到底什么是Lounge？Lounge兼具动词与名词的意涵，但字义基本上指的本质都是“慵懒”的味道，所以在音乐上有所谓Lounge Music，在家具上有所谓Lounge Sofa，但真正可以跟“生活风格”产生联想的，当推Lounge Bar这样的一个情境空间。早在上世纪五六十年代，Lounge Bar就已在欧美国家开始出现。舒适的沙发、慵懒的音乐、迷人昏暗的灯光、独具风情的摆设，还有低低哼着歌的歌手，就是早期的Lounge Bar。
5年前，Lounge风再次席卷全球。最初是在巴黎和纽约，那些所谓的走在社会最前端的夜行者们，厌倦了一成不变的、缺乏新意的迪厅和夜总会，生活的紧张和压力使他们渴望一个真正放松、自在、可以尽情享乐又不那么疯狂的地方，Lounge Bar便应运而生。现代人最需要的就是这种心灵上的舒解，需要的是达到完全解放的状态，时尚、雅皮、慵懒的Lounge Bar正好提供了这样一种融合时尚、美酒、音乐的夜生活环境，其在现代都市中的蔓延速度可谓势不可挡。
Not so long ago, someone dared to notice: discotheques are totally out and slowly fading away. This untouchable institution of the evening hanging out, over thirty years old, loses its status in the world of hyper generation. Older likeophiles of the evening rolling by, would probably be surprised or contradict to such an opinion, but the fact is that new kids are less crazy for disco-clubs in the classical way of the notion and tend to enjoy new fun vibes. Today's stars are DJs, both singers and bands, but in a totally different way. Specialized clubs, musical-artistic projects, performances and parties in the halls and various places, became modern fun cult. Many discotheques keep working good all right but only if they gradually adapt to young clubbers' idea of entertainment (famous DJs, multimedial events, fancy drinks and attractions) or if they play by the wish fulfillment concept (number of top singles, number of evergreens, models and celebrities) of the nostalgic ones and older disco generation.
While twentysome and thirtysome businessmen thrill with the After Work party concept taken over from Italians because, as they claim, they have no other choice on how to have fun, all over Europe the whole new trend of lounge bars had emerged. CDs and radio stations are mainly the media that brought the notion and sound of lounge into this milieu. Many of you probably remember great lounge hit of the Levitation band More Than Ever People or recent St. Germain single Sure Thing. Famous Radio Monte Carlo, listened to quite a lot through the satellite, its whole night program “Monte Carlo Nights” had dedicated mostly to the lounge sounds, what made it one of the most listened programs in Europe. Program popularity was followed by launching of a number of Monte Carlo Nights music compilations. Many people today gladly fill up their own sound archives with lounge compilations of the mundane Parisian bars and tourists’ favorite exotic islands. Compilations Caffé Del Mar, most renown here, have the cult status among musicophiles.
Caffé Del Mar at Ibiza is deemed to be the first lounge bar according to many... Envisioned as a place where stern business people can go out at night and relax, as an alternative to the Ibiza techno clubs, soon became most popular gathering spot of yuppies as well as artists. The secret was the very distinct atmosphere: contrast to calmness and relaxation with the sunset and the sea freshness towards the seminal and contemplative sounds of lounge music played by the famous DJ José Padilla. That very combination of sternness and inspiration had reconciled the irreconcilable, business freaks and artists.
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