Don't Call it Trip Hop: The UK Downtempo Story | An interview with Plumm
- Ursula Murphy
- Apr 7
- 4 min read
More than two decades after Massive Attack's Mezzanine and Portishead's Dummy revolutionised trip-hop as we know it, the genre has maintained its rightful place in the uk music scene- continuously growing and evolving.
Trip hop has long been defined by female voices, from Beth Gibbons and Martina Topley bird to Elizabeth’s Frasers ethereal vocals on Black Milk. It's a genre where the well known classics lay the foundation for emerging innovation. As Plumm herself puts it…
"Trip hop is such a beautiful palette, it's almost like a bed to roll around in"
And what better way to celebrate that legacy than with the dynamic and exciting Plumm, performing pivotal trip hop tracks alongside her own soon-to-be released music?
Once again, the Jazz cafe hit the nail on the head with its curation. From the moment Plumm took the stage, her artistry captivated the audience with an equally well chosen set. Opening with Portisheads ‘Glory Box’ and if words could do justice to the sheer intensity of her delivery, they would still fall short. Each note was flooded with such raw intensity, seamlessly winding her way through the intimate opening vocals to the crescendos of the final verse. She didn't just perform the song; she transformed it, adapting the flow of the lyrics, making it entirely her own.
Such creative reinterpretation continued throughout the set, with a standout moment being her rendition of Bjork's Venus as a boy. Whilst Bjork isn't the first name which comes to mind when thinking of trip hop, Plumms performance proved just how much of a creative palette trip hop can be. Layering the lyrics over an electrifying beat, the previously surreal and tender tone of Bjork's original was reimagined into a fresh, rhythmic energy.
It would be an injustice to discuss the creativity of the night without giving credit to the enigmatic Shunaji. The Multi-talented London-based rapper brought her own twist on Massive attacks critically acclaimed Unfinished Sympathy, layering her own flow over a reworked beat crafted by Plumm and her band. If her upcoming single Evil Cute is anything like this performance, it's definitely one to watch out for.
Something that has me revisiting the Jazz Cafe time and time again is the energy of the crowd. The venue just seems to attract people who know how to match the energy of the artist. When I asked how she felt about the performance, this is something Plumm felt herself…
"The audience were really enjoying it with me"
In Between these iconic covers, Plumm treated us to her own material, one of which is soon to be released. Whilst the trip hop influence was undeniable, these songs held their distinct originality. ‘The Epic’ was outstanding. Opening with a velvety beat that fused into spoken and sung vocals, layered over deep, distorted basslines and subtle jazzy flourishes. Such a fusion of sounds and vocals showcased her indisputable understanding of musical hybridity. Plumm is an artist truly unbound by any genre or sound.
The encore saw the crowd thrilled by an exceptional performance of massive Attack's Angel- the perfect close to an unreal set. Staying true to the original sound of the song this time, the band perfectly replicated the infamous rolling beat. Despite the original featuring Horace Andy's distinctive male vocals, Plumm’s staggering performance demonstrated just how vast her vocal range is, hitting the low notes perfectly whilst maintaining her own feminine touch.
After her set, I had the pleasure of speaking with plum about her inspirations, creative processes and hopes for the future:
AR: “Who for you is the epitome of trip-hops female voices?”
PL:“Elizabeth Fraser. She's my fucking vibe..."
“She did the Lord of the Rings music and the Cocteau Twins is also one of my favourites. I love that she makes her language with her voice like I do. And it's not a less is more approach, but like, there's just such an intimacy... And I fuck with that. It's very feminine.”
AR: "You've mentioned that you prefer to stay outside of genre constraints. How has this allowed your sound to expand?"
PL: "I think I've been on this journey where I don't know what genre I am. And then it's like, do I even need to think about what genre I am? I think trip hop is kind of such a beautiful palette, because it's almost like a bed to roll around in...
And I think, you know, I've got my rock influence and my jazz and improvisational and my kind of house garage stuff. And I just feel like it's really sat in this trip hop, like, trip hop feels (2:45) like a mood to me.
There's so much intricacy with it, that those intricate moments I can then fuck with in terms of my own hybridity... because also what I love about trip hop is that it's more sampleable vocals as well as live vocals. And I really like that, playing around with taking songs and fitting them into it."
AR:"Where would you like to see your music career go in the next five years?"
She took a second to think, excitement clear
PL: "want a record deal, and I want a publisher, and I want a booking agent, and I want a manager, and I actually, we want to, like, get the shit rolling. Build the team, do the thing, make the album, release the album, make the album, do the tour."
Plumm is definitely one to keep on your radar. Not only is she incredibly talented and creative, but also an all round lovely and down to earth artist.
Rest assured, the future of trip hop lies in safe hands.
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