Music Banter - View Single Post - Favorite instrumental hip-hop albums? Producers?

sidewinder · 04-17-2009, 12:01 PM

I really got into instrumental hip-hop a few years ago. In my experience, the best stuff is what's written on its own, without the intent of being combined with vocals. In other words, from producers whose work stands up well on its own, who have their own fan base. I feel that in these cases, more emphasis is placed on the music because it has to stand on its own. Thought there are exceptions, of course, when a great producer teams up with a rapper and eventually release the instrumentals (Cannibal Ox...which I've only heard with vocals, but I can imagine the instrumental album sounding great too). But in general...if I heard the vocal version first, I'll probably favor it, and feel like something's missing when I hear the instrumentals. This has happened in most cases, actually. It's like some parts are purposely left "thin" because vocals were going to be there.

I also have to add, a lot of this stuff borders electronic music (specifically when there's no intent of adding vocals), and I often refer to it as trip-hop. Electronic music with hip-hop flavor. Many of them with vocal samples, which I love, and keep an album from sounding like it's missing something. And some with guest MCs. They could just as easily belong in a trip-hop thread.

Here are some I really really enjoy and recommend:

Sixtoo - Duration
Sixtoo - Chewing On Glass & Other Miracle Cures
Mumbles - A Book of Human Beats (instrumentals of Aceyalone's A Book of Human Language. I happened to hear the instrumentals first, in this case)
Company Flow - Little Johnny From The Hospitul: Breaks and Instrumentuls Vol. 1
Conrad Newholmes - Peppermint Styles
Blockhead - Music By Cavelight
Blockhead - Downtown Science
Odd Nosdam - No More Wig for Ohio
Prefuse 73 - pretty much everything
Wax Tailor - Tales of the Forgotten Melodies
Alias - Muted
P-Love - ...All Up In your Mind
Saroos - Saroos
Forss - Soulhack
40winks - Sound Puzzle
Birdy Nam Nam - Birdy Nam Nam
DJ Signify - Sleep No More
Headset - Spacesettings
Jel - Soft Money
Malcom Kipe - Breakspiracy Theories
Freddy Fresh - Diggin' Up Ghosts
Omid - Monolith (several guest MCs)
Villain Accelerate - Maid of Gold

04-17-2009, 12:01 PM	#28 (permalink)
sidewinder Engorged Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,536	I really got into instrumental hip-hop a few years ago. In my experience, the best stuff is what's written on its own, without the intent of being combined with vocals. In other words, from producers whose work stands up well on its own, who have their own fan base. I feel that in these cases, more emphasis is placed on the music because it has to stand on its own. Thought there are exceptions, of course, when a great producer teams up with a rapper and eventually release the instrumentals (Cannibal Ox...which I've only heard with vocals, but I can imagine the instrumental album sounding great too). But in general...if I heard the vocal version first, I'll probably favor it, and feel like something's missing when I hear the instrumentals. This has happened in most cases, actually. It's like some parts are purposely left "thin" because vocals were going to be there. I also have to add, a lot of this stuff borders electronic music (specifically when there's no intent of adding vocals), and I often refer to it as trip-hop. Electronic music with hip-hop flavor. Many of them with vocal samples, which I love, and keep an album from sounding like it's missing something. And some with guest MCs. They could just as easily belong in a trip-hop thread. Here are some I really really enjoy and recommend: Sixtoo - Duration Sixtoo - Chewing On Glass & Other Miracle Cures Mumbles - A Book of Human Beats (instrumentals of Aceyalone's A Book of Human Language. I happened to hear the instrumentals first, in this case) Company Flow - Little Johnny From The Hospitul: Breaks and Instrumentuls Vol. 1 Conrad Newholmes - Peppermint Styles Blockhead - Music By Cavelight Blockhead - Downtown Science Odd Nosdam - No More Wig for Ohio Prefuse 73 - pretty much everything Wax Tailor - Tales of the Forgotten Melodies Alias - Muted P-Love - ...All Up In your Mind Saroos - Saroos Forss - Soulhack 40winks - Sound Puzzle Birdy Nam Nam - Birdy Nam Nam DJ Signify - Sleep No More Headset - Spacesettings Jel - Soft Money Malcom Kipe - Breakspiracy Theories Freddy Fresh - Diggin' Up Ghosts Omid - Monolith (several guest MCs) Villain Accelerate - Maid of Gold __________________ last.fm \| my collection on RYM \| vinyl instagram @allthatyouseeandhear I'd love to see your signature/links too, but the huge and obnoxious ones have caused me to block all signatures.