The Trip-Hop Phenomenon

Andy Barlow and Louise Rhodes need to make a comeback.

I mean, where did Trip-Hop go? I mean, here i am, sitting at my desk, chilling to some 'Lamb' and theres nothing like it anywhere else in my music collection. My flatmates don't have anything even approaching the musical style of Lamb, which is officially labelled as 'Trip-Hop'.

From what i can tell, it's a musical style/genre that seems to have had a very short commercial lifespan. I'm sure theres still people producing it, but i'm talking in terms of being able to find a CD of it, rather a *new* CD of it, in your local HMV.

Now if you've never heard trip hop - i suggest that you try the most recognised track, 'Angelica' by Lamb to give you a fair idea of what its about. Think classical music with a modern, stylised edge.

I'm pretty sure that once people hear it - they'll like it and may even recognise some of it from the occasional programme on telly, assuming you watch the kinda of programmes that feature it - like design programmes on Channel 4.

In some circumstances, 'Hybrid' come close with the occasional track, but their entire musical style defies categorising. One minute its Nu Skool Breaks, the next its Progressive Trance, the next it's classical with a twist - you just cant pin them down.

Before you rubbish the mere idea of listening to Trip Hop, the fact is - its not fast, its not techno, its not 150bpm trance - it's slow, chilled and yes, the lyrics are meaningful and not at all related to Hip Hop, which is more like 'kill whitey, kill women, kill anyone that looks at you funny, yo yo yo yo'.

If you like it, buy the album. If you buy the album, HMV & Virgin Megastore will take notice. If HMV & Virgin Megastore take notice, then the music industry will more than likely take notice and start sticking their fingers into some obscure white label pies, giving us all more Trip Hop, which can only be a good thing, unless of course Simon Cowell has some kind of involvement. In which case it'll be godawful and you all have permission to hold me responsible.