typically features a muzak-like essence, with lush, reverb-heavy soundscapes and lo-fi aesthetics that harken back to the background music of '80s and '90s shopping centers. Mallsoft often incorporates slowed-down, remixed samples of elevator music, smooth jazz, and old-school advertisements, distorting them to create an audio experience akin to wandering through the echoing halls of an abandoned mall. The genre induces a sense of both comfort and alienation, reflecting on the excess and artificiality of consumer culture. Artists in this genre masterfully blend nostalgic sounds with modern electronic music techniques to transport listeners to a bygone era of retail indulgence.
