In today’s ‘surely not’ internet revelation, we present a buzzing, unique music sub-genre (somehow with its own Wikipedia page, no less) for your viewing pleasure. Combining chillwave/vaporwave music—heavily reliant on a psychedelic, ambient sound—with clips from beloved animated sitcom The Simpsons is apparently all it takes to make a Simpsonwave video, with surprisingly enjoyable results. It would all appear to seem far too good to be true, if there weren’t already solid evidence of the sub-genre existing all over YouTube right now, and growing rapidly.

Having run since December 1989, The Simpsons has had plenty of time to offer up countless clips, images and episodes to perfectly match whichever mood any composer might well desire to highlight, be it fitting in to the psychedelia elements heavily favoured by the chillwave/vaporwave sound, or exploring even more ‘straightforward’ emotions such as sadness, as below.

Easily traceable back to the ever loud and popular meme culture which dominates all corners of the internet (with original ties, particularly, to this viral Vine), and pioneered by YouTube user Lucien Hughes, Simpsonwave is the musical sub-genre and YouTube subculture we never knew that we needed. Allowing viewers alternative glimpses back in to the lives of Bart, Homer, Lisa and co, Simpsonwave proves an accessible genre appealing both to the nostalgia lent to The Simpsons, and the chaos in all of us yearning for the laid-back, ambient aesthetic that chillwave offers to soothe our souls.

Or maybe we’re all looking way too deep in to it, and we should just simply light a blunt, sit back and enjoy some of the best Simpsons clips set to the sounds of an LSD trip. Or maybe even, only a few short days from International Donut Day, enjoy a delicious iced donut in honour of Homer Simpson, while chillwave pulls us further down the rabbit hole.

Either way, there’s no time like the present, jump on board with Simpsonwave before it’s everywhere.

• Words: James Schofield