Vibe to Square Enix’s excellent soundtracks in its new 24/7 lofi stream

Move over Lofi Girl, there’s a new mellow YouTube music channel in town. Square Enix Music Channel released a chill 24/7 stream on Thursday morning, playing remixes of the publisher’s catchiest tracks from its most popular games. The YouTube playlist, called Chill Square Enix Music 24/7, is also available on Spotify.

Square Enix is known for its games’ excellent soundtracks. Nier: Automata is a personal favorite of mine, composed by Keiichi Okabe and full of beautiful orchestral arrangements that suit the game’s exploration and combat elements.

In that vein, Square’s lofi music is slightly livelier than I expected, since every so often a fight track comes on. I’ve been able to recognize specific songs, or at least the names of the games that the songs have come from. So far I’ve listened to “[NieR Re[in]carnation Chill Out Arrangement Tracks]” and “[Sanctuary’s Heart: Final Fantasy XIV Chill Arrangement Album].” They both whip. 

Chill Square Enix Music’s visual aesthetic also has a lot in common with the original Lofi Girl, but rendered in an adorable pixel art style. In the background image, a woman with light blue hair is conked out in front of a laptop screen. She’s got corded headphones, and a mug with (presumably) some kind of caffeinated beverage. The floor-to-ceiling windows behind her reveal a beautiful skyline of high rises and even a few hanging plants. But you can also see a sliver of the moon, to which I say, get some better work-life balance, girl.