A shallow dive into the depths of the YouTube algorithm.
The YouTube algorithm for music discovery has to be the best invention since sliced bread. One minute you’re listening to lofi hip-hop beats to relax / study to, and the next, before you even know it, you’ve fallen into a rabbit hole of esoteric gems. One such spiral you may have already found yourself in is that of ‘Barber Beats’, a subgenre of vaporwave that has seen an immense surge in popularity since the COVID lockdowns as more people spend their days immersed in digital worlds.
The name Barber Beats refers to one of the pioneers of the genre - a Honolulu-based DJ who goes by the moniker ‘Haircuts For Men’. Drawing on influences from genres such as trip-hop, lounge, downbeat electronica, nu-jazz, world music, jungle, house and everything in between, it’s virtually impossible to categorize music from this scene. Booming drums and thumping bass seamlessly flow with floating keys and gliding guitar riffs to create a sonic environment like no other.
Ethelreda Malte by Haircuts For Men
Image credits: Haircuts For Men via Genom Records
Barber beats have also been referred to as “plunderphonics”. This is because within the immense catalogues, virtually none of the tracks are original. Instead, producers will search through forgotten compilations and abandoned albums to find their material, then apply effects such as additional reverb or tempo and pitch modulations. While some claim this is “low effort”, I would instead argue that they are simply doing what DJs have always done. Art - especially music - is in constant evolution, with pieces from the past providing foundations for those in the present to construct a new future.
The genre can be defined as much by its sound as through its aesthetic. Beautiful colour pairings are juxtaposed next to bold typeface and iconic imagery to create some truly unique album art. There is something retro and vintage within these covers, yet at the same time, they feel immaculately crisp and modern. You can tell that every detail has been carefully thought through to justify its place in the composition.
Anathema by Oblique Occasions. In the centre stands Dante as Virgil guides him through the underworld in Inferno. Under the album title are images of Dionysus - the Greek god of wine and ecstasy. These archetypes are brought together with references to the Jungian concept of the collective unconscious scattered throughout the cover.
Image credits: Oblique Occasions via Bandcamp
Such a sleek aesthetic reflects the era from which Barber Beats emerged. The 2010s were characterized by a pop culture landscape which reveled in exaggerated sensationalism. By contrast, the 2020s have embraced a “less is more” approach, stripping back at the facade of false optimism. As the world recovers from the pandemic, global crises dominate headlines and Gen Z enters a bleak adulthood, a down-to-earth representation of contemporary times is refreshing.
The raw and deconstructed nature of the Barber Beats aesthetic perfectly encapsulates its sound, and this clever pairing of audio and video makes it so interesting. Between the ambience, music and art, listening to albums feels more like an experience than anything else. Some take this a step further and begin to blur the lines between fiction and reality. A notable example is the Brazilian producer Slowerpace, who creates imaginary soundtracks for games that never existed. Through eye-catching art and album sequencing, releases such as ‘Barbershop Simulator’ put the Mandela effect to the test.
Barbershop Simulator: High stakes, high fades
Image credits: Slowerpace via bandcamp
Another notable figure in the scene is the Swedish artist Macroblank. While many Barber Beat projects can feel repetitive due to their dependency on chill lounge sample flips, Macroblank breaks the mould. Each release experiments with new sounds and genres, blending disparate musical elements into a perfectly polished final product. ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ is a great soundtrack for lounging in the park as you bask under the sun, while ‘Separated’ feels like driving through neon-lit streets with the cold moon and a warm cigarette being your only companions.
Separated by Macroblank
Image credits: Macroblank via Youtube
Recently, Barber Beats has been migrating from the YouTube algorithm into the real world. For instance, the independent record label Aloe City Wrld has partnered with many producers in the scene to get their works released in physical form. Staying true to the retro aesthetic, these come in the form of cassette tapes, vinyl, CDs and even a fingerboard deck. This all culminated earlier this year when a live Barber Beats show was hosted in London, bringing together the community for the first time since its inception 8 years ago.
However, as previously mentioned, Barber Beats aren’t original. Many projects are just simple sample flips with little to no editing and a pretty album cover. This then raises questions over the morality of producers profiting from work that they have plundered from somebody else. There is much online discourse surrounding this debate, although I will say that as someone who has tried to release music in physical form before; it is EXPENSIVE. It’s very unlikely that record labels are making any money from sales, but are doing so rather for their love of physical media. The resurgence of vinyl in the past 10 years has demonstrated that even though it comes at a higher cost, analogue technology still holds a strong appeal in today's digital deluge.
With that being said, it would be nice to see some more originality in the scene. Countless artists pour their hearts and souls into their works and receive no attention, while Barber Beat producers spend a few hours in Photoshop and get millions of views. The genre is starting to become saturated, so an injection of original music could help push it into a much-needed new direction. Artists such as ROMBREAKER are leading this wave, demonstrating that it’s possible to maintain the core atmosphere without such heavy reliance on sampling.
Nonetheless, the curated cuts of Barber Beats occupy a unique space in the musical imagination. Whether it be locking into an essay, drifting to sleep or cheffing up a gourmet meal (pesto pasta), you can put these on and be carried away by the easy-listening tunes. Barber Beats are almost like a soundtrack for liminal spaces, creating nostalgia for a time and place that never was, yet feels so close.
Perhaps this is the music they play in the background at Dorsia.