Justin Tripp is an LA producer, DJ, sound advisor and more. He makes downtempo music (lets try and leave the trip hop term in the past) that is skeletal, atmospheric and pulls from various strands. Tripp is best known as one half of New York City-based operatives Georgia, who have released on cult imprints like YOUTH and EM, as well as having an ongoing show on NTS named "All Kind Music" where he unearths new music each month. We know he's really good on old music so we asked him for ten records ranging from downtempo and beyond that we might not know that pull at the boundaries of left of field sound so here you go...

Alec Empire – Low On Ice

I don’t listen to “downtempo” generally but this is one album that would rightfully qualify - especially when contrasted with the rest of Alec Empire’s catalog. I love this record. And there’s a great story of how it was made. Unfortunately, fast forward to 2026 and Alec’s landed on the wrong side of history. #freepalestine

Kenny Larkin – The Narcissist
Simon of 2Bridges NYC sent me this a while back and I completely rinsed it. Distinct, all-over-the-map, crazy, great music from Kenny Larkin circa 2004. Via Peacefrog. Amazing album cover too.

Urban Tribe – Urban Tribe
All Urban Tribe music is excellent, but I can listen to Program 2 off this one any time - deep/dark/strange 3am studio murmurs.

Spring Heel Jack – 68 Million Shades
I never really hear mention of this one which is strange given how good it is. I was on this when it came out and come back to it regularly every few years. Extremely hi-fi/unique/musical takes on jungle from someone who was in the UK and paying attention to the originators of this scene in real time. John Coxon also runs a great label - Treader - a great record store - Atlantis - and has gone on to collaborate with the likes of J. Spaceman, Evan Parker, Wadada Leo Smith, Eddie Prevost…

Skylab – #1
I got this record when it came out with the general understanding that Howie B. was some sort of studio genius who collaborated with Bjork, Siouxsie, Massive Attack, Goldie, Tricky, etc. TBH I couldn’t tell if it was good - something kept pulling me back in and I always came away undecided. I guess that’s what interesting music does? Anyway, it is very good and I’m not sure I know any other record like it.

Muslimgauze – Syrinja
All Muslimgauze is good. His discography is endless and you don’t need any sort of exhaustive understanding to get into it. Just pick any record and listen. That said - this cut-piece of well-known dancehall instrumentals really jumped out when I first heard it. You’ll know the source material because it’s all pretty obvious, but it’s handled so idiosyncratically by Bryn Jones. Big standout.

Susanne Brokesch – Sharing The Sunhat
Singular playful unhurried electronics from a fairly obscure artist. It’s worth seeking out everything she’s released - it’s all great - esp. the White Cloud 12” as DJ Sil.

BLIR. – Raster Edits
Here Mark Fell and Mat Steele step out from their lush .snd mode to make extremely stripped, minimal, clicking looped tracks that can support endless listens. I believe this is a compilation of a few “lost EPs and some new material released by Raster-Noton circa 2005.

The Sidewinder – Colonized
Sidewinder is Justin K. Broadrick and Kevin Martin circa 1996. Brian from GEORGIA had this on 2xLP - a random purchase made with no context - and we wore it out in our studio without really knowing who/what it was. Very good, noisy, dubby, industrial techno - always stomping and lurching. Fairly unique in the catalogs of both members I think.

Xterminator presents MLK Dubs
Xterminator was a record label founded by Jamaican producer, Philip “Fatis” Burrell. With two decades of murderous productions, the releases from the ‘90s working with the likes of Cutty Ranks, Buju Banton, Beres Hammond, Cocoa Tea, Marcia Griffiths, Ini Kamoze, Sugar Minott, Sizzla, Capleton, Yellowman - are exceptional - heavy/digital/tough. This collection is just one (albeit perfect) example - love it.

So over to J. Tripp's music... Here's a taster to get you on board but if you want to hear more the album is out on Heart of the Total Eclipse on the 11th of November 2026. Tidy.