5. Soul II Soul: Keep on Movin'
This was Soul II Soul's third single, and became a major hit in England in 1989; many trip-hop devotees point to this recording as the start of it all. Caron Webster supplies the vocals, which bear a strong urban r&b flavor but are given a spaciness by the oddly trippy lyrics and a propulsive melody. Jazzie B. serves as writer, arranger and producer. In America, the album was a hit, selling mainly to the Urban and Soul crowd, but also gained significant club airplay. Five semi-successful albums followed, but only the first two are classics; their last release was in 1997.
6. Kruder & Dorfmeister: Bug Powder Dust
Better known as the producers and remixes of others' work, Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister have also gained acclaim for their own two mid-90's albums. Their best track is "Bug Powder Dust", from Clear, the 1995 release by Bomb the Bass, which features a druggy lyric, some bluesy raps, heavy bass, and a trip-hop ambience. Guest Justin Warfield raps over some aggressive and gritty guitar-work; the sound has been compared to Black Sabbath in hip-hop mode. Kruder and Dorfmeister included it on their own 1997 release The K&D Sessions, with substantial remixing. Either version is worth the listen; it will appeal to rock fans as well.
7. Olive: You're Not Alone
Olive is another smoky ambience, late-night singer/songwriter influenced trip-hop group, featuring producer Tim Kellett and Robin Taylor-Firth and vocalist Ruth-Ann Boyle. Kellett had been a member of Simply Red, and Taylor-Frith an alumni of Nightmares on Wax. "You're Not Alone", from 1995, was a #1 hit in England, and peaked at #56 in America, a good showing for a trip hop group at the time. Featured on their 1996 debut, Extra Virgin, the song is melodic and not overly experimental, making it an easy introduction for novices to the genre; a comparable sound might be mid-90's era Everything But The Girl.
8. Sneaker Pimps: 6 Underground
The Sneaker Pimps, a trio from Reading, England, sound like a cross between Tricky and Portishead; Kelli Dayton supplies the sensual vocals, while guitarist Chris Corner and keyboardist Liam Howe supply some excellent backing. Their best effort is their 1996 debut, Becoming X, which has a breezy cool soul sound helped along by an edgy guitar attack. "6 Underground" is the highlight, and nearly made top-40 in America, reaching #45. The band never quite delivered on the promise of the debut, sounding more derivitive than innovative, but they retain a cult. Their most recent album appeared in 2002.
Article comments
1 - Scott Butki
Another great list.