Vocal trip hop - that's interesting...
I'd call that stuff "well-produced pop music". Portishead included. Though I
don't know exactly what pop music is (as well as acid jazz), so I could be
wrong. But Portishead did not write the book on it - they just made a dope
album, got the media attention and the new "label". In my opinion, Bjork's
"Post" may be the first of the bunch to merge the underground sound with
vocals and traditional song form. It may also be the best - she's the most
stylistically diverse of the bunch (because she uses multiple producers).
Caveat: I haven't checked out Sneaker Pips yet nor Morcheeba proper (got a
little promo cassette of Morcheeba once and I thought it was a little weak),.
Bjork is so amazing, though, that I doubt they can compete. Especially her
slow songs.
Jay B