Breaking Atoms I

Day and time: Thursday (March 19) · 10:30–12:00
Location: Auditorium
Format: Talks

“Beat-less Beats”: Boom-bap Minimalism as Reactive Avant-garde

Presented by: Michail Exarchos

Stylistic reactions are commonplace in popular music history, and their sonic manifestations are expressed through a variety of artistic statements. These can range from the production of lo-fi signatures as authenticity claims or the simplification of musical forms as a return to a genre’s raw ‘essence’, all the way to unashamed revivalism or, conversely, uncompromising futurism. In the context of neo-liberal capitalist production, for example, many forms of contemporary expression suffer from an obsessive attachment to retro signifiers. But how does Hip Hop react to such forces? With the proliferation of Trap in the mainstream, it is no surprise that a 1990s-inspired resurgence is resonating in the underground. Yet, as with most revivals, the sound is evolving and its purveyors are exploring a number of creative manoeuvres. One such direction is audible in the drum-less, experimental, sample-based minimalism of artists like Roc Marciano, Ka, Conductor Williams, and Apollo Brown. The paper examines how, as part of a metamodern sensibility, this trend treads a middle ground between the synthetic beats of Trap and the prominent drums of Golden-Era Boom Bap: by avoiding obvious drum sounds altogether, producers may be negotiating a self-identified limbo—simultaneously abstaining from retro-pastiche whilst critiquing commercial sonics.

Abstract Orchestra Signifyin(g) on Madvillain’s “Meat Grinder”

Presented by: Alex Stevenson

The Leeds-based ensemble Abstract Orchestra have garnered international acclaim for reinvigorating tracks by experimental hip hop icons like J Dilla, Madlib, and MF DOOM. As part of a growing movement of musicians reinterpreting esteemed hip hop recordings as live performances, Abstract Orchestra emulate the sounds of sample- and computer-based music while embracing creative interpretation and revision. This paper examines their cover of Madvillain’s “Meat Grinder,” addressing the complexities of covering music created by Black artists within a predominantly white ensemble. Drawing on the concept of Signifyin(g), the analysis emphasizes Abstract Orchestra’s rich dialogue with the original track and argue that their cover can be positioned as respectful homage rather than exploitative appropriation. As such, it may offer a unique listening experience and contribute meaningfully to the hip hop legacy.

Hip Hop as Heritage and Heritage within Hip Hop

Presented by: Anina Paetzold

Lately, hip hop has been becoming heritage. Hip hop museums and hip hop archives are being established, and hip hop in the German city of Heidelberg has even been awarded a place on one of UNESCO’s lists of intangible cultural heritage. Moving beyond the framing of hip hop as heritage and examining how heritage is actively engaged within hip hop, this presentation explores the multifaceted relationship between hip hop and heritage. Discussing tracks from Cambodia, Austria, and Germany, I trace four different strategies through which artists weave representations of heritage into their work. I highlight hip hop’s foundational practice of citation and sampling as inherently suited to reinterpreting heritage across temporal layers, and argue that by situating themselves within cultural lineages—whether reverently or critically—hip hop artists assert agency in shaping both the narrative of their origins and the future of their communities.