A trend of female-led, hip hop influenced, lo-fi jams has been developing over the last several years in the indie electronic scene. A few duos displaying variations of this constantly developing trend are stoner-Swedes jj, the musical culmination of Purity Ring, the street-beats of Phantogram, and the up-and-coming Made in Heights.

One of the front-runners of this sound is the Swedish duo jj (intentionally unpunctuated and uncapitalized to show their laidback attitude) who have 4 releases under their belt after only being active for 3 years. jj is known for crafting originals and covering some of hip hop's finest with a subtle flow and Balearic vibe.

Their first full length, jj no. 2, has a definite sun-driven state of stoned relaxation and tropicalia trippin'. Don't be mistaken though, there are some solid jams in here. Opener "Things Will Never Be The Same Again" is a pop-heavy step into the somewhat deceiving sun soaked beats. jj's lyricism has a dark and dreary tone, especially with Elin Kastlander's bong-rip-flat delivery, but it somehow complements the sunny club beats. "Ecstasy" (posted below) is a perfect example of the straight-up gangsta lean jj was inspired by. And yes, the title implies it all, this song is a bass-driven banger best suited for the experience of its namesake.

The follow-up, last years jj no. 3, is a little less inspired as their debut, but still has it's shining moments. Altogether, the album takes plenty of cues from fellow Swedes and Sincerely Yours Records owners, The Tough Alliance, but no. 3 also displays a more fleshed out approach. Most notably, the opener -- a cover of Game and Lil Wayne's "My Life", which consists solely of a slow piano and Elin's smoky swagger-- turning this jam towards sullen ballad territory.

jj's most recent offering came in the form of a Mixtape. Kills (number 4 in the jj chronology) plays as a smoke-screened guide through hip hop history-- each track contains samples from some of hip hop's classics and currents. Everything from M.I.A.'s hyped-as-hell "Paper Planes" to Kanye West's anthem "Power". This format really enables jj to display their knack for lyricism and delivery. The track posted here, "Still", opens with hushed vocal harmonies that flow seamlessly into a sample of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's "Still D.R.E." and Elin's breathy flow. The cleverly written lyrics add jj's swagger to the iconic beat, shedding a new light : "...I am S/Y, no lie, at least you get to witness, kill so many songs, you'd think I have a hit list."

Kills was released as a free download which you can snag here.

jj "Ecstasy" from jj no. 2

jj "My Life" (Game Cover) from jj no. 3

jj "Still" from the Kills Mixtape

Purity Ring

Purity Ring consists of Gobble Gobble's Corin Roddick and Megan James and currently only has two tracks released. Their first single "Ungirthed" is a glittering pop jam with some definite dubstep influences. Megan James' cute and crisp delivery compliment the grinding thump of the inconsistent bass line and the deep vocal sample moaning.

"Lofticries", Purity Ring's second single released this month, has a similar set up with a slower burn. The synth work is more intricate in it's movement and James' flow persists through the sparkling murk of the beat. The same cyclical vocal sample from "Ungirthed" reasserts itself in a more fluid manner. A lengthier song, "Lofticries" plays like the perfect B-side to "Ungirthed".

Purity Ring's first single "Ungirthed"

Purity Ring's second single "Lofticries"

Phantogram

Phantogram is the brain child of New York's Josh Carter on guitar, and Sarah Barthel on keys -- both sharing vocal duties. Their self-described "street beat psych pop" is reminiscent of the late J. Dilla's beat craftsmanship with the trip hop sensibility of Massive Attack and Little Dragon. Their debut album, 2010's Eyelid Movies, contains some interesting beat and synth work in near-epic proportions. Opener "Mouthful of Diamonds" begins with a boiling chirpy beat leading into Sarah's slow and steady vocals, that are clearly and cleverly enunciated.

"When I'm Small", Eyelid Movies stand out track opens with a static Portishead-esque drum beat. Sarah's repetitive crooning washes over Josh's plucky guitar to create a haunting, paranoid atmosphere. Unfortunately, the two outstanding opening tracks listed here are not entirely indicative of the album as a whole. The tracks with Josh in the lead come off a little dull. His flat delivery and lack of emotion cause a less conflicting and challenging listen than the crispness or Sarah's vocals juxtaposed to the aged beats. His voice tends to fade to the background instead of grabbing your focus.

Phantogram "Mouthful of Diamonds" from Eyelid Movies

Phantogram "When I'm Small" from Eyelid Movies

Made in Heights

Up-and-comers Made in Heights released their free debut EP at the end of last year (much like jj's Kills Mixtape) as a sort of Christmas offering. Winter Pigeons (Songs to Raise Your Dead Spirits) consists of 3 original tracks with 3 complimentary instrumentals, and as an added bonus, a "Hip-Hoppity Christmas" rendition of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from the Nutcracker.

Made in Heights is one-half of the soulful and self-proclaimed "cinema art rap" of Seattle based hip hop duo Blue Scholars. Alexei Saba, a.k.a. D.J. Sabzi, and his friend Kelsey Bulkin decided to create their own music duo, using his history in hip hop as framework for their hip hop indie pop sound. Winter Pigeons opens with "Skylark Interabang?!" which samples the hushed piano notes from Sufjan Steven's "Concering the U.F.O. Sighting Near Highland, Illinois." Kelsey's soft spoken and swag-soaked delivery add to the subtlety of their songs. This track in particular starts out as charming indie pop but as soon as Kelsey gets past the first verse her head-bobbing flow begins to reveal itself. When the beat breaks with a circulating siren sound, it takes the track even deeper into hip hop territory. Deep vocal samples similar to Purity Ring's "Ungirthed" circulate around Kelsey's sweet sounds near the final breakdown.

The following track "All the Places" is a hell of a lot more straightforward. A faster paced and more lyric driven song, this track truly displays Made in Heights hip hop sensibilities and Kelsey's way with words. "Now my chain is feeling heavy on my neck when I ride, but my heart is beating steady and I know it never lies. Dead could, dead could start to feel, and your eyes will start to flood, if you knew the kind of steel running in my royal blood...." is so cleanly delivered and cleverly written that it rivals that of even jj's Elin Kastlander. Throughout "All the Places" a whirling click carries the track as a metronome while a clap heavy stutter-beat mirrors Kelsey's own sampled stutters.

Made in Heights Winter Pigeons (Songs to Raise Your Dead Spirits) EP

(The entire EP will stream on this page)

These artists all vary greatly between their direct influences, but they all share a a common respect for the greats of rap and hip hop that is signature to their individual sounds. Whether it's the street beats of Phantogram or the lyrical flow of Made in Heights, these girls help remind us that hip hop is fluid, and can be manipulated in some fascinating ways.