Pool Days

Released in early 2022, Pool Days represents a refinement of HM Surf's established 'sunny lo-fi' aesthetic. While the artist is a staple of the global 'lo-fi girl' phenomenon, this specific album leans harder into the 'Surf' moniker, utilizing aquatic textures and breezy, jazz-adjacent melodic structures. The production is characterized by heavy tape warble and a deliberate 'lo-fi' degradation that adds a sense of nostalgic weight to the digital compositions. Unlike earlier works that occasionally experimented with more aggressive boom-bap influences, Pool Days is almost entirely focused on the 'downtempo' and 'chillhop' end of the spectrum. Critics and listeners have noted its effectiveness as a 'focus' album, though its technical merit lies in the sophisticated layering of environmental samples and the specific, warm EQ profile that has become a hallmark of the Norwegian producer's sound. It stands as a quintessential example of the genre's shift toward highly curated, atmospheric experiences.