Drop out music - my top ten

Posted on November 4, 2007
Filed Under Ideas & Philosophy |

This is my selection of ‘drop out’ music - clever, funky, chilled-out, off-beat sounds. These ten artists are superb musicians, first and foremost. But they also have a real grip on the fundamentals of life, what’s important, what’s really worth thinking about. Below is a link to my favourite albums and if you scroll down you’ll find my thoughts on each artist and a link to their Myspace pages.

Jack Johnson

Myspace
Jack Johnson The surfer’s Bob Dylan, the kind of man-with-guitar every aspiring group of drop-outs wishes they had round the beach campfire. Having made one of the classic surf movies of recent years, The September Sessions, Johnson has now moved on to making all-time classic songs. Clever, sweet lyrics and great melodies. Is there anything this guy can’t do?

Tal M Klein

http://www.aniligital.com/
Inventive, experimental DJ out of San Francisco, picking up where Ninja Tune left off in the nineties. Not dissimilar to fellow west-coaster RjD2. Makes excellent use of the funky breakbeats of the disco era (listen to Rock the Horns on his website). Check out a phenomenal track on his Alpha-Beats album called Don’t, a super-chilled reworking of (so it sounds) a Fatback Band track, with great original vocals.

The Velvet Underground

The music never seems to age and their influence is stamped all over the British rock music in the charts today. Experimental and singular, famous for being way ahead of their time. In many ways, the ultimate drop out music.

Newton Faulkner

Myspace
Newton Faulkner The sound of this summer for me. His album Hand Built By Robots went stellar ealier this year, fuelled by some exciting live performances including at Newquay’s own Unleashed music festival, where his cover of Massive Attack’s Teardrop went down a storm.

Blue Scholars

Myspace
Intelligent hip-hop reminiscent of native tongues and Rawkus Records. This is music from out on the stoop, like someone spinning beats with a jazz trumpet from down the block becoming part of the music. The latest album is a bit intense but their first album, Blue Scholars has a really fresh sound.

Leonard Cohen

The ultimate don’t-give-a-f**k, mess with your mind musical intellectual. Those folky rhythms in the minor key underpin a brave exploration of a person’s deepest, darkest feelings. He’s known for his pessimism but I find his honesty ultimately affirmative.

Orishas

Myspace
OrishasCuban hip hop group now based in Paris, who brilliantly combine rap/hip-hop style techniques with Cuban beats and harmonies. Effortlessly cool. Check out A Lo Cubano on their Myspace page to hear what they are about.

Sway

Myspace
Hyper-talented British rapper (yes, really!) whose debut album This Is My Demo is crammed full of clever, amusing, ironic tracks. Like an English Eminem, only better. Genius lyrics, precision delivery, grimy beats.

The Milk Teeth

Myspace
Surf punk rock fun - these guys deserve to be way bigger than they are. Who wouldn’t want to skate to Go Faster Stripes? If it was my birthday party, I’d want these guys to be playing live!

Bob Marley

Myspace
One of the most loved musicians of the 20th century for his evocative voice and honest, all-embracing songs. Gentle yet rebellious. This music just makes me smile.

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