Re: What is tr*p-h*p?

Nicolas Bamberski (nib@frame.com)
Thu, 14 Mar 96 10:12:20 CST


>> >I'm new in these matters, but I just luuuuv this music, so could anybody
>> >tell me what the hell is trip-hop?

>> Trip hop is music like "Portishead", "Tricky", and "Massive Atack".
>> I hope this will answer your question.

>As splendid as the above groups are (first two quite brilliant), why
>is this type of music, considered as AJ?

oh no! here we go again!!!

1) it's not TRIP-HOP, it's TR*P-H*P on this list :P (a.k.a abstract hip-hop,
ambient hip-hop, experimental hip-hop, elektro hip-hop, blah blah blah...)

2) the artists mentioned above are considered by some as tr*p-h*p, but they
only represent the down-tempo side of it. If you are looking for a slightly
faster pace, consider DepthCharge, Turntable Terranova, some newer DJ Food,
etc...

3) the real question: why are Brand New Heavies and Jamiroquai considered as
Acid-Jazz? *flame on* The thing is, you hold your own definition of
acid-jazz. Nobody can tell you what acid-jazz is, they can only tell you how
they interpret it. For example, I put the emphasis on Acid when I say I spin
AcidJazz, cauz most of my track include nice 303 (the ultimate acid-sounds
machine) bass/acid lines. Being a dj and loving to mix songs together as
long as possible, I will also like a drum machine beat better than a human
drummer (beats more steady). Well, I know where the Acid comes form, but the
Jazz? well, I make sure that my tracks are complex enough and show some form
of improvisation in them, and that makes for the Jazz. See? I created my own
definition of Acid Jazz and I stick to it, and I've been sticking to it
since MoWax LP001 (JazzHipJap). The early MoWax releases such as Krush,
Shadow, El Malo, especially La Funk Mob,... illustrate my point (even though
the 303 is missing from most of them, they always have an acid character to
them). However, I stopped putting the "acid-jazz" term on flyers long ago
cauz people came expecting some funk&disco. I wish they didn't... but hey we
just had this discussion on the list about putting labels on music styles
and I don't want to start it again.

I will end with an advice: buy THE FUTURE SOUNDS OF JAZZ vol.2 on Compost
records (buy vol.1 tooo if you find it), three wonderful 12" covering a
whole range of "futuristic" jazz. Goes from and old '92 Krider and
Dorfmeister (with Dorfmeister live on flute) tripped out downtempo track all
the way to some faster ambient jungle, via the Nightmares On Wax and even
the Aphex Twin who I am so happy to finally see featured on a jazz-oriented
compilation! It's all good, Compost has done it again. This german label is
up there with the big ones now, and it's well deserved IMHO.

peace & electronic grooves...

******************************** DJ BAMBI ************************************
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