The downtempo from this era seems less contained by genre, more free flowing. Feels more like "songs" rather than "tracks", even with no vocals I find the 90's downtempo to be more interesting and musical in comparison to what is popular in the downtempo arena today.

So did they just take the strings from Quincy's Summer In The City? Anyways that track has soul.

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Help me ID these sets:
Sasha - Live @ Logic, Santa Monica, CA 12-21-97 - Groove 103.1 FM
John Digweed - Live @ Axis, Boston 28-07-1997



Old & New Electronic Music Channel
Soundcloud Mixes

i think you will find similar but better stuff done by actual bands that do this.

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"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest

quote:

Originally posted by Syntonic So did they just take the strings from Quincy's Summer In The City? Anyways that track has soul.

The one melody is from that track yes it seems. Wonder where Quincy got it from

The deep strings in Les Nuits are what get me excited.

quote:

Originally posted by Looney4Clooney i think you will find similar but better stuff done by actual bands that do this.

Nightmares on Wax is pro level IMO. Who do you like now that is doing it better?

NOW made trip-hop, or just instrumental hip-hop (in the inlay of Smoker's Delight he talks about how trip-hop was just a trendy new name for hip-hop), and there are plenty of people still making great instrumental hip-hop.

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Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J NOW made trip-hop, or just instrumental hip-hop (in the inlay of Smoker's Delight he talks about how trip-hop was just a trendy new name for hip-hop), and there are plenty of people still making great instrumental hip-hop.

Who do you like doing it now? I want strings and vocals and melodies. I have the Dillatroit EP but that's a little too hard for me at times.

http://www.discogs.com/Dilla-Dog-Di...release/3688001

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6VByOuP9kA

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UnauthorizedTranceAddict Youtube Channel where I post older mixes from the TA DJ Promotion Forum

My mixes:

Still up:1:2

Down:3:4:5

Onra, Madlib, Nujabes (sadly RIP)... Stone's Throw Records is the go-to label for this sound. J Dilla's "Donuts" is considered a modern classic, and I don't think it sounds "hard" at all so you might like that more than Dillatroit. If you listen around you'll surely find something that hits the spot. Although I will say that a lot of J Dilla / Madlib inspired stuff will tend to have 25-30 really short tracks on an album, creating a dense, ever-changing sample collage, rather than the "songs" you talk about in the OP.

___________________
Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Onra, Madlib, Nujabes (sadly RIP)... Stone's Throw Records is the go-to label for this sound. J Dilla's "Donuts" is considered a modern classic, and I don't think it sounds "hard" at all so you might like that more than Dillatroit. If you listen around you'll surely find something that hits the spot. Although I will say that a lot of J Dilla / Madlib inspired stuff will tend to have 25-30 really short tracks on an album, creating a dense, ever-changing sample collage, rather than the "songs" you talk about in the OP.

Thanks can you recommend specific albums to focus on that are comparable to Smoker's Delight in style and level of musicality?

Not new ones, but an oldie that I think is quite similar is Cool Breeze - Assimilation:

___________________
Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/