Favorite instrumental hip-hop albums? Producers?

garbanzo · 03-13-2009, 09:53 AM

i can only handle a few tracks by Krush. i used to have all his albums, but i ended up dumping everything but Zen, plus a few random tracks from the rest like Final Home which i absolutely love. it's just too irregular for me i suppose.

but Danger of Love on Zen - wow. that's a hell of a song!

Sneer · 03-13-2009, 10:15 AM

Kakusei is exceptional

Different strokes for different folks i suppose

TROY148 · 03-26-2009, 01:56 PM

Kid Koala!

BlueCadet · 03-26-2009, 04:04 PM

I bought Carpal Tunnel Syndrome a while ago and to tell you the truth I didnt really like it much at all.

SATCHMO · 03-26-2009, 04:18 PM

There's an instrumental version of Del/dan the Automator/Kid Koala's Deltron 3030 which is a bit hard to find these days, but really awesome. I like it better than than the regular version.theres also an instrumental of MF Doom's Herbs and Spices that's quite good.

Remedy · 03-26-2009, 06:23 PM

DJ Shadow's Endtroducing and Pre-emptive Strike for sure. Also, Blockhead's Music By Cavelight and Diplo's Florida album are both fantastic

333 · 03-26-2009, 08:06 PM

Yet another good topic:

Madlib
Kid Koala
The Automator

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

Kamikazi Kat · 04-17-2009, 12:53 PM

I've been wanting to get more into hip-hop, and the instrumental stuff such as Flying Lotus or abstract stuff such as cLOUDDEAD always seems to interest me.

~~Yoni~~ · 04-20-2009, 04:02 PM

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing...

03-13-2009, 10:15 AM	#22 (permalink)
Sneer Let it drip Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 5,430	Kakusei is exceptional Different strokes for different folks i suppose __________________ LastFM Sneer's Emporium of Sound Fright Team radio show

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.

03-13-2009, 09:53 AM	#21 (permalink)
garbanzo Recommended by 4 out of 5 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Budapest Posts: 137	i can only handle a few tracks by Krush. i used to have all his albums, but i ended up dumping everything but Zen, plus a few random tracks from the rest like Final Home which i absolutely love. it's just too irregular for me i suppose. but Danger of Love on Zen - wow. that's a hell of a song!

03-26-2009, 01:56 PM	#23 (permalink)
TROY148 Music Addict Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Your mum, where she is- that's where I live Posts: 88	Kid Koala!

03-26-2009, 04:04 PM	#24 (permalink)
BlueCadet Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 94	I bought Carpal Tunnel Syndrome a while ago and to tell you the truth I didnt really like it much at all.

03-26-2009, 04:18 PM	#25 (permalink)
SATCHMO Al Dente Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4,708	There's an instrumental version of Del/dan the Automator/Kid Koala's Deltron 3030 which is a bit hard to find these days, but really awesome. I like it better than than the regular version.theres also an instrumental of MF Doom's Herbs and Spices that's quite good.

03-26-2009, 06:23 PM	#26 (permalink)
Remedy Groupie Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 37	DJ Shadow's Endtroducing and Pre-emptive Strike for sure. Also, Blockhead's Music By Cavelight and Diplo's Florida album are both fantastic

03-26-2009, 08:06 PM	#27 (permalink)
333 Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 965	Yet another good topic: Madlib Kid Koala The Automator

04-17-2009, 12:53 PM	#29 (permalink)
Kamikazi Kat Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 329	I've been wanting to get more into hip-hop, and the instrumental stuff such as Flying Lotus or abstract stuff such as cLOUDDEAD always seems to interest me.

04-20-2009, 04:02 PM	#30 (permalink)
~~Yoni~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 48	DJ Shadow - Endtroducing...