r/triphop • u/babybeasimpleman666 • 2d ago

Request/Discussion Heavy, dark and dense trip hop

Hey everyone!
I love discovering obscure gems on here, and lately I’ve been getting pretty selective with what I listen to. For a while, I was looking for the dreamiest side of trip-hop (“Cinderella” by Hooverphonic is so damn good, and it feels like nobody can recommend me anything quite like it).
Now I’m looking for the opposite end of the spectrum: the most psychedelic, raw, groove-heavy stuff, leaning dark rather than soft. Something disorienting or downright sleazy.
A couple of references to give you an idea of what I’m after: Tricky, but much denser and harder-hitting, or Massive Attack’s Mezzanine. I’m bringing up these two legends just to get the general vibe across.
Hit me with your recommendations! Thanks!

44 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

57 comments sorted by

26

u/__Aldo___ 2d ago

Amon Tobin

6

u/__Aldo___ 2d ago

You might enjoy his other productions as Cujo too.

5

u/babybeasimpleman666 2d ago

Soooo gooood man

3

u/jingjang1 2d ago

early amon tobin, and early bonobo, similar yet different.

12

u/Euronymous_Bosch 2d ago

I wouldn’t consider it full on trip hop but Chelsea Wolfe’s album She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She definitely has a heavy trip hop influence on a good chunk of the songs, and the rest is goth/doom-metal influenced so it makes for a heavy and dark vibe that might be along the lines of what you’re looking for.

5

u/m_i_r 1d ago

Chelsea Wolfe goes HARD. I never knew i wanted a metal/rage version of Portishead. Niiiiice.

3

u/babybeasimpleman666 2d ago

i love doom metal, thanks for sharing!

2

u/scribe06 1d ago

House of metal on Pain is beauty fits the description perfectly also

6

u/m_i_r 2d ago

I'm stretching the concept of "trip hop" a bit, but Scorn- "Evanescene" sounds up this alley. "Colossus" is worth checking out if you like that, more guitar focussed. Then you have "Gyral": instrumental, bleak, and very desolate. Also on the ominous, instrumental side (and featuring Mick Harris of Scorn): "Total Station." You can find that on Bandcamp.

Also, check out Lorn.

2

u/babybeasimpleman666 2d ago

Man I LOVE SCORN its so good. Some more in mind? Thanks!

5

u/m_i_r 2d ago edited 2d ago

Scorn is singular. Not much else like it. But i have more dark recs!

Unkle "Psyence Fiction": lots of guests vocals. "Rabbit in your Headlights" featuring Thom Yorke maybe one of the most bleakly melancholy songs I've ever heard.

Do you like crunchy drum loops with anxiety inducing atmosphere? Try Technoanimal

Not Trip-hop, but if you like rap, Clipping has a dark, experimental vibe, and the best lyrical flow I've heard in a long time.

If you dont know DJ Shadow's "Endtroducing"...ehhh, you probably do.

Tipper does some great glitch hop.

Also, another vote for Amon Tobin.

Psychedelic adjacent? Again, rap, but Cannibal Ox "Iron Galaxy" is amazing.

Edit: another rec. Listen to "Delete, Delete, Delete" by Boots.

3

u/scribe06 1d ago

Psyence fiction is one of the best answers I've seen here. Especially a track like Bloodstain

2

u/babybeasimpleman666 2d ago

iron galaxy is so good, i love the instrumentals. good taste man, thanks for sharing!

2

u/m_i_r 1d ago

Glad to hear! I don't know people in real life into the specific, weird niche of music I like, so it's nice to know I'm not completely insane/alone. Cheers!

2

u/m_i_r 1d ago

One more moderately obscure rec, then I'm done. If the idea of shoegaze+trip hop intrigues you (yeah, i know, buzzy words, but accurate), check out Bowery Electric's album "Beat." Whispery vocals, droney walls of sounds, and hip hop beats.

2

u/fenr1sulfr 2d ago

Limewire made 13 year old me think Silver Rain Fell was an (early!) Evanescence song for the longest time. Still love it!!

2

u/m_i_r 1d ago

Thats one of my faves! It's so haunting and ominous, but still has an odd...beauty and grooviness to it.

5

u/michaelrobinsonekt 2d ago

This might scratch that itch:

https://bandcamp.com/ekt/playlist/ekts-trip-hopacid-jazz-kinda-stuff

Hobbyist amateur trip-hop from 🇨🇦 - Recorded live and dawless - no computers - no samples - every sound self-created - 100% DIY

2

u/babybeasimpleman666 2d ago

ill check this out

4

u/maxtolerance 2d ago

Dark triphop playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtm9D6hJVTZ9rkA441EEdsrpRVKVnMTsk

3

u/Rainsmakker 2d ago

I appreciate this being on YouTube and not Spotify. Saved and sub’d

3

u/flowerfem595 2d ago

Tricky- Blowback, the entire album

3

u/Tommy_Donut 2d ago

It's dub instead of hip hop influenced but Ghost Dubs is pure filth

2

u/fu7ur3pr00f 2d ago

HaloBlack - 'FunkyHell' & 'Throb'

2

u/sneakerscomicsgames 2d ago

I was going to mention Pre Millenium Tension, but reading the entirety of your post made me realise you surely have it already!

FSOL - Dead Cities is a nice mix of dark dystopian landscapes and lighter sequences.

2

u/jingjang1 2d ago edited 2d ago

try

doves - firesuit

swords - leftfield

fixed income - dj shadow

simplicity - soma sonic

ever - 21 hertz

raat ki rani - khruangbin remix - by them and arooj aftab

röyksopp - shes so

i can drop so many tracks.

you can visit my main playlist and see if you find something there:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7D7LLWfj2vfopzQES77BAY?si=ff4ad057f51b4da2

2

u/patheticboy77 2d ago

i have a night music playlist that may have some tracks that fit what you’re looking for

1

u/babybeasimpleman666 2d ago

so cool, ill check this out

2

u/djesp 2d ago

Sepiamusic - Sweet Pollution

Seems to have gone under everyone’s radar

2

u/CageyBeeHive 1d ago

The Golden Palominos - Metal Eye

Recoil - Strange Hours, Chrome

KMFDM - Rules

1

u/themaskedproducer 2d ago

Probably a bit out there but definitely disorienting is this one.

1

u/wevegotheadsonsticks 2d ago

Rituals of Mine

1

u/siriusgodog23 2d ago

Pigface's A New High in Low or Bad Blood by ICE might scratch that itch

1

u/babybeasimpleman666 2d ago

Man, Bad Blood by Ice is EXACTLY the thing i say. I need more like the first track, X-1. Its like so groovy and dark and that drum wth i need more. Some more in mind? Thanks!

2

u/m_i_r 2d ago

If you like that, you MIGHT like Death Grips. Sort of noise-punk-hop. It goes hard.

2

u/siriusgodog23 2d ago

No worries! SCORN's albums Zander, Logghi Borroghi & Gyral are in a similar vein as is The Bug's Tapping the Conversation.

The Bug just dropped a new one on Relapse Records you might be into as well.

1

u/ox_moron_ 2d ago

Check out Your Turn by Qiguai. His first album also has some darker weirder drums

1

u/Marbedar 2d ago

Check out the album Urchin (1999) by Urchin. It’s a one-off from this artist but always gives me a dark, creepy vibe and I love it! Instrumental with solid beats.

1

u/Ok_Goose_5642 2d ago

Witchman - Explorimenting Beats. Never seen it mentioned here but it is exactly what you'll want

1

u/babybeasimpleman666 2d ago

Man is sooo dark and groovy. Thanks man! More in mind? You have a great taste

1

u/nahmsayinn 2d ago edited 1d ago

Check out the album "Nothing Else" by Lorn. It came out in 2010 on Brainfeeder (Flying Lotus's label). It's so dark.

Also, Jaku by DJ Krush.

1

u/EternityLeave 2d ago

Ruinek - From Inside the Artifice

1

u/Vladimir3000 2d ago

I am not 100% certain this is “true trip hop” but it’s at least trip hop adjacent:

https://youtu.be/0Q3C17f6g98?is=NRcrCf1fTqXxHus6

1

u/Saturated_skies 2d ago

Jute - a violent narcotic

1

u/PM_ME_YOUR_RegEx 1d ago

Wh as t about Moderator?

They’re excellent and can trend dark. That’s what I’ve been listening to for the last few days. It’s got a very October vibe, to me.

1

u/mycutelilself 1d ago

Haha. I saw this post earlier and I was racking my brain bc I love both ends of the spectrum as you mentioned. I’ve been gate keeping this one as it is my dark soul’s gem: Though as strict trip hop is debatable, but Slit of Cloud by Krush, well, crushes. Hard. I love this track on so many levels. First time I heard it, riveted. Fucking awesome. Don’t know if that’s what you had in mind. Though dubstep, there’s Crossover with Magnetic Man and Katy B

Edit: grammar

1

u/scribe06 1d ago edited 1d ago

Hautatuuli - Oranssi Pazuzu

The undertaker - Puscifer

Even Deeper - Nine Inch Nails

Me I'm not - NIN

1

u/Acceptable-Ad-9535 1d ago

Cinephile is great for the dark triphop sound

1

u/wahameia 1d ago

Silent Hill Soundtrack

1

u/local_clbrt 3h ago

Lamb’s first album, Lamb.

Thank me later

1

u/brick-up-arse 30m ago edited 9m ago

Dirge of the Lonely - Saffron Bloom

Swampy - Dregs

1

u/CitizenTed 2d ago

Supreme Beings of Leisure.