TAXI.com

Hi all,

I put a question out for Michelle Bell on Twitter after last night's episode of Taxi TV, but it occurred to me that it would be better to ask the forum.

@BIZZYBELL Q: What makes trip-hop a sub-genre of hip-hop? Instead of psychedelic, rock, or punk? What elements am I listening for? Thanks!

I had thought that Michelle Bell had just then coined the phrase (last night), but Flufferpuff pointed out in the chat room that the phrase had been around since the 90s (thanks again!).

Help!

Wendy Landers

Hi Wendy,

I never ever listened to any forms of EDM and Hip Hop until I joined Taxi. Then I learned that there are literally DOZENS of variants...

In general, Trip Hop is a more laid back version of hip hop, with almost a psychedelic feel. It's a little slower, a little more mellow. Listen for things like old school Rhodes with heavy tremolo, the same for guitar with tremolo. Lots of reverb. Grungy drum beats. Check out artists like Portishead, The Chemical Brothers or Massive Attack for starters.

I would check this out:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trip_hop

its a good read and pretty descriptive.

If you can find all the different artists and songs mentioned (say on Spotify or iTunes Music) and listen intently, checking out what they have noted in the wiki article, you are going to have a wicked sense of what Trip-hop is.

There are many Trip-hop tunes that reached a wide audience, and you likely know them by sound if not name - i.e. Zero 7's "In the Waiting Line" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj6yXxVc21Y etc.

I didn't even think there would be a wikipedia entry for it, thanks!

I still have EDM and hip-hop very seperated in my mind. Some of the trip-hop artists that Flufferpuff suggested in the chat room really sounded like punk rock to me.

I appreciate the info.