For University alumnus Ernest Greene, making music has proven to be not only a deeply-rooted passion but a genre-defying journey across the musical spectrum.

According to Greene, who records and performs under his stage name Washed Out, he arrived at his current style of airy, lush and often dance-worthy electronic music via a stint as a hip-hop producer.

Now, however, Greene is expanding upon the electronic beats and quirky samples of his hip-hop past by blending those sounds with an assortment of live instruments and his own rich vocal melodies. The resulting sound “could be the background music for a kissing scene in a John Hughes movie,” according to close friend Kory Kitchens.

Greene says this similarity is often unintentional despite the genre’s roundabout influence on his music.

“I think the John Hughes style of sentimental pop definitely had an influence, but in a weird, indirect way,” Greene said. “While I grew up listening to those songs and will hear them occasionally on the radio, they aren’t really stuff that I listen to a lot. So when I’m writing with that influence in mind, the end product is normally really skewed because it’s sort of a false memory to start with.”

And though the ’80s synth-pop comparisons do frequently ring true, the varying textures and ethereal, smooth beats showcase an inventive and experimental take on classic new-wave sounds.

It was only recently that Greene began making music as Washed Out, and in the past few months, he’s made quite a splash in the music world. His debut and sophomore EPs, released in August and September, have brought him attention from music fans, music critics and booking agents alike.

This newfound exposure is what ultimately landed Greene a spot at CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival in New York City, where he made a rare live appearance before an enthusiastic crowd.

According to Greene, however, he favors recording at his parents’ home in Perry, Ga., to playing frequent live shows or orchestrating extensive, cross-country tours. And he’s got good reason to stick around the South. Just last month, he married a childhood friend, and the extensive wedding preparations left him with little time to plan shows – let alone write and record new material.

“I prefer to record, but things have been so crazy lately that I haven’t had much time,” he said. “I’d say for the past two years that recording has been a large part of my daily lifestyle, so it’s been really strange not being able to work. But things are slowing down a bit and I’ve been working on some new songs that I’ll probably play on Friday.”

Even though Greene is now able to find the time to write and record, he still plans on keeping his live appearances relatively infrequent – or, at the very least, largely regional.

Despite the lack of excitement in rural Georgia, Greene finds the rustic simplicity of his surroundings influences his creative process.

“[The recent months were] really inspiring because the weather was really great and I had a lot of free time,” he said.