Folktronica

Folktronica[1] is a genre of music comprising various elements of folk music and electronica, often featuring uses of acoustic instruments – especially stringed instruments – and incorporating hip hop, electronic or dance rhythms, 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]

"Folktronic" redirects here. For the Momus album, see Folktronic (album).

Folktronica
Stylistic origins	Folk electronica
Cultural origins	1990s–2000s
Typical instruments	Electronic acoustic
Other topics
Ethnic electronica freak folk

The 1993 album Every Man and Woman is a Star by Ultramarine is credited as a progenitor of the genre; it featured a pastoral sound and incorporated traditional instruments such as violin and harmonica with techno and house elements.[4] According to The Sunday Times Culture's Encyclopedia of Modern Music, essential albums of the genre are Four Tet's Pause (2001), Tunng's Mother's Daughter and Other Songs (2005), and Caribou's The Milk of Human Kindness (2005).[5]

References

1. 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.
2. Empire, Kitty (27 April 2003). "Up front on the verge: Four Tet, aka Kieran Hebden", The Observer, p. 14.
3. Scott, Derek B. (ed.) (2016). The Ashgate Research Companion to Popular Musicology. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-7546-6476-5.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
4. Bergstrom, John. "Ultramarine: This Time Last Year". PopMatters. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
5. Clayton, Richard (1 February 2009). "Folktronica: Encyclopedia of Modern Music". Times Online. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (password-protected)