Katana VentraIP

Downtempo

Downtempo (or downbeat)[4] is a broad label for electronic music that features an atmospheric sound and slower beats than would typically be found in dance music.[5] Closely related to ambient music but with greater emphasis on rhythm,[6] the style may be played in relaxation clubs or as "warm-up or cool-down" music during a DJ set.[5] Examples of downtempo subgenres include trip hop, ambient house, chillwave, psybient and lofi hip hop.[5]

Downtempo

Mid-to-late 1980s, United Kingdom

The style emerged in the late 1980s with the UK's Bristol scene that birthed artists like Massive Attack, Portishead, and Tricky.[5] In the 1990s, the style was heard internationally in artists such as Kruder & Dorfmeister, Fila Brazillia, and Thievery Corporation.[5] Other prominent artists to emerge in the style include Underworld, Orbital, Fluke, Boards of Canada, Nicolas Jaar, and Bonobo.[5]

Atmospheric sound: artists focus more on layered sounds and mood than on catchy melodies or riffs

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Slow beats: songs typically feature beats around 90 BPM

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Gentle melodies: artists typically include more melodic phrases than straightforward ambient music

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Downtempo music is a broad genre but is united by several characteristics:

Media related to Downtempo at Wikimedia Commons