Downtempo Electronica Music - How To Identify This Genre?

Downtempo electronica music originated in the United Kingdom in the 1990s. It was one of those musical styles that partly grew out from the need to offer club visitors a chance to relax from impulsive and fast paced dance beats. Since it has similar elements to trip hop, ambient music, and chill out, the differences between those musical styles are not so big. However, downtempo still has its own distinctive characteristics, making it an independent genre.

1. The beat

Rhythm plays an important role in this genre. Unlike the beatless forms of ambient music, downtempo electronica usually has a beat or groove. Though it can be rhythmically also more complex and diverse, the beat is often built up from smaller repeating patterns, called loops, making the songs sound hypnotic.

Just like trip hop, downtempo electronica music merges elements of slowed down breakbeats and hip hop. Nonetheless, the rhythm maintains its laid-back state. It is not as aggressive as in trance, and slower than in trip hop.

2. The use of instruments

While ambient music features mainly electronically processed sounds, downtempo encompasses a wider variety of instruments. Besides electronic and electroacoustic instruments, the typical instruments of this genre include also guitars, drums, bass, percussion, brass, strings, flute. Depending on the artist and their selection of the sounds, the musical texture can therefore be quite dense, having a broad spectrum of instruments playing at the same time.

3. Mixture of various music genres

Due to the wide variety of different musical styles that downtempo electronica music incorporates, it is often also viewed as experimental music. Elements of soul, ambient, electronic music, jazz, funk, hip hop, and dub, are mixed with electronically modified melodies and synthesizer sounds.

Both the structure and the harmony of the song can be influenced by various genres. While some songs are built on one or two simple chords, others are harmonically more diverse. Playful and jazz-like melodies alternate with ambient and atmospheric soundscapes. Acoustic instruments co-exist with electronic sounds. Though vocals are not so regular, they are used in a variety of ways, ranging from gentle and mellow singing, to rap and speech.

Downtempo electronica music is a mixture of various genres. It is similar to trip hop, ambient music, and chill out. While being beat-driven, the rhythm is not so aggressive as in trance, and the overall mood is often mellow and relaxed. This music style mixes acoustic instruments with electronic sounds and confronts melodic phrases to soundscapes. Though each artist has their own unique influences and sound preferences, these three aforementioned characteristics are common to most downtempo music, making it easier to identify this genre.

The author of this text is a musician. For free music and additional information, visit http://joonaskreenmusic.info/

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The Genre Of Thievery Corporation

Choosing the genre of Thievery Corporation may seem like a difficult task due to the wide variety of styles in their music. The duo, consisting of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, records and mixes in their own studio, in Washington, D.C. However, they also collaborate with other instrumentalists and singers, which enriches the origins of their music furthermore. This article discusses the main characteristics of their recordings, suggesting a genre to describe their music.

While the arrangements of their debut album Sounds From The Thievery Hi Fi are instrumentally not so dense, the songs have a powerful groove. Entrancing beats and basslines make their music beat-driven. Occasional use of strings and subtle synths add an atmospheric quality to the songs, supporting and enhancing the hypnotic nature of the grooves furthermore.

The use of vocals is minimalistic and occasional. Electronic instruments and sound effects are preferred to acoustic sounds. Due to these distinctive features, Thievery Corporation genre is sometimes associated with trip hop, a sub-genre of electronic music.

However, their following albums are stylistically even more diverse. They mix elements of electronica, dub, acid jazz, reggae, Indian classical, Middle Eastern, Latin, lounge, hip hop, and funk. The beat is more complex. Latin polyrhythms are mixed with laid-back beats. The amount of live instrumentation has increased, featuring playful and melodic instrumental solos.

At the same time they still use electronic sounds and effects, retaining the ambient nature of the songs. Delicate use of vocals enhances the sensual mood furthermore. The duo also uses samples from other artists, like Herp Alpert, The Doors, Sarah McLachlan, and Astrud Gilberto, creating remixes of them. Some of their tracks feature samples from TV sounds and movie dialog.

This diversity of styles and sound sources is one of the main reasons why Thievery Corporation genre is most closely related to downtempo electronica. While being similar to trip hop, with its hypnotic feeling and beat-driven nature, downtempo encompasses a wider variety of styles and instruments. Thievery Corporation is also said to be one of the influential artists in this genre, who has introduced elements of Brazilian and Jamaican music into the style.

Although downtempo electronica is probably the most appropriate genre to describe the music of Thievery Corporation, their style is not so static and fixed. Each new album has proven to be somewhat different from the earlier recordings, bringing a new dimension to their sound. Their albums Radio Retaliation and Culture of Fear also carry a social message, reflecting the duo's interest in social activism. Therefore, not all of their music fits into the genre of downtempo electronica, and their style is a more dynamic feature, that slightly changes and varies throughout their recordings.

The author of this text is a musician. For free music and additional information, visit http://joonaskreenmusic.info/

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