AIM

One of my all time greatest albums is Cold Water Music by Aim.


Here's the album - play it and have a listen while I rant and ramble for a bit...
Aim are from Bristol and are purveyors of the finest trip-hop.  Regardless of what anyone says, they define the genre with this album.  They don't advertise this fact, Andy Turner the main man isn't exactly what you call flash, but they hail a lot of respect.  I bought a Rae & Christian CD and in their sleeve note they throw in a little homage "...back in 1999, when Aim were...".  And the Rae part of Rae & Christian is Mark Rae who also founded the record label that originally signed Aim, Grand Central.

'Cold Water Music'



Track 2 - 'Cold Water Music' (same name as album, confusing, chicken and egg style) summaries their genre.  It's such a well produced track that after 5 years of listening I can still put it on, lie down and hear something new.  High quality music - download the album (or better buy it) avoid the youtube links, the compression doesn't do them justice.  Listen out for the gunfire late in the track.
A lot of their early work features various rappers but they never let the vocals distract from the music, or use them to beef up a weak song.  Try out Track 3, 'The Force', it's one of my favourites.  It's not always rapping though, track 4 'Sail' paves the way for their later work with some female vocals and, needless to say, is another masterpiece.  Listen out for the birds (feathered not mini-skirted), they set the mood but are well incorporated, not annoying.

'Sail' feat. Kate Rogers



 The whole album is perfection, just needs some time and a bit of attention.
I've heard parts of 'Ain't Got Time to Waste' sampled is so many mixes that I can't think of one example.


Cold Water Music was their first album.  The others are good as well (obviously), especially 'Flight 602', the latest one.  Still unmistakably Aim but the whole album has more of a particular style; they dropped the rapping and got a full-time, short, skinny, asian girl for the vocals.  She dances like a drunk monkey.  Energetic drunk not shlozzled drunk.
This is my fave song from the album, 'Northwest':


This final song (and then I'll shut up, promise) shows how varied their mood can be, whilst technically staying true to their genre.  The perfect song for lying in the sun, 'Good Disease' from the Hinterland album: 


"The strongest way to affect somebody is to show them something they cannot fathom is possible." - Journey to the End of the Night.  Hope you like this stuff.