The New Trip-Hop Scene

What is trip-hop?

Did trip-hop start with the Wild Bunch's transformation into Massive Attack? Or did it grow from the turntable artistry of Coldcut? It could be both, or it could be something else. In any case, the results, some ten years later, are two strains of trip-hop that have developed with the influences of adventurous electronic musicians into exciting music that demands separation from other forms of contemporary dance music.

So what about the instrumental strain of trip-hop? What can you expect from a Kid Loco record?

Some people call them chill beats. Others, coffeeshop music. But, generally speaking, if it's hip-hop beats underneath funky samples, anything from hip-hop standards like James Brown to inspired jazz and fusion like Mahavishnu to back of the bargain bin electronic recordings, it's probably trip-hop. It might be hip-hop tracks that tease with instrumentality, like The Herbaliser's works, or lazy, rainy day coffeeshop acid jazz like Kid Loco. Unlike other dance genres like trance and jungle, trip-hop is not bound by specific characteristics. Trip-hop djs love to experiment and to do their own thing, and that is what makes the genre a modern music lover's dream.

In an era where rock and roll no longer has anything to say and bubblegum pop music has once again plagued the music industry, innovative trip-hop djs are a welcome and refreshing alternative.