Luxury Elite: Memories of modern-day

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

There is always someone behind the music we listen to. Even the most mundane elevator music, often thought to be produced by a company unheard of, has people behind it with a passion for music and artistry. In general, when we hear music without words, in a soundtrack, in an elevator, or at a gym, we rarely care to know much about the people making it. With that feeling of sonder aside, I would like to introduce you to one of those artists.

This instrumental artist is known as Luxury Elite. Elite, sometimes referred to as “Lux,” is an enigma; all that is known about her is that she produces under many aliases besides Luxury Elite and was born in the ‘80s. This anonymous artist creates music in the vaporwave style, a microgenre of music that critiques consumerism and the commercialization of culture. The videos associated with this music are typically pastel colors, glitch art, and imagery such as Greek statues, corporate logos, and retro technology. The music ranges from retro electric sounds to smooth lounge jazz, which helps create the dreamy atmosphere associated with vaporwave. In other words, the genre is calming but also quite bizarre. 

While Lux is not the founder of vaporwave, she is a very influential creator in the vaporwave scene. Even without lyrics, Lux’s musicality is something to behold. Listen as she utilizes synths, saxophones, and percussion to create “background music” that, while effortlessly blending into the background, also makes you want to pay more attention to it. The style is reminiscent of the ‘80s—like music you can hear at a mall. The songs reflect a simpler time while possessing modern elements that help keep you in the present. If Stranger Things (2016-) proved anything, it is that people enjoy the nostalgia and vibe associated with the 80s; if that is something you appreciate, you are sure to have a good time with this genre. Ironically, the technology barrier of the ‘80s prevented the creation of this type of music at that time—but at least we get to listen to it now!

You can tell that melancholy, corporatism, and bizarreness are something Luxury Elite wears on her sleeve with how potent it is in all her songs. Something I find cosmically funny is that although a significant point of her music is to be heavily nostalgic and reference the past, Lux’s music herself will eventually be nostalgic and possibly be recreated, the product being a little different than the original. It is like a weird game of telephone, but I think the idea is beautiful, and I hope to see references to Vaporwave in the future. People recreate what they love—but a bit differently every time. 

For those who want to start listening to Lux, I recommend the album World Class (2015) as a starting point. Again, there are no lyrics—but the sound is so unique that you will surely get something out of it. You can find Luxury Elite on any of your typical streaming platforms.