Downtempo

Downtempo samples feature mellow drum loops, hazy synth textures, moody chords, and atmospheric vocals. As a stylistic category for relaxed electronic music below 110 BPM, downtempo draws from the instrospective qualities of hip hop, ambient, dub, and jazz. Taking shape in the early 1990s through artists like Massive Attack and Portishead, it remains a persistent influence on trip hop, chillout, and lo-fi hip hop.