Gen Z and Gen Alpha are increasingly embracing analogue technology, physical media and in-person entertainment as a response to highly curated digital culture and the rise of AI-generated content. The article presents Quebec experimental rock duo Angine de Poitrine as a symbol of this movement, arguing that their handmade, unpredictable performances offer an alternative to algorithmic sameness.

The trend includes growing interest in vinyl, turntables, paper notebooks, pens, analogue watches, board games, books and film cameras, alongside strong demand for theatre and concerts. The author says the pandemic intensified interest in tangible goods and shared experiences, while young people once assumed to be wholly “digital natives” are now prominent consumers of record shops, bookshops, Blu-rays, film cameras and cinema.