Massive Attack-Heligoland

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/21/10.

Since their arrival to the music scene in 1991 with the landmark debut album Blue Lines, Massive Attack brought a new sound to the world of electronic music known as trip-hop.  Immediately, this new sound captivated Britain as in the next few years.  Massive Attack along with fellow Bristol acts like Tricky and Portishead would release recordings that definitely broadened the trip-hop sound.  Two more successive albums in 1994's Protection and 1998's Mezzanine would continue the group's acclaim with critics and audiences.  Yet, Mezzanine would mark a new direction for the group that would lead to the departure of one of its members in Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles.

Vowles' departure would definitely impact the rest of the group that consisted of Robert "3D" del Naja and Grantley "Daddy G" Marshall.  Following a tour to support the album as well as some recording sessions in 2000, things between del Naja and Marshall weren't very good as Marshall temporarily left the band.  Robert del Naja along with associate Neil Davidge worked on the fourth Massive Attack album entitled 100th Window that was released in early 2003 to mixed reviews.  Marshall returned to the fold a year later as the group worked on various projects including soundtrack material.  In 2006, a best of collection was released called Collected that featured a new song called Live With Me.

In 2007 with del Naja and Davidge working on various soundtrack albums while Marshall also worked on other projects.  Finally, del Naja and Marshall went to work on the fifth Massive Attack album by bringing in various guest vocalists including longtime collaborator Horace Andy.  Among the people the band worked with were Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star fame, Stephanie Dosen, Dot Allison, Mike Patton, and many others for a new project.  The album took years to make where in 2009, the band released a four-track EP called Splitting the Atom that received mixed reviews.  The EP served as a preview of what was to come for the band's fifth studio album Heligoland.

Written mostly by Robert del Naja & Neil Davidge, Heligoland is a hypnotic yet ethereal album that takes Massive Attack's trip-hop sound to a variety of styles.  With production work by the group along with Tim Goldsworthy of the DFA label, the album includes many vocal contributions from longtime collaborator Horace Andy plus TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, Hope Sandoval, Guy Garvey of Elbow, and Martina-Topley Bird of Tricky fame.  The album also includes contributions from Blur's Damon Albarn and Portishead Adrian Utley for what is certainly a haunting yet textured-driven album by Massive Attack as they reclaim some of their glory with Heligoland.

Opening the album is Pray For Rain with Tunde Adebimpe on vocals.  A chilling track with slow, vibrant, and hollow beats along with a soothing, wailing organ-like track.  Featuring a calm vocal performance from Tunde Adebimpe and haunting lyrics, the song is typical of Massive Attack in terms of its mood along with a building momentum of flowing keyboard melodies for the song‘s second half.  Babel is a mid-tempo track with sputtering tap beats and swooning keyboards that is accompanied by a driving bass line.  Led by Martina-Topley Bird's cool vocals, the song's tempo picks up during the chorus as it is filled with eerie lyrics and pulsating beats to add a brooding tone to the track.  Splitting The Atom is led by a swirling synthesizer track and a bopping clap track with a wailing organ-like track.  Led by Daddy G's low-sounding vocals and the mesmerizing vocals of Horace Andy, the track is definitely a reminder of the group's haunting sound.

Girl I Love You is a mid-tempo track that is spurred by throbbing beats, a chilling bass line, and Horace Andy's soaring yet entrancing vocals.  Featuring an array of tingling percussions in the background and swooning bass-synthesizer track, it is filled with superb production and a collage of wailing synthesizers that intensifies the track.  Psyche opens with a fast-paced, arpeggio-guitar track and a bopping beat that is followed by a swirling keyboard track.  With Martina-Topley Bird singing to the fast-paced melody of the song, she sings dark, imagery-laden lyrics as it a haunting yet mesmerizing track.  Flat Of The Blade, originally called Bulletproof Love, is led by fuzzy, looped keyboard track and buzzing sounds that is followed by Guy Garvey's hoarse vocals with sputtering tap beats.  Featuring a swooning keyboard track from Damon Albarn to accompany Garvey's vocals, it is definitely one of the album's standout tracks.

Paradise Circus is led by an array of vibrant beats and claps with hollow, pounding beats that includes chiming melodies and Hope Sandoval's raspy yet dreamy vocals.  Featuring psychedelic-driven lyrics, the track slows down a bit with just a simple snare drum and a smooth bass that is wonderfully layered by Daddy G's additional production work.  Rush Minute opens with smooth, vibrant tap beats and washy guitar strums that features 3D's raspy vocals as he sings hypnotic-laden lyrics.  Led by arpeggio guitar flourishes that intensifies during the chorus along with keyboards that drone through.  Saturday Come Slow is led by thumping beats and Adrian Utley's plaintive guitar track as Damon Albarn sings the song with somber lyrics.  Featuring an array of subtle, swirling keyboards and throbbing rhythms, it is another of the definite highlights of the album.  The album closer Atlas Air, a track that is led by a bopping snare beat and wailing organs that is followed by swooning keyboards.  Featuring 3D's raspy vocals, the  song features more vibrant beats as it intensifies during the performance along with droning keyboard swirls.

Accompanying the album on some versions of the album is a 38-minute, six-track remix EP.  The first track is the first of three remixes of Paradise Circus by Gui Boratto who adds more vibrant, hollow beats to the mix along with a somber piano track to accompany Hope Sandoval's vocals along with shaking percussions in the background.  Even as the mix employs wobbly bass lines to accompany the beats.  Tim Goldsworthy's remix of Pray For Rain is presented in a more upbeat presentation with frenetic synthesizer flourishes and vibrant, clanging beats to keep things moving.  Even as Tunde Adebimpe's vocals are sped-up a bit for the rhythm along with swirling synthesizers soaring through the background.  The next track called Fatalism is a remix of a track featuring Guy Garvey on vocals as it's remixed by Ryuchi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi.  Led by swirling synthesizers in the background along with soft, sputtering beats and a piano track.  It is the most eerie remix as Garvey's vocals are looped and distorted with a subtle background of pianos and sputtering beats that surrounds everything.

A remix of Girl I Love You by She Is Danger is an upbeat track filled with industrial-like, vibrant beats and Horace Andy's vocals that are sped up a bit to keep up with rhythm.  Notably for the use of reggae-like keyboards in the background that wail through.  Next is the second remix of Paradise Circus by Breakage's Tight Rope which is an upbeat, frenetic track with wailing bass synthesizer melodies and throbbing beats to complement Hope Sandoval's hazy vocals.  Even as it features speedy, pummeling beats in its coda.  The last track is the third and final remix of Paradise Circus by Gui Boratto for a dub mix.  Led by thumping yet distorted beats and siren-like synthesizer swirls, Sandoval's vocals play up to the new arrangements as it works in its presentation.

While it's an improvement over 100th Window, Heligoland doesn't exactly reach the heights of the landmark albums Massive Attack have made.  While there's a lot of material that is definitely strong, particularly in the remixes.  It's an album that doesn't have the sense of flow nor the overall consistency that made Blue Lines and Mezzanine the masterpieces that have been so highly regarded.  At the same time, the material that didn't make it into the final cut will upset some fans who have been hearing a lot of the new material through some live shows in the past few years.

Still, it's an excellent album from Massive Attack that does feature some great material and guest appearances.  Yet, it's not an easy album to listen to since it takes more than a few to digest and get into it.  It's definitely a different album than all of their previous records.  Even as it's clear that the band is trying to create new ideas.  While it may not live up to a lot of the band's early work, Heligoland is still a stellar album from Massive Attack.

Massive Attack Albums: Blue Lines - Protection - Mezzanine - 100th Window

(C) thevoid99 2011

Massive Attack-100th Window

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/15/09.

After the huge acclaim and success for 1998's Mezzanine, things were going great for the group Massive Attack in terms of what they have done for electronic music. Unfortunately, problems were emerging inside of the band as longtime member Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles decided to leave the group of 1999 after being disenchanted with the band's direction. Remaining founding members Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall continued to forge ahead with the group yet new problems would emerge in the years to come. After a hiatus in late 1999 through 2000, the group returned to the studio with 3D working with Mezzanine producer Neil Davidge on several tracks. Daddy G however, was unable to be inspired by what 3D and Davidge are doing as he chose to leave the band temporarily to focus on family. In 2003, 3D and Davidge returned as Massive Attack for their fourth studio release entitled 100th Window.

Produced by 3D and Neil Davidge, 100th Window is a darker, broader, and more eerie album than previous recordings. The first record to not feature samples or cover songs, it's an album that moves farther away from the defining trip-hop sound that Massive Attack had famously created. While the record does feature longtime associate Horace Andy on a couple of vocal tracks, the group employed Sinead O'Connor for three songs that she co-wrote with 3D and Davidge. Along with Blur's Damon Albarn as Gorillaz vocalist 2D, 100th Window is a haunting yet soothing album from 3D and Davidge though doesn't live up to the brilliance of the Massive Attack name or its previous albums.

The album opener Future Proof arrives with bleeping synthesizer melodies and melodic guitar flourishes that is later accompanied by swift, sputtering beats. With a groove-laden bass line and 3D's raspy vocals, it's an atmospheric, soothing song that sets the tone for what is to come for the album. Even as it features layered sound textures in the keyboards and production to give it a creepy tone. What Your Soul Sings, with Sinead O'Connor, is an eerie ballad of sorts with melodic guitars, swirling synthesizer textures, and scratchy, hollow beats that includes a slow, heavy bass line. O'Connor's ethereal, angelic vocals with its dreamy lyrics is the highlight of the song as it's one of the album's best cuts. Everywhen, that features Horace Andy on vocals, is a dreamy, esoteric song with soothing keyboards, washy guitars, bass-throbbing rhythms, and Andy's reggae-nasally vocals. With some slow, scratchy guitars, the rhythms pick up a bit though it's a track that doesn't reach great heights.

Special Cases arrives with tingling, hollow percussion scratches and ominous synthesizer swoons that is accompanied by a slow yet eerie bass line. With O'Connor's soothing vocals leading the way, it is accompanied by eerie keyboard arrangements that sound like strings. It's another track that plays up to the dark tone of the album as it features heavy string-like synthesizers to play up to the track's atmosphere. Butterfly Caught features a trance-like synthesizer drone with thumping, rhythmic beats, bouncy bass grooves, and 3D's cool, raspy vocal. With Eastern-style violins and droning synthesizer shimmers, it's a track that really stands out for its production and ominous tone. Prayer For England arrive with droning, shimmering bass lines and sputtering, tap-like beats that all accompany Sinead O'Connor's somber, dreamy vocals. With its ominous production and presentation accompanying O'Connor, it's a song that features excellent arrangements in the synthesizers and beats.

Small Time Shot Away arrives with a dreamy, swooning synthesizer swirl that is followed by soft, hollow percussion tingles. With a bass-heavy groove, the beats start to arrive through a swirling production as it plays through a smooth, mid-tempo presentation with 3D's raspy vocals. While it's an excellent track, it does feel a bit long as its presentation goes a little far while Gorillaz vocalist 2D provides some backing vocals to accompany 3D. Name Taken is a somber track with swirling guitars and synthesizers as it is followed by soft, tingling beats and slow bass grooves. With Horace Andy's soothing, high-pitch vocal style and a shimmering keyboard track. It's a cut that plays ominous through its production but doesn't have much going for in terms of ambition despite a unique presentation.

The album closer Antistar arrives with a warbling guitar riff that plays to a throbbing, bouncy rhythm. With soft, tapping rhythms and ominous synthesizers, 3D sings the song with its creepy vocals as it maintains a dark presentation that includes melodic-swirling synthesizers and electronic textures in the string arrangements. Serving as a bonus track on some editions of the album is an eleven-minute instrumental called LP4. Featuring a fast, shimmering synthesizer drones, it's a track that's really more of an experimental idea than an actual track which doesn't really go anywhere.

Released in February of 2003 to high anticipation, the record initially divided fans and critics over its sound. With some liking the soundscapes that 3D and Neil Davidge created, others felt that it was merely an attempt to recreate the dark sound of Mezzanine. Though it managed to be somewhat successful commercially, things weren't looking so well for Massive Attack. 3D for a while was suspected of child porn allegations which he was acquitted while a tour to promote the new album went through some financial troubles. While Daddy G did some occasional appearances, it was clear that Massive Attack's days were behind them. 3D and Davidge decided to work on soundtrack projects under a different name with the exception of the soundtrack to Danny the Dog under the Massive Attack name.

In 2005, Daddy G returned to the fold full-time though he decided to work with other people to develop tracks. In 2006, a best-of compilation called Collected featuring a new song called Live With Me was released to great acclaim with a second disc of material featuring non-LP tracks and other unreleased material. A tour to promote the compilation was successful as both 3D and Daddy G decided to start work on a new album slated for a 2010 release.

While 100th Window doesn't live up to the brilliance of its predecessors, it's still an excellent album from Massive Attack. Though it might not be a true Massive Attack record in name or theory, it does have the sound collages and textures that are reminiscent of past albums. While it features some great vocal work from Sinead O'Connor, it's a record that doesn't win anyone over at first listen. Yet, it's still a fascinating album from Robert del Naja and Neil Davidge that is somewhat worthy of the Massive Attack name.

Massive Attack Albums: Blue Lines - Protection - Mezzanine - Heligoland

(C) thevoid99 2011

Massive Attack-Mezzanine

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/9/09.

1994's Protection helped Massive Attack achieve considerable attention as the trip-hop sound they had created was now becoming a new sub genre that spawned a slew of acts. Though the collective that features 3D, Daddy G, and Mushroom were not enthused by the trip-hop name. The group was in demand to do collaborations and remixes with other artists, the electronic music scene was changing at a rapid pace where in 1997, it peaked but also fizzled at the same time once it captured the attention of America for a brief moment. It was also around the same time that things between the members of Massive Attack were not going very well.

Creative tension between the three members over musical directions were running high as well as what to do next for their third album. It was at the time a new collaborator had joined the fray in an unknown producer named Neil Davidge. Davidge shared 3D's enthusiasm for a new sound as did Daddy G though Mushroom was unsure as the making of the third album was bringing problems. Wanting to venture into post-punk with live instruments and more guitars on the record. Added to the fray in terms of vocal collaborators is famed Cocteau Twins vocalist Elizabeth Fraser whose dreamy, evocative vocal style proved to be the right ingredient for the band's third album entitled Mezzanine.

Produced by Massive Attack and Neil Davidge, Mezzanine is a dark, heavy, and eerie album that strays away from the hip-hop, jazzy, laid-back textures of previous albums for a more Gothic, post-punk, guitar-driven sound. Featuring an array of samples from the likes of Issac Hayes to the Cure, the record does take the band's trip-hop sound to new heights with heavier electronic arrangements, droning synthesizers, and live drum tracks. Along with Elizabeth Fraser providing vocals on some tracks including members 3D and Daddy G, the record includes contributions from Sara Jay and longtime Massive Attack collaborator Horace Andy. The result is one of the 1990s most fascinating yet sprawling records of the electronic music genre.

The album opener Angel with Horace Andy on vocals, opens with droning bass lines, clicking beats, and even hollow beats with a swooning synthesizer melody. With Andy's calm, high-pitch vocals singing dark lyrics, he is followed by a melodic guitar track and an ominous back beat. The track's slow tempo continues as the song intensify with growling guitars and a loud drum fill that would set the tone for the entire album. Risingson, which features samples of a Pete Seeger song and the Velvet Underground's I Found A Reason, is a dub-inspired track with shimmering synthesizers, groove-laden bass tracks, thumping break-beats, and 3D's raspy vocals. With its haunting arrangements of synthesizers, beats, and its dub-like groove, Daddy G sings along with 3D to the song with its nightmarish lyrics.

Teardrop with its hollow beats that tap through the song with its soothing yet brooding arrangements of harpsichord-laden keyboards and heavy piano notes. Yet, it's Elizabeth Fraser's evocative vocals and melancholic lyrics is what makes the song so memorable with its brooding arrangements as well as its atmospheric production. Inertia Creeps opens with dreamy guitar meshes that later becomes this swooning yet Eastern-like sound that plays through with hollow beats, warbling synthesizers, and 3D's raspy vocals. With breaks that include a swooning synthesizer that is followed by more warbling, fuzzy synthesizers, and hollow beats. The instrumental track Exchange is a cover track of a Bob Hillard/Mort Garson composition as it features a sample of Issac Hayes' Our Day Will Come with soothing string instruments, thumping beats, bouncy jazz-like bass lines, and swirling keyboards.

Dissolved Girl, with vocalist Sara Jay, arrives with swirling synthesizer drones that is led by dub-style bass grooves and melodic-swooning synthesizers. With Jay's high-pitch, raspy vocal style, it's a melancholic song that features chime-laden guitar flourishes, shaking percussions, and tapping beats. With the keyboards start to shimmer, the guitars start to growl with the drum beats becoming more intense. Man Next Door, which includes a sample of the Cure's 10:15 Saturday Night, features hollow beats, heavy bass lines, hard-hitting snare fills, and Horace Andy's wailing vocals. With its creepy presentation and troubled lyrics, it's one of the album's best tracks as it delves into the album's dark tone.

Black Milk features a swooning bass line and melodic-swirling synthesizers that is accompanied by tapping beats. Along with a melodic-keyboard track, it's Elizabeth Fraser's dreamy vocals that shine through the song. Even as it features sounds of swirling electronic textures and scratches that play through the album's dark yet laid-back presentation. The album's title track opens with soft, melodic synthesizer tracks as it arrives to some throbbing, hollow beats and droning bass lines. With 3D's raspy vocals and Daddy G's low-sounding raps, it's a song that mixes dub bass lines, droning guitars, tapping beats, and warbling synthesizers that provide some dark, wobbly bass grooves.

Group Four arrives with droning synthesizers and scratchy electronic swirls that shimmer through until a melodic, ringing guitar arrives with dub bass grooves and tapping, hollow beats. With 3D's raspy vocals singing a verse, it's Elizabeth Fraser's hypnotic vocals that really drive the song with its complex, layered arrangements as 3D and Fraser trade verses. Even as the song features intense, hollow beats along with droning bass lines and growling guitars to help make the track more menacing. The album closer is (Exchange) which is Exchange but with vocals by Horace Andy as he sings in his calm, nasally vocal style that provides a soothing closer to the album.

Released in April of 1998, the album initially received mixed reviews from fans and critics over the band's new sound. Once the single for Teardrop was released, the album finally started to gain acclaim as it turned out to be the group's most successful album to date. A tour followed with a live band that was successful but also grueling. Friction between Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles and the rest of the group was increasing over touring and creative directions. Finally in 1999, Vowles left the band where a year later, the group took a break from recording until 2001 where the tension between 3D and Daddy G over creative directions would come ahead.

Mezzanine is a spectacular, ambitious, dark, yet haunting masterpiece from Massive Attack and company. While each preceding record has a different sound from the more hip-hop driven Blue Lines and the laid-back sounds of Protection. This record is meaner, unsettling, and also creepy at times. With vocal contributions from Sara Jay, Horace Andy, and Elizabeth Fraser all providing great work, it's a record that is meant to be played at night during a long drive somewhere. It's moody and filled with superb production from start to finish. In the end, for something that is dark yet has amazing sound textures. Mezzanine is the record to get from Massive Attack.

Massive Attack Albums: Blue Lines - Protection - 100th Window - Heligoland

(C) thevoid99 2011

Massive Attack-Protection

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/6/09.

After the release of 1991's Blue Lines, the group Massive Attack that consists of rappers/producers 3D and Daddy G plus producer/keyboardist Mushroom, had created a brand new blend of hip-hop, jazz, dub, and electronic music that was later known as trip-hop. Featuring contributions from fellow Bristol artist Tricky who was forging his own solo career in the same sub genre. The group was getting massive acclaim as well as success in Britain at a time when a new wave of electronic music and British indie music was starting to gain ground. Though success in America was minimal despite a minor modern rock/dance hit with Safe From Harm, Massive Attack was ready to go to work on their second record.

Unfortunately, things didn't start out easy as a falling with Shara Nelson over royalty disputes and her desire for a solo career happened while the group's manager decided to leave forcing the band to find a new one. It was also around the same time the band decided to get some additional help from one of their old comrades from the Wild Bunch collective team in producer Nellee Hooper. Along with contributions from collaborators like Tricky, Horace Andy, and a new female vocalist named Nicolette Suwoton. The group got help from the British alternative act Everything but the Girl who had just scored a major hit with a remix of the song Missing by Todd Terry. With Everything but the Girl vocalist Tracey Thorn deciding to be another vocalist for the record entitled Protection.

Produced by Massive Attack and Nellee Hooper, Protection is a record in which the band decided to take the sound of Blue Lines for something more laid-back and less electronic. With the use of live instruments, real string orchestra and arrangements plus contributions from pianist Craig Armstrong. The record is more atmospheric while the experimentation of Blue Lines is still there as its mesh of dub, hip-hop, soul, and electronic music are taken to a more grounded yet esoteric sound that is mesmerizing and as the group describe it, something to chill out to. Though may not have the consistency or adventurous approach of Blue Lines, Protection is still a strong, intoxicating album from Massive Attack.

The album opens with its title track, a somber, mid-tempo ballad with funk-laden, washy guitar riffs, swooning keyboards, and a smooth, bouncy beat. Then comes Tracey Thorn's evocative vocals filled with melancholic lyrics as it carries the song setting the tone for the album. With Nellee Hooper's atmospheric production and melodic-swooning keyboards, and a heavy piano melody as it is a song that is truly one of the group's career highlights. Karmacoma with Tricky on vocals is a dub-inspired song with reggae-inspired melodies, throbbing beats, and bass grooves as Tricky raps in a cool, raspy vocal style. With it eerie production of winds and dub-inspired soundscapes, it's a track that is a laid-back yet dark cut that proves that the band is still experimental and as daring as they were in their first album.

Three is a hypnotic track featuring the sensual, nasally-vocals of Nicolette Suwoton as she brings an entrancing vocal style to the song's groove-laden sound of bass, melodic synthesizer flourishes, and soft, hi-hat beats. With Suwoton's vocals filled with eerie lyrics, the song is a trance-like feel as the group delves into a dark yet laid-back sound. Weather Storm is a slow yet groove-laden instrumental track with swooning bass lines, Craig Armstrong's jazz-inspired piano melodies, and soft, throbbing beats. Armstrong's flourishing piano is the highlight of the track as it is an instrumental that really encompass the sound of trip-hop in its relation to jazz without delving into a bland sound. Spying Glass is a reggae-inspired track with dub-style bass lines, thumping bass beats, and hollow, metallic beats. With Horace Andy's wailing, reggae-inspired vocals, it's a dark, creepy track with lyrics that plays up to the song's atmospheric tone as it features a nice bass groove and swanky guitars to play up to the album's reggae-inspired presentation.

Better Things is a mid-tempo track with a bouncy, jazz-inspired bass, washy guitar riffs, and soft, tap-like breaking beat samples from a James Brown track. With Tracey Thorn's soulful, evocative vocal, it's a song that plays up to a jazz groove with Thorn providing some somber, hopeful lyrics that features Thorn's vocals as the song's highlight along with its smooth, jazz groove. Eurochild is a throbbing, mid-tempo track with flourishing synthesizers, swooning bass grooves, thumping beats, and fast-paced raps from Tricky, Daddy G, and 3D. With a wavy synthesizer solo that plays through the song, it's the trading verses of the raspy Tricky and the baritone-vocal style of Daddy G that provides the raps with 3D doing a brief rap in the last verse with his raspy vocals. Sly is a chilling, eerie track led by Nicolette Suwoton's hypnotic vocals with a smooth bass groove, swooning keyboards, and slow, tribal-like beats. With a string arrangement accompanying Suwoton's vocals, it's a song that features Nellee Hooper's entrancing, layered production as he provides a great mix of warbling electronics, enchanting string arrangements, and Suwoton's haunting vocals.

Heat Miser is an instrumental piece opens with a melodic piano flourish and thumping, tap-like beats that are followed by louder snare-like beats. With Craig Armstrong's flourishing piano tracks and a momentum-building synthesizer track as it features a string arrangement that plays up to the track's intensity. The album closer is a cover of the Doors' Light My Fire performed live. With Horace Andy on vocals, the song is given a loud, thumping beat and reggae-inspired keyboards as it's an interesting cover though one of the most bizarre interpretations of a classic from the Doors.

Released in September of 1994 with high anticipation, the album received excellent notices though didn't match up the acclaim of Blue Lines. While the album did get Massive Attack some great attention in the U.S., the record also was a hit in the U.K. at a time when the trip-hop sub genre was starting to come into fruition. A month earlier, former Massive Attack associate Geoff Barrows and his new group Portishead released their landmark debut album Dummy to massive acclaim. Tricky meanwhile, decided to end his partnership with Massive Attack for a solo career where in February of 1995, he releases Maxinquaye to great acclaim. Around the same time, British dub producer Mad Professor did an entire remix of Protection entitled No Protection to great acclaim.

The success of Protection, Massive Attack were in demand to do remixes and collaborations including another song with Tracey Thorn for the Batman Forever soundtrack while Madonna asked them to collaborate with her on a cover of Marvin Gaye's I Want You for a Marvin Gaye tribute album. It was becoming a demanding time for the group as they were working on other projects while they were becoming increasingly disenchanted with the trip-hop sound the group had created early in the decade as the electronic music scene was moving at a rapid pace.

While it may not have the groundbreaking soundscapes or ambition of Blue Lines, Protection is still a fascinating, laid-back album from Massive Attack. Fans of Massive Attack will no doubt, find this record essential thanks to the famed title track as well as several cuts that are considered classics of the trip-hop sub genre. The record itself does play like a nice record to chill out to at night while making it a nice soundtrack for something to play while coming home after a party. In the end, for something that plays it cool at a late night. Protection is the record to get from Massive Attack.

Massive Attack Albums: Blue Lines - Mezzanine - 100th Window - Heligoland

(C) thevoid99 2011

Massive Attack-Blue Lines

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/4/09.

In the decade that introduced the world to house music and electronic music. The 1990s was truly a watershed moment for the genre as it moved away from the world of synth-pop and dance music. It was at this time during the late 80s and early 90s that DJs and musicians began to experiment with new instruments and gadgets to create new sounds. One sub genre that came out of electronic music from the early 90s is trip-hop. A blend of hip-hop, moody electronic music, soul, dub, and jazz. It was a sound that helped give hip-hop artists and MCs a chance to experiment with new sounds. Among those artists who would help shape that genre was a trio of DJs and rappers collective known as Massive Attack.

Formed as a production trio in 1988, the collective featured MC Robert Del Naja aka 3D, DJ/rapper Grant Marshall aka Daddy G, and DJ/producer Andrew Vowles aka Mushroom. Massive Attack spent a few years in Bristol working in the club scene and shaping dance and electronic music throughout the years as part of the Wild Bunch collective that featured producer Nellee Hooper and vocalist/producer Tricky. During those years, the group began to shape a sound with slower rhythms, smooth bass grooves, break-beats, and jazz samples that would shape the sound of trip-hop. Collaborating with several vocalists including Neneh Cherry that helped spawn some underground buzz. Then in April of 1991, the music world suddenly changed with the release of the group's landmark debut album entitled Blue Lines.

Produced by Massive Attack with Cameron McVey, and Jonny Dollar, Blue Lines is an album filled with groove-laden, soothing electronic music driven by reggae dub bass lines, 70s soul music samples, hip-hop break beats, and slower rhythms that would help shape the genre. With all music performances by the trio of 3D, Daddy G, and Mushroom with 3D and Daddy G contributing vocals. The record includes appearances from vocalists, some of whom would become frequent collaborators, like Horace Andy, Neneh Cherry, Shara Nelson, and Tricky. The result would be a record that would help change the face of electronic music and the Bristol music scene for many years to come.

The album opener and third single Safe From Harm opens with a throbbing bass line and smooth, bouncy beats that drive the song with swooning, windy synthesizer backgrounds and another swooning synthesizer that accompanies Shara Nelson's vocals. With Nelson's soulful vocals with 3D singing backup with his raspy vocals with lyrics about the dark nightlife. With warbling guitars playing a funky riff with its driving bass lines as it features superb, atmospheric production that sets the tone for the rest of the album. One Love with Horace Andy on vocals features slow beats, melodic synthesizers, and Andy's high-tenor reggae-style vocals. With its simple lyrics about one love, it's a song that features a dark sound with turntable scratches, guitars, and samples of melodic horn blares.

The title track featuring Tricky is a mixture of jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music. With its throbbing beats, turntable scratches, and smooth jazz hooks, it's one of the album's most definitive moments as it features jazz pianos and Tricky's laid-back raps as he switches verses with Daddy G and 3D. With its slow yet calm presentation of throbbing beats, soothing keyboards, and lyrics referencing pop culture and the world in its atmospheric, laid-back tone. Be Thankful For What You've Got is a cover of the 70s soul classic by William DeVaughn. With its smooth, bouncy beats with turntable scratches, throbbing bass lines, and Tony Bryan's soulful, high-tenor vocals with its hopeful lyrics. With a dose of funky guitars and backing vocals, it's an amazing cover that is a cool reinterpretation of the 70s soul classic.

Five Man Army features bouncy, dub-style beats with clap-like snares and cymbal crashes as it features Daddy G's low-sounding rap with fast-paced lyrics as it features backing from Horace Andy. With swanky, reggae style guitars and dub-like bass lines, it features Tricky doing a rap as it includes additional rap from Claude "Willie Wee" Williams and 3D doing a smooth, raspy rap with Andy's nasally-style vocals. Unfinished Sympathy is another of the album's groundbreaking tracks with its fast-paced beats, turntable scratches, soothing string arrangements by Wil Malone, and flourishing keyboard melodies. With Shara Nelson's somber yet wailing vocals, it's a song that really sets the stage of 1990s dance and electronic music as it features an array of beats that are fast yet rhythmic arrangement as it's a song that is truly mesmerizing.

The album's first single Daydreaming with Shara Nelson and Tricky is a funky track with throbbing rhythms in its scratchy beats and bass lines with Nelson's soothing, dreamy vocals and Tricky's cool, backing vocals. With melodic synthesizers playing to Tricky's rap with its daydreaming lyrics as Daddy G and 3D pop up for a rap with Tricky leading the way. With Nelson returning to sing a soulful, sensual vocal with Tricky's rap, it's a track that is powerful in its arrangements and production. Lately is a bouncy, mid-tempo track with warbling bass synthesizers, turntable scratches, and thumping beats as it accompanies Nelson's soothing vocals. Led by its warbling synthesizer melody, it's a song that plays it cool while being funky as Nelson's vocals really shine.

The album closer, fourth single, and what is probably one of its finest cuts is Hymn Of The Big Wheel with main vocals by Horace Andy plus arrangements and additional vocals by Neneh Cherry. With its swooning synthesizers with melodic flourishes and thumping, sputtering beats with a slow rhythm, it's Andy's smooth, reggae-inspired vocals with its hopeful lyrics that really captivates the song's mood. With its famed chorus where Andy is joined by Neneh Cherry, it's a song that is wonderfully produced with great arrangements for the synthesizers and drum machine beats as it sets a cool, soothing mood to end the album.

Released in April of 1991 in Britain, the album was hailed as a landmark record from critics all over Britain though sales were slow until the release of Unfinished Sympathy as a single. When the record was released in the U.S. in August of that year, it received similar acclaim though it didn't make much of an impact. Still, the record managed to become a landmark for electronic music in Britain as the electronic music scene started to gain ground with various sub genres forming through clubs all over Britain. Even as the Madchester music scene from Manchester was starting to die down.

Blue Lines is a cool, atmospheric, and seductive debut record from Massive Attack that is truly one of the best debut albums ever made. Audiences interested in the trip-hop sub genre will no doubt see this as the best place to start as well as for those interested in Massive Attack outside of compilations. Thanks to the vocal contributions of Tricky, Shara Nelson, Tony Bryan, and Horace Andy. It's a record that is fun to listen to at night while wanting something that isn't a full-on party album as it just wants to play it cool. In the end, Blue Lines is a landmark recording for electronic music and the trip-hop sub genre from Massive Attack.

Massive Attack Albums: Protection - Mezzanine - 100th Window - Heligoland

(C) thevoid99 2011