Chillwave - The Origin

While probably not the exact origin, I like to think of the short-lived group Ghosthustler as one of the main forerunners of the current Chillwave craze. Headed by Alan Palomo, who currently goes by Neon Indian and VEGA (perhaps you've heard of them?), Ghosthustler has those ethereal, dream-like vocals down along with some crunchy, sci-fi synths. Not quite as dreamy as Neon Indian or Toro y Moi, Ghosthustler really begins to hint at those atmospheric synths on tracks like Only Me to Trust. They still crank out some jams like Busy Busy Busy, one of my favorites. Ghosthustler no longer exists, but their few extant tracks are certainly worth listening to.

Ghosthustler - Busy Busy Busy (YSI) (zshare)

Ghosthustler - Only Me to Trust (YSI) (zshare)