Trip hop

Trip hop. A genre of electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s, known for its downtempo, atmospheric, and often melancholic sound. It is characterized by heavy use of breakbeats, jazzy or orchestral samples, and ethereal vocals, drawing from hip hop music, dub music, and post-punk. The style is most closely associated with the Bristol sound, pioneered by artists on the Wild Bunch sound system and the record label Mo' Wax.

Origins and development

The genre's roots are firmly planted in the late 1980s Bristol underground scene, where the Wild Bunch sound system blended dub, hip hop music, and reggae. Key early recordings from this milieu included the work of Massive Attack, whose 1991 album Blue Lines is often cited as a foundational release. Simultaneously, the London-based Mo' Wax label, founded by James Lavelle, became a crucial platform, releasing seminal early work by DJ Shadow and UNKLE. The term itself was reportedly coined by journalists at Mixmag magazine to describe the slower, more experimental breakbeat music emerging from these circles. The genre gained international prominence in the mid-1990s through the success of Portishead's Dummy and Tricky's Maxinquaye, which defined its brooding, cinematic aesthetic.

Musical characteristics

The sound is built upon slow, hypnotic breakbeats, often sourced from funk and soul music records, creating a heavy, lumbering rhythm section. Atmospheric textures are paramount, achieved through extensive use of sampling from sources like film scores, jazz records, and classical music, alongside dub-inspired production techniques such as heavy reverb and delay. Melodic elements frequently feature jazzy or orchestral chord progressions played on Fender Rhodes electric pianos, Mellotrons, or string sections. Vocals are often breathy, whispered, or delivered in a sung rap style, with lyrical themes exploring melancholia, urban alienation, and surrealism.

Notable artists and albums

The foundational triumvirate of the Bristol scene consists of Massive Attack, whose Mezzanine pushed the sound into darker, more rock-oriented territory; Portishead, led by Beth Gibbons and Geoff Barrow, known for their noir-inspired torch songs; and Tricky, whose solo work incorporated elements of industrial music and punk rock. Other pivotal early figures include DJ Shadow, whose instrumental album Endtroducing..... was constructed entirely from samples, and Morcheeba, who infused the style with pop and folk music sensibilities. Significant albums from this era also include Sneaker Pimps' Becoming X, Lamb's self-titled debut, and Hooverphonic's A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular.

Influence and legacy

The genre had a profound impact on the broader landscape of electronic music and alternative rock, paving the way for the commercial success of downtempo and chill-out music. Its atmospheric production and sampling aesthetics directly influenced subsequent movements like illbient and wonky, as well as artists in alternative hip hop such as Cannibal Ox and Antipop Consortium. Elements of its sound were absorbed into mainstream pop and R&B through the work of producers like Nellee Hooper and artists like Björk and Madonna. The genre's moody, cinematic quality also made it a staple for soundtracks in film and television, notably in shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Subgenres and fusion styles

As the genre evolved, it blended with other forms to create several fusion styles. Illbient, centered in New York City, combined its atmospheric beats with noise music and industrial music. A more pop-oriented and accessible strand is sometimes referred to as chill-out music or downtempo, exemplified by acts like Zero 7 and Thievery Corporation. Other fusions include trip rock, which incorporates heavier guitar elements from alternative rock, and folktronica, which merges its electronic textures with acoustic folk music instrumentation. The genre's influence is also evident in the moody electronica of later acts like The xx and James Blake.

Category:Trip hop Category:Electronic music genres Category:British styles of music