Witch house is a genre of electronic music that emerged in the late 2000s. It is characterized by its dark and occult-inspired aesthetic, combining elements of electronic music, hip hop, and shoegaze. The genre derives its name from the visual and aesthetic associations with witchcraft, mysticism, and the occult. The sound of witch house typically features slow, heavy beats, ethereal and distorted vocals, and haunting melodies. It often incorporates elements of lo-fi production, with a nostalgic and retro feel. Witch house artists often sample and manipulate vocals and other musical elements to create a dream-like and otherworldly atmosphere.
What the Hell is Witch House Music?
Hello and welcome fellow sorcerers and spellcasters! Mages and magicians! Warlocks and wickens! Get your wands ready and open up your spell books to page 6AM as we hex it up with a lesson in everyone’s favorite spooky subgenre, Witch House! If this is your first time visiting our dungeon, make sure to check out our other Techno music guides, ranging from hard to hypnotic, deep and dubby, and anything else on the EDM spectrum. But if you’ve read our spells before, put on your oversized pointy hat and saddle up on your broomstick as we let the witch house ritual begin!
Witch house artists often sample and manipulate vocals and other musical elements to create a dream-like and otherworldly atmosphere. One of the key aspects of witch house is its visual and aesthetic presentation. Artists associated with the genre often use occult symbols and imagery in their album artwork, music videos, and live performances.
What is Witch House Music?
Witch house is a type of electronic music known for its dark, occult themes frequently accompanied by eerie, horror influenced aesthetics. Images depicted in witch house culture usually include witchcraft and shamanistic inspired artwork, often layering in hidden messages through unicode text and symbols such as triangles, crosses and other wicked imagery. Emerging in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, the vibe of witch house was incited by the likes of popular paranormal films such as The Blair Witch Project, Twin Peaks, Charmed, and various horror/terror themed dark web videos and pop culture references. Witch house culture is often paired with the dark aesthetic of gothic and dystopian fashion.
Although the genre has “house” in its name, it doesn’t really resemble house music much. In fact, rather than the fast, up beat tendencies of house music, witch house bears more similarities to hip-hop, taking its ‘chopped and screwed’ style and significantly slowing down the tempo, while making use of skipping, stop-timed beats. Aside from hip-hop, witch house is also influenced by industrial, noise, dream pop, and ethereal wave music, while garnering inspiration from experimental bands of the 1980’s such as Psychic TV, Coil, and Cocteau Twins. Incorporating synthesizers, drum machines, atmospheric noise, heavily distorted samples and droning vocals, witch house emits a creepy, paranormal vibe that the genre is well known for.
The use of dark colors, glitchy visuals, and glitch art is also common. This visual style helps contribute to the mysterious and enigmatic atmosphere associated with witch house. Witch house gained popularity through online platforms such as blogs and social media, with artists using platforms like Tumblr and SoundCloud to share their music. One of the genre's defining albums, "Drag" by Salem, was released in 2010 and received critical acclaim, helping to establish the genre within the underground music scene. Despite its niche appeal, witch house has made an impact on the broader music landscape. It has influenced a range of artists and genres, with its dark and atmospheric sound and visual style finding its way into other electronic music, as well as hip hop and pop music. Like many genre labels, the term "witch house" has been subject to debate and criticism. Some argue that it is overly vague or fails to adequately capture the diverse range of artists and sounds associated with the genre. Others view it as a valuable term that helps define a distinct and innovative style of music. Overall, witch house is a genre of music that combines elements of electronic, hip hop, and shoegaze, creating a dark and atmospheric sound characterized by its occult-inspired visual aesthetic. While it remains a niche genre, it has had a lasting impact on the broader music landscape, showcasing the power of the internet in facilitating the discovery and dissemination of new and unique styles of music..
Reviews for "Witch House and Mysticism: How the Genre Incorporates Esotericism"
1. John - 2/5 stars: I found the witch house genre to be confusing and jarring. The heavy use of distorted and slowed-down samples made it difficult for me to connect with the music. I prefer melodies and harmonies that are more straightforward and easy to follow. The overall atmosphere of the witch house genre felt too dark and gloomy for my taste. I can understand how some people may enjoy it, but it's just not my cup of tea.
2. Emily - 1/5 stars: I have to say, the witch house genre is the polar opposite of what I enjoy in music. The distorted vocals and eerie synths create a creepy and unsettling atmosphere that I find incredibly off-putting. The lack of melodic structure and the heavy reliance on repetitive and noise-driven elements make it difficult for me to find any enjoyment in this genre. Perhaps there is an audience for this kind of music, but I am definitely not a part of it.
3. Alex - 2/5 stars: I gave the witch house genre a try based on the recommendations of some friends, but I have to admit that it didn't resonate with me at all. The combination of hip hop beats and dark, atmospheric sounds felt disjointed and chaotic. I struggled to find any coherent melodies or hooks that could grab my attention. While I can appreciate the unique and experimental approach of the genre, it simply wasn't appealing to my personal tastes.