The Top 5 Trip-Hop Albums Of All Time | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Featured

The Top 5 Trip-Hop Albums Of All Time

You can't defeat these beats...

1112
The Top 5 Trip-Hop Albums Of All Time

Slow, chilled-out beats, haunting vocals, and eclectic samples are all hallmarks of the funk, reggae, and hip-hop influenced brand of electronic music that came to be known as trip-hop.

Originating in Bristol, a city located in the South West of England, trip-hop quickly captured worldwide attention, spawned some global superstars, and influenced generations of artists to come.

But which trip-hop albums are regarded as the best of the bunch? Let’s take a look at 5 commonly cited classics and give you the chance to check them out for yourself.


1. Massive Attack - Blue Lines

Massive Attack’s Blue Lines (1991) is one of the most prominent - and one of the first - albums of the trip-hop genre.

Unlike many of the subsequent trip-hop albums released, Massive Attack’s tracks captured the darker edge of electronic music, permeated by scratchy sampling and haunting electro elements that give the album a sense of disquiet against the chilled out backing.

Blue Lines was an unquestionably influential album, fusing a wide breadth of Black genres including rap, hip hop, reggae, and soul with a dark electro twist.

The intro track Safe From Harm is a jarring opening to the album, with an agitated baseline riff and edgy rap verses that complement Nelson’s haunting vocals of ‘If you hurt what’s mine, I’ll sure as hell retaliate’. There is a sense of suspense throughout the song, amplified by the twitchy electric guitar that sets this track apart from the typical trip-hop feel.

This disconcerting feel is amplified by the bluesy melancholia of One Love, which combines catchy repetition with the soulful male vocals of reggae roots singer Horace Andy. Its minimalist approach effectively creates a melodic ambience that is darkly atmospheric.

Be Thankful For What You’ve Got lifts the album to a chill-out vibe with a touch of soul and a bouncy bassline that harmonises perfectly with the vocals. There are electronic elements throughout the track, but this is a complement more than a feature, not detracting from the heart of the melody. This track is classic, memorable, and adds a touch of lightness to the album which adds yet another layer to the complexity of Massive Attack’s music.

Blue Lines is a fundamental foundation of the trip-hop category, and a complex and skilful approach to combining genres.

Listen here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJNDAb5cTAk


2. Smoke City - Flying Away

This 1997 classic by Smoke City is an addictive fusion of trip-hop and acid jazz, expertly combining hypnotic Latin American beats with the seductively smoky female vocals of singer Nina Miranda and a modern electro twist.

The most notable track of the album is, of course, the classic Underwater Love, which features the exotic percussive rhythms of Brazilian samba, and dreamy electric guitar. The electro elements are mellow and rounded, giving the bubbling sensation of being underwater, while the included samples of rainforest sounds transport the listener to a tropical paradise. Miranda’s vocals are instrumental in grounding the experience and providing the focus for the eclectic mix of trip-hop and jazz elements.

This deliciously sensuous first song is perfectly juxtaposed against the next track, Devil Mood, which is dark and delicious, the deep, booming drums sending deep roots into the soul of the melody. Whereas the electronic elements of Underwater Love are fluidly melodic, in Devil Mood they adopt a new persona: glitchy and hard, bringing a sense of dark futurism that brings the classically Latin beats into the modern age.

This is then lifted by the light and breezy With You, in which Miranda’s versatile voice becomes gently lilting - the strings creating a sense of soaring through blue skies, the just-there rhythms leaving you wanting more.

This rollercoaster of an album guides you through an addictive concoction of blue skies and the deepest depths of ocean and earth, floating and tumbling through the elements. Their style is eclectic and unmistakable: creating a classic trip-hop album that has lasted throughout the decades.

This is a dreamy, sultry album that is a perfect complement for balmy summer nights!

Listen here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Ne2Zs5754


3. Nightmares On Wax - Smokers Delight

The aptly-named Smokers Delight has been a stoner classic since its release in 1995, and is a playful take on the trip-hop genre, with heady reggae, funk, and Latin beats lifted to a light and airy buzz by echoey sample tracks and techno elements.

Their use of vocals is a light touch, placing most emphasis on their creative use of percussion, funky bass, and electronic components.

Smokers Delight is a delightfully chilled genre mash-up that comprises multiple layers which play together harmoniously and in a deceptively simple manner. It is the perfect go-to for a chill-out album – there’s just enough interest to keep the listener hooked, while the sounds do not require involved listening.

This laid-back, sunny set is a lasting classic of the trip-hop genre; a smooth, sweet delight of an album, leaving the listener with a taste of pina colada on the beach in their mouth and the feeling of sunlight on their skin.

Listen here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6ixa3G_tL4&list=P...


4. Kid Loco - A Grand Love Story

Kid Loco’s sumptuously mellow album brings a fun and unique approach to the trip-hop genre, hitting a sweet spot with a heady blend of chill out and psychedelia. The near-namesake track A Grand Love Theme is smooth and nostalgic, and it glides like a plane on a stream of airy strings. This soothing soundscape is perfectly complemented by the audio samples, which break up the repetition and ground the track. Deep male vocals then add a richness to the airy backing.

The breathy vocals of Katrina Mitchell are featured on Love Me Sweet, which is a sweet dream of a song, carrying you away on a cloud of twanging sitar and playful xylophone. The rhythms are consistently chilled but intriguingly varied and almost trance-like, sinking the listener into a deep state of relaxation.

Sister Curare adds a darker and deeper feel to the album, with an opening audio sample narrating a spate of bank robberies in 1979. The clashing piano keys, experimental guitar and sax, and interspersed audio samples create an eclectic feel, which is streamlined by the consistent drum loops. This chaotic track seems at first to be at odds with the rest of the album, but in fact, it provides variety, keeping you on your toes from the beginning to the end.

A Grand Love Story is a mesmeric daydream of an album, delving into trance-like psychedelic baselines and airy melodies that are always unique, never predictable.

Listen here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqu6REABxjc&list=O...


5. Portishead - Dummy

Listening to Portishead is like drinking a cup of good coffee. It is dark and bittersweet, and the flavour lingers on your tongue long after you have tasted it.

Beth Gibbons’ vocals are haunting and sit in perfect balance with the instrumentation and electro elements. Despite the scratching techno elements, Portishead achieve a sense of harmony and sophistication that is smooth to the taste and draws you in in a manner that is at once complex and seemingly effortless.

Each of the tracks is a perfect complement to each other: this is an album that should be listened to in its entirety. Could it be called chill out? Perhaps not: there is a dark mystique that permeates their songs, in a way that is not typical of the genre. But it is a coolly thrilling approach to easy- listening that makes for an intriguing listen.

Dummy is a haunting album, and a fascinating contribution to electronic music that will remain relevant for many decades to come.

Listen here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNq9TJ4QCas

Report this Content
Student Life

A Few Thoughts Every College Freshman Has

The transition into adulthood is never easy

19571
Mays Island
Courtney Jones

Today I started my third week of college at Minnesota State Moorhead. I have survived welcome week, finding my classes on the first day, and being an awkward loner in the dining hall. Even though I have yet to be here for a month, I have already experienced many thoughts and problems that only a new college student can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Students walking on a sunny college campus with trees and buildings.

"Make sure to get involved when you're in college!"

We've all heard some variation of this phrase, whether it came from parents, other family members, friends, RAs, or college-related articles. And, like many clichés, it's true for the most part. Getting involved during your college years can help you make friends, build your resume, and feel connected to your campus. However, these commitments can get stressful if you're dealing with personal issues, need to work, or aren't sure how to balance classes and everything else going on during the semester.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

9 Reasons Why Friends Are Essential In College

College without friends is like peanut butter without jelly.

8244
Bridgaline Liberati and friends
Bridgaline Liberati

In college, one of the essential things to have is friends. Yes, textbooks, a laptop, and other school supplies are important but friends are essential. Friends are that support system everybody needs. The more friends you have the better the support system you have. But you also have someone to share experiences with. And don’t settle for just one or two friends because 8 out of 10 times they are busy and you are studying all alone. Or they have other friend groups that do not include you. Don’t settle for just one or two friends; make as many friends as you can. After the first couple of weeks of college, most friend groups are set and you may be without friends.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Power of Dressing Up

Why it pays to leave the hoodie at home.

5999
sneakers and heels
Sister | Brother Style - Word Press

For a moment your world is spinning. The phone alarm has just scared you awake and you’re flooded by daunting thoughts of the day ahead. You have three assignments due and little time to work on them because of your job. You’re running late because you’ve hit snooze one to many times after yesterday’s long hours. You dizzily reach for a hoodie, craving its comfort, and rush for a speedy exit, praying you will have time to pick up coffee. Does this sound familiar?

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Signs You Live At The Library As Told by 'Parks And Recreation'

A few signs that you may live in the library whether you'd like to admit it or not.

5202
brown wooden book shelves with books

Finals week is upon us. It is a magical time of year during which college students everywhere flock to the library in attempt to learn a semester's worth of knowledge in only a week. For some students, it's their first time in the library all semester, maybe ever. Others have slaved away many nights under the fluorescent lights, and are slightly annoyed to find their study space being invaded by amateurs. While these newbies wander aimlessly around the first floor, hopelessly trying to find a table, the OGs of the library are already on the third floor long tables deep into their studies. Here is a few signs that you may live in the library, whether you'd like to admit it or not.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments