Folktronica
| Folktronica | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | 1990s–2000s[1] |
| Typical instruments | |
| Other topics | |
Folktronica[1] is a genre of indie electronic music comprising various elements of folk music and electronica, often featuring uses of acoustic instruments—especially stringed instruments—deploying hip hop, electronic or dance rhythms, and incorporating delicate, textural sound design, although it varies based on influences and choice of sounds.[1][2] The Ashgate Research Companion to Popular Musicology describes folktronica as "a catch-all [term] for all manner of artists who have combined mechanical dance beats with elements of acoustic rock or folk".[3]
History
The 1991 album Every Man and Woman is a Star by Ultramarine was described in a 2014 PopMatters article as a progenitor of the genre;[4] it featured a pastoral sound and incorporated traditional instruments such as violin and harmonica with techno and house elements. The term folktronica was coined in the late 1990s, presumably first by the British press in reference to the musician Kieran Hebden (Four Tet).[5] In the early 2000s, indie electronic acts such as Múm, Four Tet, Isan, Bibio and the Books began releasing formative music in the genre.[6]
According to The Sunday Times Culture's Encyclopedia of Modern Music, essential albums of the genre are Four Tet's Pause (2001) and Rounds (2003), Tunng's Mother's Daughter and Other Songs (2005), and Caribou's The Milk of Human Kindness (2005),[7] some of which had a cross-genre influence on artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead and J Dilla.[8]
In addition to its roots in underground indie and electronic music, some commentators have noted that elements of folktronica entered the mainstream through pop artists who experimented with blending acoustic textures and electronic production. Madonna incorporated aspects of folktronica into her early-2000s work, particularly on her 2003 album American Life, after starting to explore a similar genre-crossing by blending country and dance-pop on Music (2000). She has been credited with helping to introduce the hybrid sound to a broader audience beyond the indie scene.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Smyth, David (23 April 2004). "Electrifying folk: Folktronica, new folk, fuzzy folk – call it what you will. Laptops are replacing lutes to create a whole new sound", Evening Standard, p. 31.
- ^ Empire, Kitty (27 April 2003). "Up front on the verge: Four Tet, aka Kieran Hebden", The Observer, p. 14.
- ^ Scott, Derek B., ed. (2016). The Ashgate Research Companion to Popular Musicology. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-7546-6476-5.
- ^ "Ultramarine: This Time Last Year » PopMatters". www.popmatters.com. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ Pattison, Louis (11 July 2015). "Four Tet: 'The club is my world now". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
- ^ Beta, Andy (13 May 2013). "Interviews: Four Tet". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 3 November 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ Clayton, Richard (1 February 2009). "Folktronica: Encyclopedia of Modern Music". Times Online. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
- ^ Stolman, Elissa (9 May 2013). "Respect: Celebrating Four Tet's 'Rounds'". Billboard. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
- ^ "Folktronica: An Unlikely Blend of Two Very Different Genres". Tower Records. Retrieved 9 February 2026.