The Synthetic Sound: Bristol, Then and Now

The trading post of Brigstowe (the modern-day Bristol, home of the Trip Hop Movement) was founded between the Avon River and the Frome River during the Anglo-Saxon age. For a few years after its initial establishment, Brigstowe grew as trade relations expanded with Ireland and South Wales. As the town grew, so did the scope if its trade; its ideal location near the sea facilitated international relations and later attracted maritime explorers such as John Cabot. However, the Norman Conquest of 1066 briefly transformed Brigstowe from a midsized trading post to a castle town. (Today, the castle is no longer. There's a park in its place.) After Brigstowe's "castle period," it assumed its identity as Bristol: the second largest city in England and the hub of the Triangle Trade in the 18th century. By the 19th century, however, Bristol's economic success had lessened. Thanks to the modernization efforts of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the infrastructure and harbor of Bristol did not fall to ruin. Now, despite the establishment of a few supposedly notable centers for the fine arts, Bristol is primarily known for its harbors and its size.