The difference, by ear
Both value amateurism. Indie pop is sweet and arranged; lo-fi is ragged and frequently unfinished by design.
Both are sung cleanly, but indie pop / twee is a little faster: 120 to 160 bpm against 90 to 140. To hear the difference, play Pavement next to Belle and Sebastian. Both grew out of indie rock, indie pop / twee first and lo-fi / slacker rock six years after.
In figures
Lo-fi / slacker rock
Where it sits
Rock › Alternative rock › Indie rock › Lo-fi / slacker rock
In short
Recorded on a four-track cassette with the hiss left in deliberately. Indifference as a method.
How it sounds
- Recorded on a four-track with tape hiss and saturation left in.
- Approximate tuning and mistakes kept in the final version.
- Short songs, sometimes under two minutes, with incomplete structures.
Key acts
- Pavement
- Guided by Voices
- Sebadoh
Start here
The pickGuided by Voices - Bee Thousand. Twenty songs, most under two minutes.
Full page →Indie pop / twee
Where it sits
Rock › Alternative rock › Indie rock › Indie pop / twee
In short
Sweet melodies, shy vocals, clean guitars. The gentle reaction to rock machismo.
How it sounds
- Sweet melodies with major progressions and simple arrangements.
- Clean guitar, sometimes with glockenspiel, trumpet or discreet strings.
- Shy, thin vocals sung without any effort to impress.
Key acts
- Belle and Sebastian
- The Field Mice
- Camera Obscura
Start here
The pickBelle and Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister. Recorded in three days on a student budget.
Full page →