WASHED OUT

Washed Out’s Ernest Greene by Shae Detar

Washed Out transforms synth pop and heavy base into weightless energy that becomes an escape from reality. This is the kind of music to take on a road trip, tracks to unwind to after a long day; where feelings of letting go occur naturally.

Solo artist Ernest Greene goes by stage name Washed Out. Before entering the music scene, Greene graduated with a Master’s degree in Library and Informational Science. When finding little luck in his hunt for work he began focusing on other talents. Greene spent hours alone at his parent’s house in his bedroom with a synthesizer and headphones. An appreciation for rap and experimenting with different styles of music would inspire him to make an assortment of tracks. The Georgia based artist would no longer remain an undiscovered gem, after social media users discovered Washed Out’s recordings on Myspace. This was just the beginning of what would blossom a creative hobby into a professional career.

Washed Out’s 2009 album Life of Leisure is contagious.  This album’s remarkable sound and catchy beats make it hard for someone to walk away without feeling completely mesmerized. Feel it All Around is a track off the spellbinding album that immediately grips the attention of everyone in the room. The track is also used as the theme song on Portlandia. Other albums released include 2011’s Within and Without and most recent Paracosm, making its debut in 2013.  Washed Out’s Paracosm shines bright with new lyrics of optimism mixed with dream pop to build a feeling of floating and discovery.

Washed Out instantaneously grew into popularity among listeners defining what many refer to as genre Chillwave. This genre identifies the use of synthesizing, looping, and sampling music with a combination of heavy vocals and 80s retro music. Other groups like indie electronic artists Toro Y Moi and Neon Indian also fall under this genre of music.

Ernest Greene lives in Athens, Georgia and continues to work alone with his headphones and synthesizer to bring new ideas to life. Check out the dynamic experience of synth pop for yourself.  You can see the magic happen right before your eyes and ears on September 13, when Washed Out will perform with Small Black in Ft. Lauderdale at the Culture Room.

~ Brittany Curtis