What is Witch House?
Witch House is a subgenre of electronic music that emerged in the late 2000s and is characterized by its dark, eerie, and atmospheric sound. The genre is known for its use of slowed-down, distorted beats, spooky sound samples, and heavy use of reverb and other effects to create a ghostly and haunting atmosphere.
Witch House is heavily influenced by early goth and industrial music, as well as darkwave, shoegaze, and trip-hop. The genre is also known for its use of occult and supernatural themes, as well as its references to death, horror, and the macabre.
Production-wise, Witch House often utilizes elements of hip-hop, such as chopped and screwed samples, as well as elements of electronic dance music, such as repetitive, hypnotic beats and complex, layered soundscapes. The genre is also known for its use of unconventional time signatures and non-standard rhythms, which give it a distinctive and disorienting feel.
The Witch House aesthetic is heavily centered around visual elements, with a focus on dark, surreal, and cryptic imagery. This often includes references to cults, the occult, and supernatural elements, as well as an overall atmosphere of mystery and terror.
In terms of its place in music history, Witch House was a major part of the “chillwave” movement of the late 2000s and early 2010s, and has since evolved and influenced a number of other subgenres within electronic music, such as vaporwave and dark ambient. Today, the genre continues to be a major influence on underground electronic music, and its dark, eerie soundscapes continue to captivate and inspire new generations of musicians and fans alike.