Trip Hop-Starting my discovery at Portishead
 

Hello everyone, expanding my musical horizons for what feels like the millionth time this year. I'm going to start discovering Trip Hop artists by starting off with Portishead, what I am wondering right now is what album should I start off with?

And if I enjoy Portishead, which artists should I move to from there?

I'm sure many will recommend Dummy aas Portishead's best album, but I prefer their self-titled album. The production is so much better and all in all I feel it's a better listening experience start to finish.

For other trip hop albums I'd definitely recommend Tricky's Maxinquaye, DJ Shadow's Endtroducing, and Massive Attack's Mezzanine as staples of the genre.

Thanks. Would you recommend listening to both the self titled and Dummy as opposed to just picking one?

Mezzanine is quintessential.

Well, Dummy was their most successful album, so it could easily be argued that it's essential listening; I just prefer their self-titled album. It's your world though.

I'm currently a little past halfway through Dummy. I have never heard Trip Hop before so I literally did not have a single idea of what to expect. It's quite mellow and relaxed really. The name made me expect something for high strung people. I can dig it and listen to it. Don't know if it's going to go into my top 25 genres to listen to though. However, I can see the appeal of it and will certainly dig deeper into the genre and listen to the current recommendations.

I don't think that Portishead is the epitome of trip hop. I kind of consider them more down tempo, however if pressed to define the genre, I really couldn't. It's criteria is fairly vague, but Pedestrian is definitely right about Mezzanine. It's a genre-defining album. That and Maxinquaye by Tricky.

Well, I am thinking when Dummy is finished I'll move on to their self-titled and then onto the other recommendations. I have been doing some reading on it while listening, as far as I can gather it is a highly experimental genre. I'll have a go at Mezzanine sometime tonight, since it is somewhat a genre-defining album and let you guys know how I feel about it.

I endorse everything that's been mentioned already, also Massive Attack's Blue Lines is nearly just as essential as Mezzanine.

I also recommend Lamb's self-titled album from 1996. There's a nice drum 'n' bass influence flowing through their music which makes them stand out from the likes of Portishead and Massive Attack. It's definitely an album you need good headphones for as the production is amazing.

Here's a little taster:

C/s

I would start with Blue Lines.

Even though I think Mezzanine is the better album, you are better off starting with the album that pulled together what was bubbling in the Bristol underground and gave birth to the genre. Blue Lines defined what trip-hop is and everything that followed was a deviation from it.

I'm not massive on Trip Hop myself, I started with Mezzanine, didn't really like it then tried Blue Lines and went back to Mezzanine. Both are good (coming from someone who isn't that familiar with Trip Hop) but Blue Lines to me sounds more accessible.

+1

I'm a huge Trip-hip fan! My favorites are:

Rekevin- Jazzy, down-tempo band from Russia. Probably my favorite band of all time. Their singer, Ksenia Istenko, has the most beautiful voice! Every song from anything they've ever done is a jem, imo.



Half Dub Theory- Another outfit from Russia. Soulplay is an excellent album!



Hooverphonic- Sometimes trippy, sometimes poppy, but always enjoyable. I suggest their compilation album Singles



Daughter Darling- More on the classical side of the spectrum, but emotive for sure. Sweet Shadows is the one I listen to.



Emiliana Torrini- Her corpus isn't thoroughly Trip-hop, but the album Love in the Time of Science is. She sings folk also. Another one of my favorite singers.



Mandalay- Solace is a classic



Sneaker Pimps- Becoming X, another cornerstone album in the genre



Portishead- For what it's worth, Dummy is probably one of the best trip-hop albums of all-time, imo.



I tend to gravitate toward the moodier, more atmospheric stuff. I also prefer female vocals infinitely more than male. Hope this list helps. Let me know if you dig any of it!

For Portishead start with Dummy play through all the tracks because I find a lot of the better stuff is at the end. Their second self titled release is worth checking out as well.

After that check out the Machine Gun song of their third album & then some of the singles they've released over the last five six years Tear Drop ect.

You will also want to check out the first three Massive Attack albums, Blue Lines, Protection & Mezzanine, as well as Tricky's first two albums, Maxinquaye & Pre Millenium tension.

If you want something more accesible and groovy I highly recommend Morcheeba's first album, Who can you trust, as well of the second release and some of their off the beat & path expermintal stuff.

If the above is not for you, I would simply write the genre off at that point. It is mellow downtempo music, so if your 21 and under it may be a bit hard to swallow.

If you want to dig futher look at what ProxyNOM has suggested. You might also want to look at Lamb, Air, Groove Armada & Saltillo & Audiac. Hope this helps, cheers.

Teardrop is Massive Attack No?

Groove Armada are one of my favourite bands as they change it up with each album but I have never considered them Trip Hop at any point in time personally.

The European Trip Hop Scene from the last ten years has been damn good without stretching musical boundaries with the likes of Baxter, Emancipator, Lulu Rouge, Atomica, Costanza and Esthero making some really interesting music that is is still accessible.

Sideshow, Electric Wire Hustle and Submotion Orchestra represent the much more chilled side of Trip Hop but are all highly recommended.

Just checked out Submotion Orchestra. Can't believe I didn't know about this before; I love it!!! Great recommendation!

Are you referring to the Teardrop ep? the song is on Mezzanine, or is their something I haven't head?

Your right on Groove Armada, I was quickly reaching back into my memory banks. There was a time back in the 90's when all I did was eat, drink and sleep electronic music, and then one day I just stopped, and despite numerous attempts, I haven't been able to get back into any of it.

That being said I still do love some of the bands I was into, so I hope it's enough to get him started.

Have you heard "the beta band"? i dont know if its trip hop but kind of sounds like it...


Beta Band - Squares - YouTube

i feel that people that use forums are so lucky, just ask and information comes to you, i just started to go trough this one and ill listen to the bands mentioned here.

THnks for sharing.

Dj Shadow is crucial and Massive Attack.

don't forget to listen to portishead's live album. it's a totally different tone than their others and personally i found the open-air in the sound to be kind of refreshing as far as production.

i'm not sure what to call bonobo in terms of genre, but they're probably worth your time as many fans of portishead, massive attack, dj krush, morcheeba etc. resonate with them as well.

Check out Unkle. Some insane, mind-blowing tracks.

For me the best trip hop inspired music is from Massive Attack, Tricky, Portishead,
DJ Krush, Unkle, Kosheen, How to Destroy Angels, Sneaker Pimps, Morcheeba,
DJ Shadow. Maybe Bonobo and Fourtet.

Also Burial could be seen as trip hop inspired