Well, well, well.
With Fitzie taking a break this week, it’s up to your managing editor and deputy (yours truly) to jump in the ring and chat with all you lovely folk; and to kick us off, I thought I’d continue with Fitzie’s music theme.
Rather though than looking at new music, I wanted to look at some old.
For me, the 90’s were a great decade for music; probably my second favorite when it comes to modern music. I can hear the internet haters firing up their keyboards right now to crucify me, and all I can say is: come at me, bro.
The 90’s for me was where music really started to get interesting, in that it started to move away from our classic definitions of genres – your rock, pop, metal, punk, blues, hip-hop – and into more focused, esoteric, experimental music. Sure, you can look back at the New Wave movement that kicked off in the late 70’s and continued through the 80’s, but the 90’s is when grunge, alternative, indie, contemporary, downtempo, certain sub-genres of rap, and trip-hop really started to kick off. Though many of these genres found their origins in the 80’s, it was the start of the following decade where things really pushed their way into the collective consciousness.
Trip-hop. Man. It’s crazy how a collection of musicians in a smallish city (Bristol) near the coast in England experimenting with samples can explode into a worldwide phenomenon with lasting musical impact. Similar to how grunge erupted from Seattle from a disaffected youth population (and at a similar moment in time, no less), trip-hop started with aspiring DJ’s and producers often from economically deprived council estates coming together to provide music for house parties.
The people involved were heavily influenced by Jamaican dub and hip-hop, and combined it with electronica, jazz, and rock elements to create a dirty, dark, and atmospheric sounding experience that connected with many as the Bristol underground scene spread throughout the UK and further.
There’s just something about it I love. The sampling that just dynamically layers and layers as songs build; the powerful (often female) vocal melodies; the atmosphere; and just the way that the songs just continually create interest for me. Artists like Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, and later on the likes of Zero 7 and Groove Armada are all examples of musicians I can put on no matter my mood and just groove, or chill, or headbang, depending on the song.
This week (or at least, the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Hoddles I’ll be writing) I’ll be sharing some of my favorite trip-hop songs. What are some of yours?
Matty’s track of the day: Angel, by Massive Attack
And now for your links:
Alasdair Gold with a deep dive into Tottenham’s loss at Newcastle for those of you with a masochistic streak
Check out some highlights of Spurs Women’s stunning victory over Leicester to reach the Women’s FA Cup Final for the first time (they’re a bit rubbish quality, but there’s nothing from official channels yet)
The Athletic ($$) on how Bayer Leverkusen finally toppled Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich from their 11-year pedestal at the top of the Bundesliga (LOL)
Jason Burt at The Telegraph on Arsenal choking against Villa (LOL#2)