The Return of Chillout?
The sound that could be the antidote to our fragmented attention and over-stimulation
Across hospitality and retail - from restaurants and wine bars to hotels and lifestyle spaces - there’s a growing appetite for sounds that feel calm, warm and understated. Perhaps unexpectedly, chillout, downtempo and lounge sounds have been finding their way back into many of the collections we’re building.
Slow-burn grooves, soft electronics, subtle jazz influences, gentle rhythms; as well as the golden age of chillout with artists like Air, Thievery Corporation, William Orbit and more, low key sounds are also being reimagined by contemporary artists through modern production, broader and less contrived influences and deeper atmospheres. It’s less sun-lounger escapism, more everyday elegance.
From a curation perspective, we’ve certainly noticed this shift. While vocal-forward collections or more traditional song-craft still tend to dominate, an increasing number of venues are now asking for music that sits more comfortably in the background. Music that creates atmosphere without demanding attention.
Maybe this reflects a broader change in how people are using hospitality spaces. Restaurants, cafés and hotels are no longer just places for occasions or spectacle - they’re increasingly functioning as third spaces. Somewhere to decompress, meet, pause between work and home, or simply spend time without sensory overload. In that context, music plays a different role. Rather than driving energy, it’s often there to support comfort, conversation and flow.
There’s also a wider cultural backdrop to this. Life today is loud - digitally, emotionally and informationally. The pace of life is fast, our attention is fragmented, and we are constantly over-stimulated. It makes sense that both listeners and artists are gravitating towards sounds that feel grounding. Chillout music, by design, avoids extremes. Tempos are moderate, transitions are gentle, repetitive grooves are embraced. It doesn’t build toward a drop or ask for emotional intensity. Rather it holds space and creates atmosphere.
Interestingly, we’re seeing this resonate across generations. While the original chillout era carries nostalgia for some, younger audiences seem equally drawn to its atmosphere-first approach. In a world shaped by short-form content and algorithmic urgency, music that unfolds slowly can feel refreshing - and calming.
From the artist side, this resurgence also makes sense. Chillout and downtempo music allows for longevity and consistency rather than constant reinvention. It prioritises texture, tone and mood over personality or performance. Many of the producers from the 90s and contemporary artists working in this arena blend influences from ambient, downtempo house, neo-soul and balearic music, creating tracks that are emotionally literate without explicitly vying for attention.
For hospitality, the appeal is practical; chillout-leaning collections tend to scale naturally throughout the day, sit well beneath conversation, reduce listener fatigue and adapt easily as a room fills and empties. When curated thoughtfully, they help define the emotional temperature of a space rather than competing with it.
None of this feels like a trend in the traditional sense. It’s less about revival and more about rebalancing - a shift away from maximalism and toward music as environment. As curators, we find ourselves constantly returning to questions of mood, pace and restraint.
For now, chillout feels less like a look back, and more like a quiet response to the times we live in. And judging by what we’re hearing from clients and in the music, it’s a sound that feels well-suited to how we want to enjoy social spaces.