r/altrap Aug 06 '25

Any recs for *lesser known* instrumental Hip-Hop albums to listen to at work?

Usual stuff is feeling pretty played out. Love Kenny Segal, El-P, DJ Shadow etc.

18 Upvotes

47 comments sorted by

8

u/Gamersnews32 Aug 06 '25

You might like DJ Krush and his albums Zen and Ki-Oku.

Instrumental hip hop and trip hop with a bit of ambient and jazz.

Unfortunately, neither of them are on streaming services. Jaku and Meiso are on streaming, though.

1

u/4lteredBeast Aug 07 '25

Check out the Beats for Brothels series from The Doppelgangaz.

4

u/MykeeBee Aug 06 '25 edited Aug 06 '25

Little Johnny from the Hospitul: Breaks & Instrumentals Vol.1 by Company Flow has some great beats on it (not on any streaming services afaik so you'll have to "source" it elsewhere).

Also, El-P's Weareallgonnaburninhell mixes 1 & 2 are fantastic. They're not all instrumentals but you could make a playlist with the ones you like.

edit: spelling

2

u/RyanMcLeod1981 Aug 06 '25

This is an amazing album. Five stars.

1

u/4lteredBeast Aug 07 '25

Weareallgonnaburninhell are so damn good!

4

u/gaara015 Aug 06 '25

You heard Modal Soul by Nujabes? Or Fruit of the Past by Jazz Liberatorz? Both albums have some verses mixed in but are mostly instrumental heat.

3

u/SageFrancisSFR Aug 06 '25

“Music to Slit Wrists By” - Reanimator

2

u/JonWesHarding 28d ago

Holy shit, what a record.

3

u/Dr_MoonOrGun Aug 06 '25

Odd Nosdam, Alias, Jel, Sixtoo, Boom Bip. All good.

2

u/JasoTheArtisan Aug 07 '25

Anticon boys mentioned 🗣️🗣️

1

u/Dr_MoonOrGun Aug 07 '25

Gotta keep the dream alive

2

u/JasoTheArtisan Aug 07 '25

I’ve been bumping subtle lately. Always a shame that band is so criminally overlooked

1

u/Dr_MoonOrGun Aug 07 '25

100% agree. A New White remains the most interesting album I've ever heard and, gun to my head, my favorite album period.

1

u/JasoTheArtisan Aug 08 '25

for hero:for fool / yell&ice for me. Such unique takes on fame and artistry

1

u/No-Context8421 Aug 10 '25

Where are those guys at? What happened to Anticon?

1

u/JasoTheArtisan Aug 10 '25

Dose is still putting out music pretty frequently. But I think the world just passed them by

3

u/HipHopCatz Aug 07 '25

RjD2 - Deadringer

I don't think it's lesser known, but if you haven't heard it.....

2

u/wilksfivefive Aug 06 '25

Mr Producto has been a staple in my music library since the first time I heard Homecoming by Atmosphere. Probably my #2 or 3 producer depending on the day and what I ate.

2

u/Infierno3007 Aug 06 '25

Sadhugold - vcr. Time Machine.

2

u/catsporvida Aug 06 '25

Meaty Ogre - Leo vs. Pisces

2

u/Saulgoode09 Aug 07 '25

Kenny Beats, Blockhead, Dirty Art Club, Kenny Segal, Mumbles

2

u/BradolfPittler1 Aug 07 '25

One of my favourite producers is Kno of CunninLynguists, his album Bones is absolutely beautiful imo!

2

u/Appropriate_Cap6969 Aug 07 '25

Id recommend dj abilities

1

u/pfjenkins Aug 06 '25

DJ Cam - Mad Blunted Jazz Oddissee - Rock Creek Park

1

u/xgnargnarx Aug 06 '25

Botany - Lava Diviner

1

u/boblaroc Aug 06 '25

Headz and Headz 2 compilations put out by mo' wax back in the day

1

u/RyanMcLeod1981 Aug 06 '25

RZA’s classical album, Ballet Through Mud

1

u/melo1212 Aug 07 '25

Astrological - Everything is

Anything Delicasteez

Herring Franky

1

u/SaulTheProphet47 Aug 07 '25

kognitif Soul Food , Cookin Soul, Special Herbs and spices , Robohands - Green , madlib and j dilla got instrumental albums too. Nujabes and lofi producers by extension Flughand and Magu The Dog etc. from there algorithm will open up to a bunch more artists.

1

u/TheNewsDeskFive Aug 07 '25

DJ.Fresh, Late Night Freeway Vibes and Make The Song Cry, all volumes of both.

1

u/bashfulkoala Aug 07 '25

Stoned Ape Theory III by CoryaYo

1

u/manuelito9 Aug 07 '25

Check out Nomak... As long as you've associated your self with all the work of Nujabes first. To know Nomak first would be criminal. Also get some blackmilk going.

1

u/manuelito9 Aug 07 '25

Adding Damu the Fudgemonk, Daringer, Alchemist, anything madlib and Dilla touched... Pete Rock, damn near an infinite list. Enjoy your musical travels!

1

u/alanyoss Aug 07 '25

Echo Party by Edan

1

u/401Traveler Aug 07 '25

Greyboy - “Mastered the Art”

1

u/phatdavewithaph Aug 07 '25

Falside is majorly underrated!

As well as his own instrumental work, the album he did with Juan Deuce (Mechanics) was so good!! 👌

For really really underrated, check out BIGVHS too, awesome stuff!!

1

u/Muenstervision Aug 07 '25

Juicy the Emissary - Cultural Refugee.

1

u/Separate-Let3620 Aug 07 '25

DJ Cam: Mad Blunted Jazz

1

u/brokemc Aug 07 '25

Mr bird eats worms

1

u/Rassi10 Aug 08 '25

Tonedeff has a instrumental series called "deffinitions " which is definitely worth checking out

1

u/ConsistentWriting501 Aug 09 '25

Polish guy names Skalpel has released some interesting mixed over the years. 

1

u/Jealous-Shop-8866 Aug 09 '25

Not strictly instrumental in that there are hints at vocal samples and glitches cutup throughout but give Prefuse 73's "Vocal Studies & Uprock Narratives" a go if you've not heard it.

Difficult to isolate this subgenre away from majority of the warp/ninja tune/mowax stable. If you're prepared to see tempo flexing up and down a fair bit the best on those labels should scratch your itch nicely.

Plaid, DJ Food, Amon Tobin, BoC etc. All rely heavily on breaks.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

Not an instrumental but check out Guru's jazzmatazz albums. Believe there's 4 of them. And a best of

1

u/dropDtooning Aug 09 '25

Not sure how known it is but check out Mickey Mouse operation by little people

1

u/mthw704 Aug 10 '25

Kodyak, drip-133, drew the architect & cat soup.