Surf

Surf music was born in California at the turn of the 1960s, carried by the beach culture of Los Angeles and San Diego and the rise of surfing as a way of life. Dick Dale, nicknamed the 'King of the Surf Guitar', laid the instrumental foundations with his revolutionary use of tremolo and spring reverb, creating an aquatic, splashing sound immediately evocative of waves and sunshine.

Musically, Surf is defined by a heavily reverbed electric guitar playing fast, repetitive melodies — often in alternate picking — over energetic 4/4 rhythms. Bright timbres and high harmonics evoke ocean spray. The vocal branch of Surf, championed by the Beach Boys, incorporates sophisticated vocal harmonies and lyrics about cars, girls and the beach. The garage revival of the 2000s considerably rejuvenated the genre.

The contemporary Surf scene thrives through acts like Allah-Las, who blend a 60s aesthetic with California psychedelia, and Night Beats, who add garage and blues tones. Southern Culture On The Skids mix Surf, rockabilly and Southern humour, while Mike Love, Beach Boys veteran, continues to carry the original heritage.

Surf music festivals flourish on coasts worldwide, from Australia to France, Japan and Brazil. Events like the Surfer Joe Summer Festival in Livorno, Italy, bring together genre enthusiasts each year. In France, coastal festivals in the Landes and Basque Country regularly feature this repertoire alongside Garage Rock and Psychedelic Rock.