Disclaimer: The 25 artists featured on this list categorically transcend the traditional notions of instrumental music– and where boom-bap plays any role, the traditional notions of hip-hop. Despite the ambitious efforts of bloggers and critics, they are also impossible to genrify.
Still, a few things are certain. Most of them have either been compared to or influenced by the still omnipresent J Dilla, in many ways the torchbearer of their sound. They are audiophiles. They know how to handle their varying labs of MPCs, vintage analogue keyboards, drums, guitars, field recordings, and future sounds. They piece together collages of boilerplate basslines, tiding synths, vocal loops, live instruments, and cloudbursts of gasps and sighs that conjure up everything from eternity to robot porn, depending on your mood.
Bottom line: It’s an awesome time for instrumental music. This is our salute to 25 instrumental artists and producers who made it so in 2011. We can’t wait to see what patterns form in the auditory void that is currently 2012. xo
Hit the skip to read the list.
1 Oddisee – Rock Creek Park
Calls Home: Brooklyn by way of Washington, D.C.
Standout Track: “Uptown Cabaret”
Beats Also Heard On: “For Certain” ft. Diamond District, “Mattered Much” ft. Olivier Daysoul
“A stunning modernized effort that builds on the musical foundation of jazz/soul while adding touches of hip-hop throughout, the Rock Creek Park project is so solid and complete that it might be a bit ahead of its time. Or right on time for some of you.”
“With stellar arrangement, musical innovation and impressive production skills, he reminds us all that modern jazz is still alive, and it can be great. This is the kind of album I want to break out a bottle of Riesling and chill to; the kind of album your kids will be sampling in 10 to 17 years.” -Ericka Simone
“Oddisee has become one of the more prolific hip-hop artists of our time over these past few years. Whether he’s working with yU and Uptown XO as Diamond District, producing the entirety of Trek Life’s Everything Changed Nothing, or churning out his Odd Seasons installments, Oddisee keeps his schedule jam-packed. He also maintains a very strong sense of consistency, which isn’t always easy when you’re constantly working.”-Andrew Martin
2 Clams Casino – Instrumental Mixtape
Calls Home: Nutley, NJ
Standout Track: “Motivation”
Beats Also Heard On: Lil B- I’m Gay (I’m Happy), Main Attrakionz- 808s & Dark Grapes II, ASAP ROCKY- LiveLoveA$AP
Remix You Will Love: “Cold War” (Janelle Monae)
“It’s safe to say that 2011 is the year of the based instrumental movement. Clams Casino exploded onto the scene with the poignant and emotive Instrumentals that has yet to sound remotely tired given how much I’ve listened to it.” -John Healey
“As Potholes’ resident Based God fanatic, I was surprised to find out that most of my favorite Lil B tracks (for the record, “I’m God”, “Motivation”, “What You Doin’”, etc.) were produced by the same guy. Turns out Clams Casino has been lacing Bay Area MCs like Lil B & Main Attrakionz as well as Soulja Boy with his singular brand of woozy, static-drenched productions for a couple years now. Clams’ beats alternate between a bone dry, ambient scarcity of sound and an almost shoegazey largess, and best of all, they all sound great with or without anyone rapping over them. I’ve been bumping this day and night for the past two days. I’m obsessed. Dude is brilliant. Clams Casino is one to watch in 2011. Get familiar.” -Craig Jenkins
3 BADBADNOTGOOD – BADBADNOTGOOD EP
Calls Home: Toronto, Canada
Standout Track: “Salmonella”
Remix You Will Love: “Untitled 63 – Nightmare – Yonkers” (Tyler, The Creator /Odd Future cover)
“They hail from Toronto and are apparently equally enamored with hip-hop and jazz. At least, that’s the impression I get from their self-titled EP that contains post-bop covers of tracks from A Tribe Called Quest, Waka Flocka Flame, and Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. Sounds fucking awesome, right? It is.” -Andrew Martin
“BADBADNOTGOOD has quickly become one of our favorite acts here at Potholes. It’s gotten to the point that I don’t even know what else to say about the Toronto jazz punks other than: YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THEM NOW. I mean, goddamn, y’all, they have whipped up killer covers of tracks by Tyler, the Creator, Waka Flocka Flame, Gucci Mane, A Tribe Called Quest, Gang Starr, and Flying Lotus. Not only that, but BADBADNOTGOOD absolutely rips shit live…” -Andrew Martin
“I love talking about BADBADNOTGOOD because I think they’re perfect for hip-hop. They’ll take a track and strip it down to its core, its heart and embellish with jazzy improvisation.” -Seth Lopez
4 B. Lewis – Science Within Reason
Calls Home: San Francisco, CA
Standout Track: “Gray To Clear”
Remix You Will Love: “Speak Your Mind” (Floetry)
“B.Lewis makes some epic music and I’m a huge fan. Every beat is like some kind of massive layered audio event. A treat for your ears. Some may say that 30 tracks is too much. I disagree.” -Craig Monts
“At Potholes we love us some B. Lewis joints. Whether he’s creating some robotic, otherworldly synth beats or putting together a “massive layered audio event” he always seems to impress.” -Seth Lopez
5 Datahowler – Slowdrifter
Calls Home: Dallas, TX
Standout Track: “Of Stars/From Suns”
Remix You Will Love: “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” (Busta Rhymes Mash-Up)
“A concoction that could have easily disappeared into conceptual quicksand is whisked away and prettily deconstructed at the intersection of Science Fiction Theater and a lo-fi meteor shower. That’s right. Not to mention homie played every single instrument you hear on the album. If Slowdrifter is any reflection of Datahowler’s future experiments, then I demand an encore.” -Mallory Pickard
“I can guarantee that this is only the beginning of a very long road of awesome music from this magical musician.” -David Reyneke
6 Onra – Chinoiseries Pt. 2
Calls Home: Paris, France
Standout Track: “Remember the Name”
“Sometimes it feels like being blacked-out drunk in a Saigon brothel, other times its a soundtrack for a daring robbery on the outskirts of Chinatown.”
“Onra is nothing short of virtuosic in his sequencing and sample manipulation, and Chinoiseries Pt 2 is a both a testament to his technical skill and an alluring, engaging piece of work with a distinct sense of place and a certain timelessness.” -Graham Major
“If you’re an Onra fan, you already know what it is: deft chops, head-noddin’ drums, and well-executed transitions.” -Andrew Martin
7 Keyboard Kid – Based in the Rain
Calls Home: Seattle, WA
Standout Track: “Rolls Royce” (Lil B)
Beats Also Heard On: Lil B - I’m Thraxx [Mixtape], Lil B – 6 Kiss [Mixtape], Main Attrakionz- 808s & Dark Grapes II
“Seriously, the whole Based sound might be one of my favorite sonic movements, if only because it reminds me of the fact that I absolutely adore dream-pop and shoegaze. Lush, hazy samples paired up with crisp, banging percussion? Sign me the hell up. Here, Keyboard Kid looks backward to when he was, in his words, stoned and played a lot of video games. I can dig it.” -Andrew Martin
“…the Kid just released this new mixtape full of his instrumentals that walk the line between warped psychedelia and ambient crunk.” -Andrew Martin
8 Bahwee – Sketches
Calls Home: Los Angeles, CA
Standout Track: “Hold Me Tight”
Remix You Will Love: “Virginia” (Clipse)
“Sketches features a remix of Cassie’s “Me & U” with the pitch shifted enough that the five-year-old song sounds like it’s being delivered by the just-matured voice of a young male. But that’s an anomaly. The album as a whole is packed with mellow, jazzy, instrumental hip-hop beats executed well enough that rappers would be doing the songs a disservice if they attempted to put lyrics over them.” -Johnathan Kochis
9 Shlohmo – Bad Vibes
Calls Home: San Francisco, CA
Standout Track: “Places”
Remix You Will Love: “Marvin’s Room” (Drake)
“…the young producer pensively tunnels through Krautrock, neo-psychedlia, trip-hop, and drippy field recordings swathed in gossamer cassette tape hiss with a sensei-like cognizance of beauty that cannot be ignored.”
“The falsetto ad libs and simple acoustics are both palpable and sweet in their sincerity, and it is at this intersection of tenderness and pensive innocence where Shlohmo finds his natural power.” -Mallory Pickard
“Shlohmo is currently riding on the success of his LP Bad Vibes, which has pretty much dominated my listening as of late. His atmospheric take on the LA beat scene has directed a lot of attention his way.” -John Healey
10 Man Mantis – Sea Ambulance EP
Calls Home: Madison, WI
Standout Track: “Red Dragonfly”
“This EP is damn near perfect. Seriously, Man Mantis is a BEAST. Right off the bat with “Sea Ambulance”, bass and synth suck you in and take you to a far away place where crap music is as rare as the praying mantis itself.” -David Reyneke
“Dave lost his shit about a month ago when he posted producer Man Mantis’ latest project, the Sea Ambulance EP. But he had a damn good reason for doing so — the EP is absolutely fantastic. I’m talking just straight-up flawless music that should be the soundtrack to your next afternoon, morning, night-time, WHENEVER drive.” -Andrew Martin
11 TOKiMONSTA – Creature Dreams EP
Calls Home: Los Angeles, CA
Standout Track: “Little Pleasures (ft. Gavin Turek)”
Remix You Will Love: “Breath On My Contacts” (télépopmusik)
“Jennifer Lee is not your average female, she is TOKiMONSTA, an intergalactic producer that floats beyond the limits of our earth’s atmosphere.”
“‘Moving Forward” features an ethereal backdrop, adding incredible drum and sample work that gives the song a feeling of life, almost as if it is actually breathing.” -David Reyneke
“It makes me want to get lit and just cchhiillll the hell out.” -Andrew Martin
12 Trebles and Blues – The Blue Note
Calls Homes: Los Angeles, CA
Standout Track: “The First Time”
“The latest offering from the Soul Dojo provides us with an instrumental hip-hop project that eats, breathes, and probably sleeps with jazz.”
“…it takes you on a trip through different locales, emotions, and vibes while altogether bringing forth lush, chopped-up productions that will leave this one in your rotation. Looking to stay in and have a glass of bourbon by the fireplace? Put this on.” -Andrew Martin
13 Handbook - Celebriteeth
Calls Home: London, UK
Standout Track: “The Truth (Celebriteeth)”
“This dude Handbook is really starting to become a problem. Every new track or project he releases displays a marked improvement over his already-impressive material. And, you know, there are few things more fulfilling than watching a talented artist further develop his skills in such a short time.” -Andrew Martin
“With all of these producers out there making good instrumental music like this, it’s a wonder why some rappers pick such terrible beats.” -Johnathan Kochis
14 14KT – 14KILLATAPE
Calls Home: Detroit, MI
Standout Track: “The Sound of People Burning”
Remix You Will Love: “Nimbus” (Devonwho)
“He apparently began putting this together in 2008 after taking part in the Red Bull Beat Battle that year. You can hear that event’s influence on the tape as he mostly sticks to slappers and bangers, though several tracks maintain his trademark melodic sound. As such, it stands as a testament to both 14KT’s always-developing skills and versatility.” -Andrew Martin
15 Ta-Ku – Day & Night EP
Calls Home: Perth, Australia
Standout Track: “:::Ladies Night”
Remix You Will Love: “Relief” (Moka Only & Chief)
“Day & Night serves as a collaboration between the producer, shoe company New Balance, and sneaker purveyor Highs & Lows. It also serves as another way for Ta-ku to deliver his signature jazz-infused shine, here inspired by Nina Simone and a whole lot of soul. There are 14 gems on here to be exact and they’re split into two distinct halves. One half features more romantic daytime-centric joints while the other half is dedicated to those sexy, celebratory nighttime riddims.” -Andrew Martin
16 Nefarious! – II
Calls Home: Los Angeles, CA
Standout Track: “No Place To Go”
“Put II in your iPod, attach jumper cables to circuit-breaker and watch light flood in like cigar smoke at the Blue Note. Damn, this tape is nice.” -Seth Lopez
“And here we have more love-secks-Dilla-infused beats that hopefully foreshadow bigger projects for the old soul man boy — poor thang can’t even get into the 21+ Madlib show with Dibiase and FAME, according to his Twitter. Sorry, boo. But with beats like this that are begging for Phonte-smooth vocals and/or a warm home on another LP (plz?), it might not be long until the young producer finds himself amongst his idols.” -Mallory Pickard
17 Knxwledge – Gwapes.
Calls Home: Philadelphia, PA
Standout Track: “Pho”
Remix You Will Love: “ArtOfStorytellingPt.4” (Outkast Remix)
“If you have been to Potholes over the past three months, you have probably noticed we’re pretty big fans of Philly’s Knxwledge. It doesn’t hurt that dude consistently puts out new, high quality music that riles up the beat-head inside all of us.” -Andrew Martin
“The blending of sounds here is equally experimental and gorgeous. Get ready to zone out.” -Andrew Martin
18 Mecca:83 – The Life Sketches Vols. 1 & 2
Calls Home: Manchester, UK
Standout Track: “Around Midnight”
“…full of hip-hop/r&b instrumentals that remind me of the kind of tracks Nicolay got so popular crafting. Definitely something a rapper-ternt-sanger can harmonize over, but with all of the lovely instrumentation, it sounds just fine with only the occasional Dilla-esque rap song vocal sample.” -Johnathan Kochis
“It’s 15 tracks worth of mellow boom-bap that your brain will thank you for once you take a listen. Promise.” -Andrew Martin
19 AbJo – Turn It Up!
Calls Home: San Diego, CA
Standout Track: “Indian Summer”
Remix You Will Love: “That Supernatural Love” (KING)
“Potholes Music, our newly formed label, is gearing up for a big 2012. Our latest signee AbJo is hard at work on an upcoming Potholes debut EP, but he has also been doing some great collaborative work with MCs like Mr. Brady.” -David Reyneke
“…the latest to come through from San Diego is AbJo, who dabbles in electronic and hip-hop like his West Coast brethren. But that doesn’t mean his trippy head-nodders don’t t have their own sound and style. AbJo’s latest, Turn It Up!, oozes crafty originality and the kind of layering I can only describe as hypnotic.” -Andrew Martin
20. Jansport J – Save My Soul
Calls Home: West Covina, CA
Standout Track: “Get Close To You”
Remix You Will Love: “Time- The Donuts of the Heart” (J Dilla)
“The 15 tracks on here, many of which carry a smooth, romantic vibe, bounce with a soulful sound made for loungin’ in bed with a loved one. Seriously, just try to throw this one on and not instantly want to hop in bed with that special someone you have. Oh, you’re single? My bad.” -Andrew Martin
21 Falside – Snare Conditioning
Calls Home: Providence, RI
Standout Track: “Green Tea and Nicotine”
Remix You Will Love: “Imported Goods” (Action Bronson)
Beats Also Heard On: Juan Deuce- Mechanics EP, Dirty Hank- Does This Look Normal? [Mixtape]
“Providence, R.I.’s Falside only continues to get better every time he sits down to craft a new beat.”
“It’s called growth, y’all, and Falside’s doing just that all over his latest free release, the awesomely named Snare Conditioning. Beat heads and rappers looking for new instrumentals to jack, take notice. ” -Andrew Martin
22 Keor Meteor – Cornerstone Cashiers
Calls Home: Paris, France
Standout Track: “Man in a Rain Coat” (cuts by DJ Ivan6)
Remix You Will Love: “Black Wall Street” (Common Remix)
“When I think of France and its connection to hip-hop I immediately think of producer and rapper Lucien Revolucien and his appearance on A Tribe Called Quest’s first album, People’s Instinctive Travels and The Paths of Rhythm. A new name that will jump out at me immediately from now on is Keor Meteor, an artist from Paris who like Lucien makes beats.” -Johnathan Kochis
23 TIGHTMIKE – Bobbin’&Weavin’
Calls Home: Vancouver, Canada
Standout Track: “RussianSwang”
Remix You Will Love: “GRIT” (Ciara)
“…he tosses in bits and pieces of songs familiar to the intelligent rap fan, with sample chops that a “Mass Appeal”, DJ Premier, would approve of. It’s enough to make you put on that “disgusted” face Jay-Z uses when he hears a dope beat.” -Johnathan Kochis
“The time signature for this magnificent mastery of smoldering pop would be more at home on a pendulum than a piece of paper- it just moves.” -Mallory Pickard
24 Swarvy – Symbals EP
Calls Home: Philadelphia, PA
Standout Track: “EZLoop”
“If you geeked over the Blasphemous Jazz project or just so happen to love finely chopped samples, then Swarvy might already be a name you recognize. Should that not be the case, then let his latest project, Symbals, serve as an introduction. It features the Pennsylvania-based producer composing an instrumental EP of jazzy, whiskey-on-the-rocks beats made for low-lit rooms and cigars. And that whiskey. On the rocks.” -Andrew Martin
25 CHRIS△RE – the p△st is nøw EP
Calls Home: Philadelphia, PA
Standout Track: “str△ightenøut”
“Just so y’all know, I’m probably going to be hipping you guys to this Philadelphia-based crew of producers who call themselves the Altered Ego Collective. Through one of my friends, who happens to reside in the City of Brotherly Love, I learned about this Philly-by-way-of-New York City cat called chris△re. He makes instrumental tunes that are right up our alley, meaning they’re kind of weird but also beautiful. They’re also pretty gritty and dusty, and they fall somewhere between boom-bap, electronic, and jazz.” -Andrew Martin
![Download: Now On - "I'm Sayin" (14KT Random Horns Remix) Feat. Aloe Blacc [mp3]](http://potholesinmyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/14KT-150x150.jpg)
