The Virtual Ocean

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

Vaportrap. The beautiful marriage between the chill, ambient vibes of vaporwave and the power and kinetics of trap music.

But now, for today’s episode.

In this episode, we explore the work of Italian vaporwave artist Quadratox.

This album is one of EIGHTY projects released by Quadratox under the Business Casual vaporwave label.

This LP has by far THE most range than any album we’ve covered ever.

Ever wonder what an acoustic ballad sounds like with a vaporwave tinge? What about eurotrap? How about industrial and METAL?  

Quadratox displays an impressive range and sticks the landing on most of it.

Ready to hear what it sounds like?

Let’s go atomic and set sail into the mind of Quadratox’s 1995.

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

Vaportrap. The beautiful marriage between the chill, ambient vibes of vaporwave and the power and kinetics of trap music.

But now, for today’s episode.

Brandon and I have returned after a 2 month break off this show and I will say, I have gotten a little rusty at my commentary BUT, please bear with me, because this is a pretty damn good album.

In this episode, we cover one of 2019’s biggest collaborations in the vaporware space. Building a Better World by Cat System Corp and Telepath.

We have done episodes on both of these artists in the past and we highly recommend you check those out whenever you can.

This album takes the dystopian ambience that has become a vaporwave trope and transforms it into something positive, beautiful, and spaciously vast. 

The combination of Cat System Corps’s Mallsoft acumen with Telepath’s polymathic ambient powers creates a stunningly fresh take on the genre that shows where the ambient world of vaporwave can go next.

Join us, and let’s set sail for the metropolis of Telepath and Cat System Corps’ Building a Better World.

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

Vaportrap. The beautiful marriage between the chill, ambient vibes of vaporwave and the power and kinetics of trap music.

But now, for today’s episode.

We will be diving 1000 mph into the first album of the Godfather of Vaportrap, Patrick Driscoll, aka Blank Banshee.

Blank Banshee 0 is a vaporwave treasure, up there with the likes of Macintosh 420’s Floral Shoppe. 

This album was released in 2012 and was the first to unearth the sound that would become “vaportrap”, combining the strange samplings that came from the vaporwave world and perfectly melding it into these trap beats; a sound the internet hadn’t heard… until Blank Banshee sculpted it.

Blank Banshee 0 is an album that’s held in high regards to many vaporwave listeners and still holds up as an album to this day because of its innovative compositional takes and its ability to paint very obscure electronic visuals in your head.

You just got to experience it for yourself. 

Let’s set sail for Blank Banshee’s world of Blank Banshee 0.

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

Vaportrap. The beautiful marriage between the chill, ambient vibes of vaporwave and the power and kinetics of trap music.

Today, we will be listening to one of the most foundational vaportrap albums made: Vaperror’s Mana Pool

Released in 2014, Mana Pool infused the growing vaporwave sound with intricate trap beats; blending into an album that takes you through the insides of a machine… A machine made of water.

Brandon and I had an amazing time experiencing this one. 

Let’s set sail for Vaperror’s Mana Pools.

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

We continue on our exploration of the Golden Boy Saint Pepsi with one of his best albums, Studio 54.

As you know, Saint Pepsi laid the foundation for the future funk subgenre and with this iconic filtering, live loops, and sampling of 70s and 80s disco and funk music.

One of the most fun artists in the genre, Saint Pepsi defines what is truly possible in the realm of vaporware aside from the tormented ambient sounds that came from the proto-vapor era.

Having released 5 albums in the span of a one month period in 2012, Studio 54 is the climax of an intense exploration of Saint Pepsi’s electronic experiments in his college dorm.

We will also be joined in this listening by my beautiful partner and the love of my love, Jireh Ordaz.

Now, enough talking. Let’s get dancing and sail for the metropolis of Saint Pepsi’s Studio 54.

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

In this episode, we are going to dive once again into the work of Telepath, the most prolific Vaporware artist and the community’s consistent pick as the Greatest of All Time.

We are joined by a very special guest and a dear friend of mine, Jeffrey Barrola aka JeffSoBomb.

Jeff is a ranked competitive Northern California smash bros player and the creator of beautiful custom GameCube controllers that you can find on his social media, @JeffSoBomb. You really gotta see his work for yourself. 

In guest episodes like this, me and Brandon take it a bit more chill and like to have organic conversations layered with vaporwave music in between. 

Today, we explore the beautiful future funk label Neon City Records, the album that holds iconic future funk artists like moe shop, Macross 82-99, night tempo, and more. 

We chill and talk about a bunch of different topics ranging from cancel culture, growing up with immigrant parents, competitive smash brothers, and social media use. 

While the conversation in this episode is really chill, get ready to dance your ass off with some hardcore future funk.

Let’s set sail with Jeffrey Barrola, for the neon lights of NeonCity Records.

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

In this episode, we are going to dive once again into the work of Telepath, the most prolific Vaporware artist and the community’s consistent pick as the Greatest of All Time.

In this episode, we’re going to focus on one particular artist who is the Golden Boy of the vaporwave future funk genre: Saint. Pepsi.

We think it’s finally time to give the man, also known as Skylar Spence, his due on this show.

So we will go way way back to December 2012, when it all started with his very first album: Laser Tag Zero.

Let’s experience this piece of vaporwave history together.

Let’s set sail for the islands of Saint Pepsi’s Laser Tag Zero.

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

In this episode, we are going to dive once again into the work of Telepath, the most prolific Vaporware artist and the community’s consistent pick as the Greatest of All Time.

We explore his 2014 album “To The Future”, an album that takes you into a coastal city full of excessive indulgence. 

This album is just a nonstop party, with many hints of dystopia and ruin.

This album seemed to have a very clear visual concept and narrative behind it, and I always love when I get to share my experience as I go through it. 

It’s time to party, everyone.

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

In this episode, we listen to the Kentucky vaporwave artist N64’s album “A Synthetic Christmas Volume 1”, a very dense compilation of vaporwave-infused Christmas tracks that embodies everything about this genre; from the shitposty/meme nature to the ambient escapism to the ironic capitalist takes.

This is probably the funniest album we have listened to this show all year, and we had such a cheery time listening through this album. 

N64 is a vaporwave project from an anonymous Computer Science Master’s student from Kentucky. N64 also goes by Avalon Genesis and DJ Allistair. You can find his website at smuthestudios.com.

The Virtual Ocean is the “Let’s Listen” vaporwave discovery podcast.

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a music genre (and internet meme) that appropriates mood music from the past while presenting subtle takes on modern-day consumerist culture. The genre has drawn many passionate listeners with its powerful immersion, ambiguous commentaries, and the genre's unique ability to amalgamate with the memes created as its byproduct.

It's a genre with several subgenres that are extremely distinct from one another in sound and style; and yet evoke similar archetypal ideas that say, either explicitly or implicitly, a lot about the modern world.

It's also very, very, aesthetic.

In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up genre and give our thoughts, emotions, and commentary on them.

In episode 18, we listen to one of the most iconic albums from one of the most iconic vaporwave producers: telepath.