Def: TRIP-HOP (noun

(1) A style of music characterized by moody or sensual vocals, fantastic beats, prolific sampling, and/or unexpected instrumentation. Often enhanced by a nightime listening environment or mind-altering circumstances. Has its origins in the house and hip-hop scenes of England in the ’90s, where it evolved from downtempo electronic experiments. Related to acid jazz and orchestral pop.

—-

I have been obsessed with trip-hop lately. Utterly fixated. Many scores of hours spent scouring the internet have allowed me to find some true trip-hop gems. Here I’ll highlight a few of my favorites.

—-

Elsiane – Hybrid

My favorite new find. Its a bit like Bjork, but ten times better and oh-so-sexy. For a debut album, this effort is mind-blowing. The soundscapes are lush – drums, pianos, and strings intertwine to provide the perfect backdrop to Elsieanne Caplette’s ethereal vocals. I agree wholeheartedly with Elsiane’s website:

“Floating between worlds and genres, Elsiane create orchestral dreamscapes that plumb the depths of human fragility and longing. Theirs is a physical and emotional music – sensitive, evocative and deeply touching. “This music is based on life,” says Elsieanne. “Life is an emotional journey that’s translated through these notes, this music.” What we hear is the sound of our own heartbeat echoed in Elsiane’s haunting music.”

Every song on Hybrid flows perfectly into the next. I love “Mend (To Fix, To Repair)” for its sexy stuttering chorus and melody. “Vaporous” is echoing and grand, with luxurious strings that would stir even the coldest of hearts. And “Ecclesia” starts out downtempo, but builds into a dark and brooding soundscape with amazing beats. “Hybrid” is a great way to end the album, with its sparser instrumentation and soaring vocals. I highly, highly recommend this fantastically imaginative masterpiece.

“These tangled knots of living
finally caught me too
don’t leave me alone
standing here forever…”

- “Vaporous”

Elsiane’s Official Site

Tricky – Maxinquaye

Tricky is the undisputed king of trip-hop. On Maxinquaye, he sets a standard that any artist would be hard-pressed to approach. Tricky’s voice is sexy in cadence and tone, and his vocal stylings with the eloquent Martina Topley Bird are sublime. His chosen samples perfectly accompany his lyrics and message. He is the only man in the world who can use the same sample as Portishead’s “Glory Box” and not look foolish – on “Hell is Round the Corner,” he creates a sultry trip-hop masterpiece. “Black Steel” is godly; the irony of Bird’s voice narrating a tale of civil disobedience is brilliant. I hate to say it, lest I lose my indie cred, but Tricky’s voice really reminds me of Mickey Avalon’s… If Tricky sampled Mickey on his next album, I think my head would explode from sheer happiness.

“I take further evidence,
I seem to need a reference to get residence
A reference to your preference to say,
I’m a good neighbour, I trudge,
So judge me for my labour,
Lobotomy ensures my good behavior
The constant struggle ensures my insanity…
Passing the indifference ensures the struggle for my family
We’re hungry, beware of our appetite.
Distant drums bring the news of a kill tonight.
The kill which I share with my passengers.
We take our fill, take our fill, take a feel…”

- “Hell is Round the Corner”

Tricky’s Official Website

Portishead – Dummy (1994)

This is the genre standard. “Trip-hop” and “Portishead” are nearly synonymous. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this album approaches sublime perfection. Not only that… Dummy features one of my top five favorite songs EVER: “Glory Box.” When Beth Gibbons purrs “I just wanna be a woman,” there is no doubt why she is the queen of trip-hop. Her voice has a peculiar ethereality, and a sensual quality which is inexplicable. At one moment, she is wailing; her voice leads us into a dark landscape of phantoms and mysterious shadows. At the next, she is cooing soulfully; we are in a smoky Bristol nightclub being serenaded by an enticing seductress. Her voice is eerily powerful, and wonderfully suited to this type of music.

The music itself is sensual, trippy, rhythmic, pounding, electronic, and full of surprises. Expect to hear unexpected DJ scratches, synth chords, and sudden outbursts of symphonic madness.

My other favorite tracks on Dummy include “Sour Times,” “Roads,” and “Wandering Star.” Listen to them and prepare to have your mental paradigm shifted

Portishead’s Official Website

Portishead on Wikipedia

Here are a few more trip-hop gems with brief descriptions…

Nitin Sawhney – Beyond Skin

Indian traditional melodies and chanting + trip-hop sensibilities = mind-blowing. Check out “Serpents.”

Zagar – Cannot Walk Fly Instead

Hungarian trip-hop. Fuck yeah. (for those of you who don’t know, I’ve been learning Hungarian this semester! ;D ) Give “The Prophet is a Fool” and “North Pole Samba” a shot.

Ursula 1000 – The New Sound

Think a trip-hop version of Fatboy Slim. This album is truly yummy. I like “Funky Bikini” and “The Shake.”

Atomica – Metropolitan

The female vocalist sounds a bit like Beth Gibbons. Need I say more? Also – Listen to this at night! I was laying outside looking at the moon when I played it and the experience was sublime.

RJD2 – Since We Last Spoke

I tried RJD2 a while back, and didn’t dig them. But now I see the genius here. “Holy Toledo” is a ridiculously good song.

Flunk – For Sleepyheads Only

It is Norwegian, therefore it is awesome. Soak in the shimmering sounds of “Magic Potion.”

And finally…

Smoke City – Flying Away

Ah, this album is the bone of contention between my wonderful boyfriend and I. He (an avid acid jazz connoisseur) insists that it is 100% pure acid jazz, whereas I set him straight with my stubborn insistence that it is trip-hop. Either way (although I’m right!) this album is supremely sexy and innovative. “Underwater Love” has got to be one of the best trip-hop songs out there… The random Brazilian seductress in the middle just adds extra oomph, the echoes and steel drums lend ambiance, and the lyrics are fantastically delicious. “Miss Curvaceous and Mr Gorgeous” is also a magnificent track.

“When I first saw you
I was deep in clear blue water
The sun was shining
Calling me to come and see you
I touched your soft skin
And you jumped in with your eyes closed
And a smile upon your face
Você vem, você vai…”

Well, thanks for accompanying me on my grand tour of trip-hop. It is a beautiful and highly creative genre which will fuel the inner sense of passion within any listener.

Much love,

Sarah