Alpha — Cassette

Intro

Alpha creates a sound that is less about the dancefloor and more about the quiet, heavy spaces between thoughts. Their music is a masterclass in 'post-trip-hop' atmosphere, where the grit of Bristol breakbeats is softened by lush, cinematic string samples and a pervasive sense of romantic longing. It sounds like a film noir set in a rainy modern city, where every snare hit is muffled by velvet and every melody feels like it's being remembered rather than played.

What distinguishes Alpha is their specific use of orchestral sampling and vocal placement. Unlike the more aggressive or jazz-focused trip-hop of their contemporaries, Alpha's tracks often feel submerged or 'cloudy.' The vocals, provided by a rotating cast of ethereal singers, are tucked into the mix rather than sitting on top of it, creating a texture that is both intimate and distant. It is music that rewards deep listening but never demands your attention with loud gestures.

Start with 'Come From Heaven,' their 1997 debut on Massive Attack's Melankolic label. It is the definitive document of their sound, blending soul-searching vocals with dusty, slow-motion production. From there, explore 'Lost In A Garden Of Clouds' for a more instrumental, ambient-leaning experience that showcases Corin Dingley's gift for textural world-building.

Alpha is an English post-trip hop group. It comprises founding member Corin Dingley, vocalist and lyricist Wendy Stubbs and Hannah Collins; other founding member, Andy Jenks, left the group before the release of their 2007 album, The Sky Is Mine. Originally working under the name "Ariel", the duo of Dingley and Jenks came together in 1995 after both had worked on various projects in the Bristol area, home of trip hop groups Massive Attack and Portishead. Like Massive Attack, Alpha recruited singers to add vocals to their downtempo, beat-driven compositions of the late 1990s, which led to them being included in the category of "post trip hop". Their debut album, Come from Heaven, was the first release on Massive Attack's Melankolic label in 1997. They are currently on Don't Touch Recordings, a label they founded. A collaboration with reggae vocalist Horace Andy, entitled Two Phazed People, was released in 2009. Corin Dingley, one of the founding members of Alpha, continues to release music such as Lockdown (2020) and Loving Nobody(2015) that features vocals from Joe Cassidy (Butterfly Child), Hannah Collins, Jamie Gingell (Secret Shine), Kate Stables (This Is the Kit), Wendy Stubbs and Jesse D Vernon (Morning Star).

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Our Catalog13 Albums · 1997 · 2025