Witch House is a dark, occult-themed electronic music microgenre and internet aesthetic that emerged in the late 2000s. The sound is characterized by a combination of various influences, including the heavily manipulated, slowed-down sampling techniques of chopped and screwed hip-hop, the atmospheric and gloomy tones of darkwave and ethereal wave, and the dense textures of shoegaze. This is typically layered over slow, trap-influenced drum machine rhythms.

Visually, the aesthetic is defined by its use of occult symbols like triangles and crosses, distorted or glitchy low-resolution imagery, and a general dark, horror-inspired atmosphere. The name itself, coined somewhat jokingly by musician Travis Egedy (Pictureplane) in 2009, became the established term for the scene, which first gained traction on platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp.

Witch House originated in the late 2000s, pioneered by the American electronic duo SALEM, who combined slowed-down hip-hop beats with ethereal, noisy synth textures. The genre's name was coined in 2009 by Travis Egedy to describe the occult-themed house music he and his friends were creating. Despite its initially casual proposal, the name was adopted by music journalists and fans, and it stuck.

The scene grew rapidly between 2009 and 2011 on platforms like SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and Tumblr, where artists could easily share music and cultivate a distinct visual identity. This early era was defined by a DIY ethos and a sense of internet-fueled mystery. Artist names and song titles were often intentionally obscured using Unicode symbols, triangles (△), and crosses (✝), making them difficult to search for and adding to the genre's enigmatic and exclusive feel.

By the early 2010s, Witch House had begun to influence other emerging internet-based genres. The atmospheric production and sample manipulation techniques were incorporated into the sound of cloud rap, most notably by producer Clams Casino. The genre's approach to sample processing also shares roots with Vaporwave. While the initial hype surrounding Witch House faded by the mid-2010s, it has maintained a dedicated cult following and continues to influence underground electronic and post-industrial music.

The visual aesthetic of Witch House is inseparable from its music, aiming to create a dark, surreal, and unsettling atmosphere. It draws heavily from a lo-fi, "deep web" sensibility, characterized by grainy, distorted, and often found-footage-style imagery. Common motifs include occult and religious symbols, such as pentagrams, crosses, and alchemical signs. The aesthetic is heavily inspired by horror films, particularly the found-footage style of The Blair Witch Project and the surreal, dreamlike works of director David Lynch, especially his series Twin Peaks . The visuals often combine these horror elements with a dark, technological feel, featuring glitch art and retro computer graphics.

Witch House fashion is a monochromatic and dark style that blends elements of Nu-Goth , streetwear, and health goth . The look is often androgynous and layered. A typical outfit consists of all-black clothing, often featuring long, draped garments, hoodies, and athletic-inspired pieces. This is frequently accented with occult or esoteric symbols, minimalist geometric designs, and text rendered in elongated, "Gothic" fonts. The fashion avoids the bright colors of rave culture, opting instead for a stark, minimalist palette that reflects the genre's gloomy and atmospheric sound.

Musically, Witch House is defined by its slow, heavy, and atmospheric sound. A key characteristic is the use of the chopped and screwed technique, where samples (often from pop or hip-hop songs) are drastically slowed down, pitched down, and layered with effects like reverb and delay to create a "drag" or "zombie rave" sound.

The rhythmic foundation is typically provided by a slow, booming drum machine beat derived from trap and Southern hip-hop, often from a Roland TR-808. This is combined with dense, layered synthesizers that create dark, droning soundscapes, ethereal melodies, or harsh, noisy textures. Vocals, when present, are often heavily processed, whispered, or sampled, serving as another textural element within the mix.