Who hasn’t waded through videos, down the rabbit hole, on Youtube and come across a lo-fi hip-hop track featuring a looping Anime GIF? Years ago these tracks wouldn’t have been that recognisable but today they’re a familiar part of the music on youtube. Known for their mellow beats and nostalgic melodies, you can’t help but be reminded of great classics from J Dilla or Nujabes as it emanates through the speakers.
Its been an interesting journey for the lo-fi beats community on Youtube. It wasn’t too long ago that one would have to scour the furthest reaches of YouTube in order to happen upon a several hundred or several thousand viewed track. What started out as just an outlet for an appreciation of beats and melodies has manifested into something much more.
Who would’ve thought that there would be live stream versions geared towards productivity or even a safe haven for those to reflect within and take a break from whatever.
Today, more than ever, we’re spending more time at home to discover new things, learn new skills and be productive. We hope these tracks will act as the ambient soundtrack to your pandemic activities. Check out our top 5 Japanese inspired lo-fi hip-hop beats channels on Youtube that you need to listen and subscribe to:
5. lōland:
A newcomer to Youtube in relation to our other picks, this was actually a very recent find. Found with the help of the trusty autoplay “suggester” to the right of the Youtube screen.
Formed as a collaborative project amongst 3 producers, lōland combines lo-fi beats and old school gear. What really stands out is that lōland record their own samples which set them apart and, establishing their own unique but also familiar sound to the lo-fi hip-hop community.
You can listen to their tracks on Spotify or Youtube. Subscribe and keep an eye out for their new releases.
4. Ｄｉｚｚｙｉｎｃ ケサ:
If you’re looking for lo-fi beats and chill-hop study beats you’ve come to the right place. Dizzy Inc has been around since 2018 and is the go-to channel for all those Studio Ghibli fans out there. Dizzy Inc mixes the melodic tracks from all your favourite Studio Ghibli films and mixes them with solid beats to create his own sound.
The wistfulness and sentimentality of the piano playing by famed composer Joe Hisashi mixed with a chilled hip hop sound will get you smashing out those reports in no time!
3. The bootleg boy:
This lo-fi hip-hop Youtube channel is killer. The Bootleg boy is pretty damn special. The sheer amount of variety and originality to his approach of capturing a concept or a feel makes listening to his tracks quite an intimate experience, they’re not necessarily meant to be listened to for relaxing. There’s a beautiful and recognisable sadness to his tracks, perhaps it makes it relatable.
His R A I N I N G series is amazing, he uses beats, audio from other media, the sound of raindrops, familiar and obscure piano to place you right where he wants you to be. Be it Raining in T O K Y O or Raining in O S A K A, no matter what you listen to of The bootleg boy and his collection you’ll be taken away to somewhere sedated yet relaxing. The tracks are accompanied by dim neon city shots of Tokyo or Osaka, similar to
Just look at the YT comments:
“I wish there was a way to know you’re in ‘the good old days’ before you’ve actually left them.”
2. Ikigai:
This channel was suggested to me from a friend at a time where I thought I knew all the best Japanese lo-fi hip-hop and chill-hop study beats channels on Youtube. This is where the mixes start to become truly artistic; weaving together a central theme to the track, with the perfect accompaniment of melody and beat to really get you feeling how the artist wanted you to feel.
Ikigai’s Kudasai series is an absolute must for any lo-fi hip-hop fan out there who, like me, is a nostalgia junkie. Call me biased but I do think that these tracks and where they sit are some of the most chilled, relaxed and positive places on Youtube and the Internet as well! Everyone just wants to feel good and spread good vibes.
Where else can you go with like-minded people, reminisce about the love that you never lost, a journey to Japan you never went on, or a life you didn’t live.
1. Chilled cow:
This list wouldn’t be worth doing without mentioning the one and only Chilled Cow. We all know ChilledCow’s popular LoFi hip-hop channel as the ever-present live stream that features an Anime girl doing her homework with her trusty orange tabby cat.
With 5.34 million subscribers, Chill Cow are leading the way in lo-fi beats online. This is pretty much go-to when I want to zone out and get down and dirty with some productivity and achieve something.
The side panel on the live stream page is a great place to just share your thoughts on the tracks, chat with other lo-fo community members and just appreciate the moment.
It’s kind of blast from the past to be able to go into what is essentially a Youtube chat forum whilst doing your homework, WFH, chores, or just hanging out online and talking to people from all over the world about everything and nothing.
Get on this channel, subscribe and don’t look back.
