trip-hop

Sometime back in the mid-90s a fresh faced Brazilian ex-pat living in the UK decided he was going to put down his harmonica, pick up a sampler, and name himself after a Stephen King novel. The resulting album, Cujo's Adventures in Foam (released on Ninebar records, later reissued on Ninja Tune) signalled Amon Tobin's entry into the world of music. Immediately upon hearing this record, the powers that be at Ninja Tune signed him up to record as Amon Tobin, and he quickly went to work on his debut Bricolage.

Belleruche is a band consisting of Kathrin DeBoer, Ricky Fabulous, and DJ Modest. Formed in the lesser bars and pubs of North London in 2005, the band now record for the Brighton based Tru-Thoughts label. (They've got a new single out in August called 'Clockwatching'- video is up here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEDhY9H0f08) Influenced by vintage blues records, punk girl drummers, obscure 60's cover bands and experimental west coast turntablists, they describe their sound as 'Turntable Soul Music'.

Growing up in the suburbs of Washington DC, I-Dee (born Isaac DeLima) began his career in the mid nineties at the tender age of 10. Beginning battling in 2002, I-Dee won numerous regional titles up and down the East Coast which sparked ears to open as he was slowly beginning to become a force to be reckoned with. Ultimately, he solidified his name in 2006, at the age of 19, by winning the DMC USA, Scribble Jam and Gong World Supremacy titles in 6 months. No other DJ had accomplished such a remarkable act within a short period of time.

Adrian Thaws (born January 27, 1968), better known as Tricky, is a rapper and musician from England who is important in the trip-hop scene (despite loathing the tag) and remains influential on the british scene more generally. He is noted for an asthmatic whispering lyrical style that is half-rapped, half-sung. As a producer and a musician he is known for having an aversion to perfection preferring to build up a dark, rich and layered sound. Culturally, Tricky bridges white and black Britain particularly in his fusion of rock and hip-hop, high art and pop culture.