Protection

This sounded not at all Massive, nor Attacking. Not for me.

Really like this record. It was fresh and interesting at the time, and still sounds great today. However, it should have ended after 'Heat Miser', as that would have felt like a pleasing and natural conclusion - the addition of the live version of 'Light My Fire' at the end disrupts the cohesiveness and doesn't sit well with the rest of the album.

Listened Before? N Pros: This was a great surprise! I've never listened to these people before at all. I'm usually not a fan of all electronic stuff, but they use the vocals so well over the top that it pulls it together very nicely. I think this is the best electronic music I've heard. Cons: Some songs drag a bit. Added to Library? N Songs Added to Playlist: Protection, Three

Sounds like music that I would listen to while too high to do anything besides stare forward and think about my life

Baby making music.

Tatsächlich gerade der Gewinner über Blue Lines. Protection kann mich in schwachen Momenten jederzeit zu Tränen rühren, im Grunde ist jeder Song danach gewagt und Karmacoma auch deshalb so eine gute Wahl, weil Tricky halt diese verschleppte Raubtiernummer mit genau der richtigen Dosis Schulterzucken abliefert die man DA DRAUSSEN als Rüstung drinnen braucht. Auch danach: tolle Atmosphäre zwischen Flug durch wolkigen Nieselsommer (Three), unbilligen Lounge-Sounds (Weather Storm) und dem direkten Anschluss an Unfinished Sympathy (Euro Child und Sly). Am schwierigsten waren für mich immer die beiden Horace-Andy-Nummern, hab ich bis heute auch nicht komplett verstanden, nehme die aber gern mit und der kleine Gag mit Light My Fire amüsiert auf jeden Fall! 4,5

Cooooooool. Deep moody lounging. An overcast afternoon in Ibiza. The soundtrack that plays over a moody montage of parallel characters in an ensemble drama. Closing credits to a 2000s James Bond movie. I think I love this because its trip hop (whatever that is) without the chaos. It's smooth as hell, a bit disorienting (I really like the lyric "I know everyone I meet"), and sucks you into the vibe. It's a place I enjoyed spending an hour - introspective, somber, plenty of space, but also upbeat. The last track is the only thing that breaks their very serious dedication to maintaining this mood. Maybe a little more cosmic humor would make it perfect. Cooooooool A-

This isn’t that good. Again! - Why is this on the list? I want to punish the person who thought we needed another Massive Atrack album - at least the last album had one good song - this is mediocre throughout. 😕

For me, Massive Attack's best album. Exquisite. The choice collaborators. The mirrored, twin-sided format. The mood, the flow. The instrumentation. Analogue dub heart with digital flourishes. Not a bad track on here. Brilliant.

Excellent.

It's kind of groovy, meditative, and a bit trance-like.

A huge mix of a lot of different styles with no two songs sounding even remotely the same. The album starts so strong with ‘Protection’ having a bass that you can physically feel hitting your ears. This is the first Massive Attack album that I’ve listened to fully & I really enjoyed it

Was listening to this while working in the hot sun and wanted to fall asleep.

I remember Massive Attack being cool, but it's sounding pretty boring to me now. Don't really have anything else to say about it.

This was one of a handful of unavoidable records when flitting between college rooms in the mid-90s. I am entertained to realise that despite having the general colour and shape of the album cover in my deep memory, I only just noticed the blobby figure with the knife and fork smack bang centre; my brain had transformed the cover into a futuristic city plan. This is an elegant record that I mistook for unadventurous back then. It sounds huge and thick with sound through a cool, deceptive minimalism, plink-plonk Casio beats placed besides moody piano and submarine sounds, strings that thrill rather than dress, and stark storytelling that I was too oblivious to listen to back then. Every part feels carefully thought-through and placed, dub echoes included. Another listener error I made was mistaking the diversity of voices as evidence of dilettantism rather than the shifting, sprawling but focussed collectivism behind the work, and that the dub, Jamaican and other elements reflect the collective, and Bristol’s convoluted history behind them. Tricky’s lines were lifted and shifted to “Maxinquaye” a year later, but it’s striking how much younger he sounds here. He clearly wanted what was in his head to be heard, and did the hard miles to make it. I’ve taken a lot more from this today than I’d expected to.

star ratings suck

Perfect album. Defies definition.

Genre creating masterpiece.

amazing

Fucking classic

Amazing album

Great, did not know what to expect but was great.

A favourite, era defining for me.

Puh, da sprach ich vor knapp einer Woche von Teufel und schon ist er da, aus dem Karmacoma erwacht und erinnert daran, welch krasses Tier sich dort reckt und streckt. Hier sitzt jeder Beat, der Bass rollt, wie Gorillaz ihn immer rollen lassen wollte, Elemente klassischer Musik ohne jeglichen Kitsch trotz unverhohlenen Pathos; es hat Kontemplation und es hat Pop, aber noch dieser sympathischen Art, die dich auch an seine Ernsthaftigkeit glauben lässt, ehe es auf „Mezzanine“ zum Headliner Pop wird und es sich für Massive Attack zunehmend schwieriger gestaltet, zu entscheiden: machen wir nun eine für uns typische oder eine von uns erwartete Platte. „Protection“ war da grad kurz vorm Brechen der Welle, wunderschön, groß, abgründig groß, warm aber auch etwas schauderhaft. Und auch wenn man vieles auswendig kennt, so bleibt es mir frisch und keineswegs ausgehöhlt und über-hört wie es so manchen Hits’ Schicksal geworden ist. Aus der Tiefe einer ehrlichen Verbeugung 5.0

3.5 Sometimes this list is strange, there’s this album, but Mezzanine isn’t.

This album pretty much receives the same verdict regardless of who’s reviewing it: brilliant, but not quite Mezzanine or Blue Lines. Overall, I’d agree with this but Protection absolutely deserves to be on this list. Tracey Thorn’s presence on the opening track immediately had me hooked and “Three” is one of my favourite Massive Attack songs. There are definitely some moments when the music becomes a bit background (as with their later soundtrack work), and the live cover of “Light My Fire” is a bit puzzling. But this is a great chill-out album, never the same experience two listens in a row.

Maybe I’ve heard the first couple of tracks too many times, because they didn’t do much for me. But after that I sat back and enjoyed the rest. The songs are well-written and I like the different vocalists – I even went to see Nicolette in a club having only heard her on this album. Tricky is even ok for a track or two. MA are definitely at the top of the heap in terms of those who led electronic downtempo/trip hop movement. I would give them a 5 if not for the Horace Andy cover of Light My Fire. And the fact that when we saw them live the only singer they brought along was Horace Andy, we got Tracey & Nicolette on vinyl. I concluded that seeing DJ/Producers wasn’t worth it – but then I saw Thievery Corporation with 5 vocalists and Groove Armada with a full band and changed my mind.

I find it strange that the book has chosen this album and their debut Blue Lines as the two albums to feature from Massive Attack. The aggressive Mezzanine and spiritual 100th Window are both masterpieces. This is a good album but not a great album. The title track holds a special place for me. I’ve probably played the song hundreds of times and never get bored with it in the slightest. Tracy Thorn’s vocals are beautiful on it and the track itself is as emotional as it is hypnotic. Karmacoma keeps the momentum going and is a triphop classic. It was redone twice, once by Massive Attack without Tricky and once by Tricky for his solo album Maxinquaye. “Three” is an okay track but “Weather Storm” sounds like the music you used to hear on the Weather Channel when they would show their weather on the 8s local forecast. “Spyglass” had a good groove. but the vocals are a little weird. “Better Things” is another great Thorn vocal track. “Euro Child” hints at what’s to come with mezzanine and is probably the darkest track on the whole album. “Sly” and “Heat Miser” (with Darth Vader on vocals) are solid tracks and then there’s “Light My Fire.” I file this under what were they thinking? This track almost made me give the album a 3 but I like most of the rest of the album so a 4 it is.

Blue Lines, Protection, Mezzanine. One of the greatest run of albums ever!

Succeeds in its desired atmosphere so it is respectable.

ЧТО: Второй студийный альбом бристольского трио пионеров трип-хопа. Важный релиз с точки зрения творческого пути Massive Attack, ознаменовавший начало перехода от чистой электроники к живым инструментам. Альбом на перепутье. Дебютный Blue lines - уверенный электронный проект, а великий (без преувеличения) третий альбом Mezzanine - построен на живом звуке. Protection - это перевалочный пункт, своеобразная запятая. Не слишком популярный альбом, хотя и принципиально важный в дискографии MA, как звено в цепи. КАКОЙ: Музыка Massive Attack не определяется жанровыми рамками. Все, что мы можем услышать, - звуковой коллаж из разнообразных сэмплов, живых инструментальных партий, вокала разных исполнителей и элементов если не всех, то уж точно половины жанров музыки на планете. Многие песни, включая титульную, обладают относительно медленным темпом и сообщают спокойствие и сдержанность, характерные в принципе для трип-хопа. Темп композиций в целом упал по сравнению с Blue lines. Интересные, но местами грубоватые сочетания электроники с акустикой. Фортепианные мелодии на Heat Miser, например. На Mezzanine это смешение достигнет апогея, идея будет доведена до необходимого выражения. Песня Karmacoma потягивает на шедевр. Такой наэлектризованный рэгги. Очень занятно. Кроме того, коллега MA по изобретению трип-хопа - Трики появляется на этой песне с речитативом. Вообще на альбоме крайне заметно регги-даб влияние. Стоит только вспомнить об альбоме ремиксов на Protection от Mad Professor (одного из самых больших даб-продюсеров не только Британии, но и мира). Однако не обходится здесь, конечно, и без трип-хопа (куда без него), и звучит он мощно, не даром Massive Attack - признанные пионеры жанра. Поразительно кинематографичная музыка. Sly могла бы легко стать саундтреком к фильму про Джеймса Бонда. Даже духовая секция на четвёртой минуте как у Джона Барри. Про скрипку я вообще молчу. Сильная песня. Эти ребята мастера саундтреков. В целом ощущение от музыки приятное, даже во рту сладкий привкус. И все-таки не могу не придраться. Надо признать, что иногда Protection звучит не слишком уверенно и убедительно из-за метания между электроникой и акустикой. Стыки выходят грубоватыми. Но трое отличных музыкантов способны отшлифовать все неровности и сгладить переходы, что они и доказали на следующем альбоме. О ЧЕМ: Текстовая составляющая не выступает здесь движущей силой песен; она ставит акценты, подчеркивает мысль. В случае Karmacoma текст - также наследие регги. Тема духовной свободы от границ и стереотипов вписывается в любовную историю: «Нам будет плохо вместе. Ты не торопись, иди погуляй и выдохни, потом поговорим спокойно» - говорит лирический герой. Основная тема - душевные проблемы в различных вариациях. Важную роль играет тема незащищенности, возникающей вследствие отчуждения и обособления от общества. Об этом свидетельствует даже название. ИТОГ: Такой альбом - всегда показатель упорной работы исполнителя: эмоциональной, умственной, физической в конце концов. Крепкий и интересный, важный для самих Massive Attack, начинающий робко использовать живые инструменты вместе сэмплов. Такая музыка должна выпускаться и жить, потому что заставляет отвлечься от самокопаний и задуматься о чем-то, помечтать, справиться со всем, что навалилось, и побыть в кои-то веки собой. ЛУЧШИЕ ПЕСНИ: Protection, Sly, Karmacoma

Le parti migliori del disco sono quelle dove si sente l’influenza jamaicana ma comunque mi arriva ancora come acerbo il suono. Apparte karmacoma molti pezzi non hanno un’identità sufficientemente interessante però si sentono alcune trovate che porteranno ai più bei dischi successivi.

Spotify doesn't offer the second track "Bumper Ball Dub" so I didn't get to experience the full effect of this album. But maybe that was OK. This ecstasy-rave space-laser music isn't really my thing outside of an ecstasy rave.

Massive Attack on my ears more like Their cover of Light My Fire was a hate crime 2 ⭐️

Didn't do much for me. It's a fine record, but I'm not sure why this is on the list. In spots, I think the list is more like 1,001 hours you'll never get back. Altogether, that's nearly 42 days.

Two '94 trip hop albums in a row. Much preferred portishead out of the two and it was no where near as good as Blue Lines. I do like how the album artwork is a burnt out version of the flammable sign on the first album cover.

Nope

It’s 2003. You walk into the W Hotel. You hear the soundtrack to your life and realize you are a secret European spy. THIS IS THE REAL YOU.

A real struggle to finish. Painfully boring and hard work to get through. Proud of myself for my dedication to this project and finishing the album. Genuine sigh of relief when it ended. 1.0

Well go figure, it's UK garbage again. I never liked this band. Boring, meandering, overly long, cruddy electronica. Come-down music for pinger-loving dickheads. Their songs used to be all over late night rage in the mid 90s, taking up valuable space that Pantera and Rollins Band needed; I hated it then, and it hasn't improved with age. A real struggle to get through. 1/5.

I got 2 mins into the first song and already wanted to go back to bed. Not something i'd listen to.

I’m not sure how I feel about morisseys voice, but this album was perfectly fine. I don’t have much to say about it other than that it was completely acceptable in terms of sound and lyrics

Pretty dope. Pared down. Unpolished. I’ve always preferred Pink Floyd without Sid Barrett but solo I like him. He’s got a psych-folk-proto-punk thing going. I hear Donovan, The Iggy and the Stooges, Brian Eno. “No good trying” is some proto punk with thrumming guitar and great drumming. A couple of the more proto-punk songs were real bangers but nothing else stood out, kind of faded into hypnotic, cool background music. Better than expected. B-

Fantastic album. Protection and Karmacoma are very strong openers. I just love triphop and Massive Attack specifically so much.

So friggin awesome every song constructs its own unique energy and atmosphere of good vibes. Some playful some more dark, everything masterful and groovy as fuck

Massive Attack!!!! LET'S GO! I've only ever heard one of their albums from front to back. And that is of course Mezzanine. This one is with Tracey Thorn. Don't think I've heard her before. But it has a strong Faithless vibe and that to me is good. Weather Storm is perfectly titled. It's sexily jazzy. I love the deep bass. Damn Heat Miser is awesome! 5 stars!

MA's best album, great mood, so relaxing and captivating at the same time

pretty good, similar to cibo matto

My second favorite Massive attack album. 10/10

Solid 10

Massive Attack staat garant voor luisterplezier. Elk album is gevarieerd. Daarbij helpt de samenwerking met een aantal vaste partners met hun eigen (stem)klank. Bijna alle nummers combineren meerdere muzikale hokjes. Blijkbaar moest er iemand zijn die doorhad dat fijne luistermuziek ook fijne luistermuziek blijft met krachtige muziek eronder. Protection toont dit het minste van de drie eerste albums van Massive Attack. Het is het meest rustige en gebalanceerde album. Wil je het in zijn volle glorie beleven, dan luister je naar Mezzanine, een album wat niet in de "1001 albums you must hear before you die" staat, maar thuishoort in de "11 albums you must hear before you die". Terug naar Protection. Het eerste nummer, de titeltrack en dé hit, maakt het album al. Karmacoma volgt en is de vreemde eend in de bijt. Het drijft op een meer pratende dan rappende Tricky. Niet mijn favoriet, maar wel fijn voor de variatie. Het verschil in de volgende nummers wordt niet gemaakt door de (voor mij) vaste waarden. De bijdragen van Horace Andy verbleken bijvoorbeeld bij de bijdragen op de andere albums. Nicolette maakt het grootste verschil. Sly is een prachtig nummer. Dit album zit voor mij tussen de 4 en 5 sterren. Massive Attack verdient minimaal 2 maal 5 sterren in deze lijst. De selectiecommissie heeft mij de mogelijkheid ontnomen om deze aan Mezzanine toe te kennen. Dus laat ik ik deze plaat dan maar naar boven afronden.

Can never be as important as blue lines, but still a very strong album

Pilar do trip hop. Muito original, reflete seu tempo sem soar datado. ótimo e sexy!

Atmospheric, well produced, just lush. But let's pretend that their cover of Light My Fire, ok?

Another laid back masterpiece, a refinement on their first record.

Massive Attack is one of my favorite bands. I got into trip hop partly because of them. I started with Mezzanine. It fitted in wonderfully with my sound at the time. I only came across Blue Lines - which I had already heard in this project - later through a friend and had to listen to it for a while. It was only later that I came across the album Protection. I really liked it, but it seemed to me to be the weakest of the three. The cover version of Light my Fire was unnecessary, but the rest of the album was still very good. This year Massive Attack are playing live in my area. I'm looking forward to going to the concert. 5/5

so good, brings back many vague memories of when it came out! Both Tricky and Tracey Thorn are incredible here, such a great set of tunes throughout. I think it's their best by far

If this is trip hop give me more. Somehow both atmospheric and danceable, what's not to love?

Solid album. I've only known about this group recently but I like what I've heard. I'll keep digging into their catalog. Thanks generator.

Classic!

Out of all the classic trip hop albums Massive Attack released during the nineties, this is probably the lesser of the three -- my minor grudge is mostly directed at the instrumentals featuring piano performer Craig Armstrong (who was somewhat trendy in Britain at the time, but has since faded into oblivion, at least as far as I know). Those cuts verge a little too much on elevator music for my taste, sapping some of the momentum found elsewhere in the album. The thing is, the floors you explore once you get out of those lifts are *all* fascinating. It's like roaming inside the cold and somewhat dilapidated corridors of a business building late at night, crossing the paths of all sorts of ghosts and spectres. One is Nicolette, lending her Billie Holiday-adjacent voice to the eerie "Three" and the lush neo-psychedelic, string-laden tones of "Sly". Another is an elderly Jamaican following your unsure steps as you cross empty rooms in the sound of "Spying Glass" -- doesn't he exactly look (and sound) like legendary reggaeman and dub prophet Horace Andy? And then at some point, you feel like you're gonna get mugged by a young ruffian with a burly mug named Tricky, with 3D and Daddy G looking at the scene with an approving look on their faces. "Eurochild" is hypnotic and trippy, but it's on the ominous and iconic "Karmacoma" that Tricky sounds the most menacing, in spite (or maybe because) of his hushed vocals... The most impressive ghost, however, is Everything But The Girl's Tracey Thorn. Her ethereal yet precise presence irradiates the minimalistic "Better Things". And most of all, it transcends the legendary opener "Protection", eight minutes of sheer beauty and incredible musicality -- slow yet hard-sounding hip hop beats, a simple funk guitar loop and an ominous, obsessive, one note-bassline all caressed by Tracey's motherly vocals and soothing layers of keyboards piling up on one another. That cinematic title-track is pure magic, and in that particular realm often explored by 3D, Daddy G and Mushroom, only "Teardrop" featuring Liz Fraser, from follow-up album *Mezzanine*, can be deemed superior. Oh, of course, you also have that controversial cover of The Doors' "Light My Fire", also with Horace Andy. I always thought it was only a tongue-in-cheek joke to close the proceedings. My only real issue with the last leg of the album is mostly that not much happens after "Sly" (the second instrumental featuring Craig Armstrong which follows it is more boring than that goofy version of "Light My Fire". The latter elicits some snarling emotional response on my part, at least. Given what I've just written, I could have easily gone to a 4/5 grade here. But the peaks on *Protection* are so damn high that I can forgive its two or three valleys. It's been such a nice ride in that haunted glass tower anyway. It's gonna be a 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, then, rounded up to 5. Which translates to a 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: 3 (plus the 80-ish extra LPs listed on this app, included because different past versions of the book have mentioned albums that have since been dropped in subsequent editions) Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 430 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 255 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 315

Easy-peasy lemon-squeezy. One of my favourite albums by one of my favourite groups. 30 years old now and certainly NOT Electonica.... Great videos if you ever get chance to watch them. Not quite the best of Trip Hop but close (Mezannine and NearlyGod)

TIL that Weather Storm, a piano piece that I've known and loved since I was a child, was originally a Massive Attack track??? Anyway, shockingly, local trip-hop enjoyer enjoys foundational trip-hop album. Some bits of it felt like they'd been John Cartered into feeling a bit like they weren't doing much I hadn't heard, purely because it's so foundational, but still, it's really good, and 5 for the force with which finding that out punched me in the brain, if nothing else.

Before this, my experience of Massive Attack was Unfinished Sympathy. I now see what I’ve been missing out on. Loved all of this.

Massive Attack was one of the first groups to create trip-hop, a mixture of hip-hop rhythms, dub grooves, and looped samples. Their work met with universal critical success, and they influenced generations of musicians. Protection is the group's second album, and while successful, was not as critically successful as their debut, Blue Lines. Massive Attach is a mood - or a vibe. Their material is mesmerizing, engaging dance music. They have a range of guest vocalists on the tracks, giving the album an impressive range, while maintaining a consistent mood throughout. The album is excellent, but the last track, a live "Light My Fire" cover, did not help the cause.

What an interesting album! Never got boring from beginning to end, blended genres in a great way, and was great to listen to from front to (almost) back (the "Light My Fire" cover was a hair out of place). Loved this one.

This is excellent groove music; the vocalist has a beautiful, crystalline voice. I enjoyed it.

Lush

Let's fucking go!!!! I love massive attack!!! It really is a crime that mezzanine isn't on this list though. If you even slightly enjoyed this album I HIGLY HIGLY recommend Mezzanine. It is a lot darker and colder, and has more rock elements, and some of the best production of all time. Now back to this album. I love the title track it is such a comforting track, and probably one of my all time favorite massive attack songs. I feel like I should hate karmacoma, but it is just so hypnotizing and I love the chorus. Three has some fun parts and nice singing. But weather storm is just such a chill song. Spy glass has a great beat, I don't know the singers names, but I always enjoy this guy's songs. Speaking of good singers, any of their songs that feature a female vocalist is top tier. Euro child is such a groovy track, I'm usually not the biggest fan or their hip hop tracks, but this one just has such a good beat. The rest of the album is good except for their cover of light my fire, which is one of the only Massive Attack songs I would describe as bad.

I'd say I had a better time than I thought I would, but I think this is predicated on how much trip hop and adjacent music my dad played growing up when I was a kid and of course would find it immensely boring. 8 year old me marginally preferred this to my mum playing Norah Jones. That being said there's a lot to love here and the textures are gorgeous, although my endless problem with being unable to detach the sample from the song that samples it goes on (James Brown - The Payback in the first song particularly). But on a quiet day sitting in the last rays of the sun, or waking up on a rainy saturday morning, this album has its place and knows it well, and as such I don't think I can really fault it.

There have been a couple trip hop albums on this list (Massive Attack, Portishead), and that's a new genre I had never heard of, but I gotta say I like all of what I'm hearing.

This is not their magnum opus, but it’s still so goddamned good. 4.5 if I could, but I’ve no issues giving this all five stars.

Massive Attack shows up for round 2 and brings Tracy Thorn with them for this one. That's like playing with Game Genie, it just ain't fair how good this is

I can't give this a rating based on any science, historical, or cultural significance or any logical reasoning. Why? Because for whatever reason, I have a pure love for Massive Attack, the genre, the groove, the vibe... This is not their best album (in a way) but it still falls under that "Oh, you didn't really like this? Welp... That's too bad because to me it is awesome and needs no defending." Most of the time when listening to an album of the day there is a distinct change between "my" playlist and whatever it was I was listening to and I have two common reactions: "Oh, it is over already" or "thank goodness that is finally done." This album is among the few where I didn't even notice when it ended and my playlist began.

Really great focus music.

I've been a big fan of this album for a long time and it's an instant 5 stars from me. Listening through was an extreme pleasue both times and I can't pick a favourite, they're all my favourite.

That's an instant 5 from me - loved this album for quite a while now. But if you'll indulge me for a second while I disparage Robert Dimery one more time - why. the. hell. is. "Mezzanine". missing. from. the. list??? I'm not saying that either "Blue Lines" or "Protection" should be dropped to make room for it - it should be on here _as well_ as them. The Beatles and the Stones have a half dozen entries each, including some of their earliest stuff where they're basically just covers bands! smdh. 😠 Anyway, this album is glorious - every track envelopes you like a dense cloud of smoke. Really carves out a mood. I can even get behind the "Light My Fire" cover. Fave tracks - "Protection" and "Eurochild" on this play through, but I love em all!

cool

Perfection

Played this one over & over again when it came out, and I've kept returning to it over the years. The exquisite 7:51 opening title track with Tracey Thorn could be twice could be twice as long, and still not enough for me. A neat touch is how the first and last five tracks (or vinyl sides) mirror each other in terms of collaborators and thus musically. So good that I listened to it twice today.

Almost flawless tbf.

Alveg ótrúlega svöl plata, ein af mínum uppáhalds. Fyrstu tvö lögin algjörir bangerar og restin frábær. Ekki einn veikur hlekkur.

Wow! What a nice surprise. I really enjoyed this.

Beautiful. No Notes

I'm always down for trip hop and Massive Attack are pioneers. Given the choice though I'd rather listen to Mezzanine.

beautiful.

Klassiker! Ich liebe diese Tracks, fliessend, mit tollen Beats und souligem, warmen Gesang. Etwas von Feinsten aus Englands Musikküche, egal welches Album. Und das Konzert auf dem Gurten!!

Cooler Lounge Sound, relaxed und guter Beat. Karmakona sticht heraus aber der Rest fällt nicht ab. Gefällt!

I really enjoyed this. It would have been too low key for me when I was younger but it's just my speed now.

Very mellow like Annie Lennox almost

I don't know this album as well as Blue Lines, though I did buy it at the time. It's a really fantastic piece of work. For a moment in time trip hope was a sound that was new, vibrant and great to listen to. Often much more interesting than the rap genres it derives from, it is a sound of Britain, and indeed Bristol where I studied at the time it was all happening. So glad to have rediscovered this masterpiece. (OK we will forget the last track as if it had never happened)

Massive Attack are great!

I've already heard this a few times, but it's a classic contemplative record, the music feels very deep and gives off the perfect late night car drive vibe, like much of their material, this is a deeply introspective listen, definitely check this out, there's not much music out there like this now

Auch ohne Liz Fraser ist die Band unvergleichlich.

Awesome Album - gives me some retro vibes. Protection was one of my favorite songs when I was around 9 or 10 yo. Always turned the TV loud as hell when it came @VIVA or @MTV

Супер хайповы вроде трип-хоп. Понравился сильно, хоть и не сильно разнообразный, продолжаем слушать P.S. С каждым альбомом все более впадлу писать

Just a classic of the genre, with wicked beats, hooks, and evocative stream-of-consciousness lyrics. I listen to this album end-to-end regularly and will keep doing so in perpetuity.

9/10 Massive Attack has gotta be one of the coolest electronic bands I’ve heard they might not be as good as Aphex Twin or Air, but they’re still absolutely fantastic

Oh man, this was a really good album. I actually had really low hopes for it, expecting it to be some trappy experimental attempt at being "different", but nope. From the title track, I was hooked already. It's a smooth 7 minute trip carried by the strings and really opens up when the dub and piano comes in. Karmacoma is so different and yet it fits in as the next song really well somehow. Tricky has a really laidback but intricate flow, and with the beats laid behind him, it doesn't feel false or out-of-place. The 2 classically inspired pieces were my favorites. Heat Miser is just a really cool piece, while Weather Storm is more of a peaceful perfect rain song. Normally a beat like that would drive me nuts, but I always find myself humming it halfway through the song. The piano work is perfect, you can feel the song coming to a close before the beat starts to fade. This album is a great example of how minimalism can be better than more noise when everything works hard and in harmony with everything else. Most songs use very few instruments but they are brought together to create depth with the dubs and the keys and sometimes the strings. Every song was unique and diverse from the next and yet no song transition was jarring or unnatural. Despite being from many undefinable genres, this still sounds like one cohesive album. There was not a single song I didn't enjoy.

'Protection' was the album I put on on September 11th, when I needed to stop watching the news and find something comforting. Tracey Thorn's lyrics on the opening track felt like a warm blanket insulating me from the world. The whole album continues to feel like a safe space, escapist but with one eye still on reality. I know 'Blue Lines' is their celebrated album but I always found 'Protection' to be a huge leap forward for Massive Attack. It's not a perfect album but since I don't get review 'Mezzanine' (as it's not on the list), I can't not give 5 stars to at least one Massive Attack album.