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If the experiments of Kraftwerk and synth-pop made electronics popular, it was nevertheless in the 1990s that we witnessed a spread of these sounds. Technological evolution favored the birth of the so-called “new sounds” (as they were classified in a store where I squandered my savings); these last ones challenged the historical primacy of rock and perhaps forever changed the way we conceive and produce music.
Many genres literally marked the decade: techno, drum and bass, house, big beat. Among these, trip-hop deserves to be remembered, called Bristol sound for its association with the underground scene of the English city (in reality, the movement was broader, spanning from art to political activism, from writing to independent publishing).
This label was invented by journalist Andy Pemberton to define that mix of slowed-down hip-hop, jazz, and psychedelia that found its highest expression in the albums released by Massive Attack, Portishead, and Adrian Thaws, better known as Tricky.
There is no point in discussing the limits of the definition and why artists who are not at all trip-hop are included in the mix (I think of DJ Krush and especially DJ Shadow, who, more than with the Bristol scene, had strong ties with Blackalicious and the U.S. Left Coast). What matters to emphasize here are the more or less successful attempts to introduce "trippy" sounds into the mainstream of the time.
The most evident example is represented by Morcheeba, who reached success with the release of Big Calm in 1998. Italy didn't hold back either: the early Delta V and Üstmamò of Stard’Ust were influenced by some electronics coming from the United Kingdom. To these groups, we can add Esthero, a Canadian singer-songwriter initially partnered with producer and guitarist Martin McKinney.
The two met in cold Toronto and decided to form a band, which began recording between 1996 and 1997. The following year saw the light of Breath from Another, a debut acclaimed by critics but unfortunate in terms of sales, limited almost exclusively to North America. The commercial flop was such that it led to the project's dissolution and the solo return of Esthero in 2005, when the critically perceived inferior Wikked Lil’ Girl was released.
Let's go back to Breath from Another. If someone wanted to listen to Esthero's debut, they would be surprised, as they would encounter an album interesting primarily from a musical standpoint. The success of the operation is attributable to Martin McKinney's work, who, in addition to handling samples and drum programming, becomes a refined arranger capable of blending hip-hop, electronics, and occasionally majestic orchestrations.
The sound crafted by McKinney risks overshadowing the real protagonist, which is the singer Jenny-Bea Englishman. Her voice is not comparable to that of a virtuoso like Beth Gibbons, nor do the sensual and sometimes explicit lyrics reach the depth of Portishead's. Nonetheless, her presence helps create a dreamy atmosphere, thanks to some overdubbing that emphasizes her calm and relaxed timbre.
If we were to mention some tracks, we could start with the title track, characterized by a hypnotic base that effortlessly transitions from hip-hop to drum and bass. The lyrics are intriguing, rich in sexual innuendos and supported by a good performance from Esthero, accompanied by rappers Shug and Meesah.
Rhythmic and sonic variations dominate in the single “Heaven Sent”, a reflection on the relationship between love and death where, in the chorus, we even find electric guitars, akin to Mezzanine's dark-rock.
The other excerpt “That Girl” and the beautiful “Country Livin’ (The World I Know)” are the two most pop pieces of Breath from Another, but they remain absolutely valid thanks to the radio-friendly appeal of the former and the arrangement of the latter, seasoned with strings and acoustic guitars (great lyrics, with that “The world I know/Is a world too slow/(If you) Don't move fast enough, keep your head low” which seems almost a manifesto of the album).
After the brief interlude “Flipher Overture”, we encounter the most daring tracks: among these, the Spanish-flavored “Half a World Away”, the cushioned dream-pop of “Superheroes”, and the slow “Indigo Boy”, centered on the theme of indigo children (youngsters equipped with supernatural abilities destined, according to some, to save humanity).
Once the intense “Swallow Me” ends, there is time for “Anywayz Part 2”, an excellent jam session that closes an incredibly successful work.
The regret remains for the low visibility achieved by Esthero (one hundred thousand copies sold in the United States and a gold disc earned in Canada), but it matters little because Breath from Another is one of the best trip-pop experiments of the period. Rediscovering it today is a way to do it justice and dust off an LP that, many years later, continues to impress.
In short, when Jenny-Bea Englishman states that “Music was the lamb that made a lion out of me,” one can't help but believe her. And trust her.
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