C86

C86 emerged in the mid-1980s when a bunch of indie pop lovers in the UK decided that jangly guitars and heartfelt lyrics were the recipe for eternal youth, or at least an unforgettable mixtape. Characterised by happy-go-lucky melodies layered with a fair bit of lo-fi charm, it sounds as if the musicians have just rolled out of bed and accidentally picked up a guitar on their way to the toaster. This delightful genre produced a legendary NME cassette, proving that audiophiles would go to great lengths—and considerable noise—to capture the zeitgeist of a generation who preferred their music both cheerful and a tad scruffy.