FriendBurst Blog

The first two Massive Attack albums (Blue Lines and Protection) are trip-hop classics.  Highlights include Unfinished Sympathy, Protection and Karmacoma (sung by Shara Nelson, Tracey Thorne and Tricky respectively).  The band’s music became much darker on Mezzanine (1998).  Prior to its release, nobody thought of Massive Attack as a rock band.  However, there are rock elements all over Mezzanine.  Most of the tracks start softly and some of them end almost menacingly (after slowly building up and growing in intensity, as more and more layers are added).  Later in the year, a singles box set was released.  It contains all eleven singles, from the first three albums (including all remixes and b-sides).

Five years later, Massive Attack’s fourth album (100th Window) was released.  Compared with Mezzanine, it is weak.  One of the original members (Mushroom) left, after the Mezzanine tour.  He didn’t like the new direction; dominated by the eternally moody 3D (Robert Del Naja).  100th Window is even darker than Mezzanine.  It is a deceptive album, because the rhythms are quite light and there is an airy feel throughout.  But the air is dense.  The themes are dark and the vocals (mainly Sinead O’ Connor) are fragile.  During the seven year gap between 100th Window and Heligoland, Massive Attack released a singles collection and made a soundtrack (for the film Danny The Dog, starring Bob Hoskins and Jet Li).  Heligoland is a mixed bag; featuring a variety of vocalists and a variety of styles (from the Ghost Town feel of Splitting The Atom to the Kid A style of Flat Of The Blade).  On the whole, it is a good album.

Timo Maas’ debut album (Loud) was released on the Perfecto label in 2002.  The singles (Help Me, Shifter and To Get Down) were all floor-fillers and attracted remixers such as Fatboy Slim and Deep Dish.  Three years later, the second album (Pictures) was equally popular.  It is more focused and features Brian Molko on vocals (on First Day and Like Siamese).  Other vocalists include Neneh Cherry (who also worked with Massive Attack) and Kelis.  Both albums are well-produced and intriguing; full of surprises.  Timo Maas has made many remixes and continues to work as a DJ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJA5iuafWMs

Miss Kittin and The Hacker initially worked together, on First Album (2001).  They toured extensively before embarking on solo projects.  Miss Kittin’s debut album (I Com) was well received.  It’s an interesting mix of electro, house, techno and dub.  A remix album was released in 2005 (it includes remixes by LFO and Modeselektor).  Batbox is more consistent.  The production is better too.  I always enjoy revisiting Batbox.  Miss Kittin and The Hacker teamed up again in 2009.  Their second album (Two) is patchy.  However, it does contain enough material to make it worthwhile (eg. 1000 Dreams, Electronic City and Inutile Eternite).

Moby was one of the rave pioneers, in the early nineties.  Listening to his latest output, it’s hard to believe it.  He (Richard Hall) started deviating from rave music in 1996 (on his dreadful album, Animal Rights).  The sudden change to a raw ‘punky’ sound was a bad decision.  He alienated virtually all of his fans.  He bounced back in 1999 with the gargantuan Play; combining blues with subdued dance rhythms.  He attracted a mainstream audience.  More than ten million copies were sold.  The following album (18) has a similar feel, but it lacks the vitality and charm of Play.  There are few highlights.  Even the Play b-sides collection is better.

Hotel was released in 2005.  For the most part, it is good (but not great).  Fans of Moby’s ambient output may enjoy the limited edition, which contains a bonus disc full of light and pleasant background music (mainly soft piano, synth swirls and atmospheric effects).  The singles collection was released at the end of 2006.  It includes one exclusive song, with Debbie Harry on vocals.  It sounds like Erasure.  Last Night was released in 2008.  Moby unwisely decided to go back to his rave roots (mixed with a bit of electro, house and disco).  The album is almost completely devoid of merit.  Two albums have been released since then – on Moby’s own record label.  They’re even worse than Last Night.  Album sales have plummeted.  The title of the last album is apt (Destroyed).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed0yPQjuqkw&feature=related

Further listening

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rYORXW_qU0