Protection

This is a whoooooooole vibe

Fun, chill album. Definitely worth listening to once, and a few s9ngs will forever be in my overall shuffle. I'd score 8t 3.5 if I could do half stars.

Great album. Some fabulous tracks on it. Took me back!

Karmacoma was literally everywhere when it came out, as such I'm a bit sick of it. But could never hear Protection too many times, wonderful song. I was never particularly taken by Tricky's solo stuff, aside from Black Steel (which is kind of a rock cover of Public Enemy anyway). Anyway yeah, played this to death during my uni years so will always be evocative of that particular era, plus the sound is very much of its time, hello also to Leftfield. A mix of melancholic but beautiful songs, swooshing instrumentals and modern dub. I had no idea it was made amid so much turmoil for the band. Nevertheless, it still stands up. Best tracks: Sly, Protection, Spying Glass, Heat Miser.

A bit too wild for a trip hop album, but nice nonetheless. That "Light My Fire" cover is annoying btw.

Wonderful triphop album.

I finally found an electronica album I like and it's the one everybody else hates. Oh well. Best track: Heat Miser

could put this on and vibe all day

Great great great album. "Protection" is 10/10

Corker

Listening to this after the last two suggestions was a breath of fresh air. Tracey Thorn is a fantastic vocalist and her with Massive Attack is a brilliant pairing. This IS an album that people should be told to listen to.

Definitely a cool album, different in a good way! didnt expect to like it but i did

Ethereal, dancy and grooving.

there are better massive attack albums. there are also worse massive attack albums.

Large scuffle

Love this album. One of my all time favourites for sure

i like teardrop but IDK their other songs.

Good vibes good times

Not quite as focused as the albums either side of it in MA's discography, but still a great collection of genre-pushing soundscapes and hypnotic grooves. Sure, some of it sounds like video game music... but it all works

Dodgy doors cover at the end but whole album cool asf

Now I understand why I always confuse Massive Attack with Everything But the Girl and Mazzy Star---the timeline, the vibe, the cool esthetic, and of course b/c Tracey Thorn sings the first tune on this fantastic album.

A great album, not as good as mezzanine or blue lines. I’m also absolutely shocked to not even see mezzanine in the 1001 albums! It’s an absolute belter!!

i love it

Love that for me

4.5

Moody and haunting. Maintains its freshness all these years later. Multiple vocalists keeps things varied. The sampling of the Tuvan throat singing on "Karamacoma" blew my mind, and I like nearly every song on this album, but it definitely loses some momentum towards the end.

It's one thing to hear an album where all the songs are completely new to you, but another to be immersed in a whole new sound entirely. This is steady, chill, and cool; it could be a soundtrack to an indie game or a record you play while you're high. It's very obviously a product of its time but that's not necessarily a bad thing, instead it brings back memories of the decade or reminds you of some of your favorite 90s songs that you've since forgotten. I'm particularly drawn to the instrumental tracks, it's like if the lofi beats to study to music was actually good. The rest of the album is good too, though. Overall, standout tracks are Protection, Weather Storm, Euro Girl and Heat Miser.

loved it, and am glad to see that it's not the only album by them on the list, excited to get the other one!!

Overall a good album, my views very similar to the previous one I listened to

Is this an good album? Yes, really good. Is this a classic? I'm less sure. Enjoyed listening (and re-listening), proper chilled out, (and love Tracey Thorn's vocals on Protection), but later on feels forgettable when compared to Blue Lines or Mezzanine.

Nice.

Interesting. A bit slow for me I thought initially, but it grew on me, and I enjoyed listening to it. When the album had finished I didn’t think that I would be listening to it more than once, but by the evening I was playing it again, and I enjoyed it even more the second time around.

FAV TRACKS: PROTECTION, WEATHER STORM, BETTER THINGS, EURO CHILD, SLY, HEAT MISER The production is pretty unique, really enjoyed this record. 8/10

4 stars

This and the Mad Professor remix album would be a great double lp.

not bad

Give me 90s electronica any day. Not my fave album by them but interesting none the less - I really enjoyed Weather Storm.

I was thinking that these guys were crazy to put Massive Attack’s first three albums on here, but then I found out that Mezzanine isn’t included. Wtf Blobert? Anyways good album

ProSexin

A groundbreaking album that's still a good listen.

The band name and album cover didn't really invite me in; I wasn't expecting to enjoy this album. But the groove just pulls you along into some kind of synth trance. Excellent for a chill vibe. Best tracks: Karmacoma, Three, Heat Miser. Not sure why Light My Fire is tacked onto the end, though.

Coolness made into an album

Very chill

Listened while playing Lego Star Wars

More sultry and seductive than Blue Lines, but a steaming, chilled album

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Euro child

This was fun, reminded me of early Archive - I guess it should be the other way round, but nevermind. Anyway, chill beats, somewhat heavy, but not overwhelming. Light My Fire was a nice addition, but was it necessary? Highlight: Protection

‘Protection’ does its thing quietly and assuredly, with little fuss. It’s warm and intimate, thick and heavy, blunted and moody. File under ‘late night listening’.

As with Massive Attack generally, I love about half of this album. Most notably their work with ‘guest’ vocalists Tracy Thorne and Horace Andy. Some great grooves and samples in there. The album in parts sounds very much of its time, production wise, but the songs that work really work. Spying Glass has always been the standout track here for me.

It took me a *very* long time to warm to this album. On the balance, though, it is the most ... authentic? organic? ... of MA's first three albums. (Mezzanine, which is my favourite, has Del Naja's bleakness hanging over it; Blue Lines is a great album, but a little bumpy win places.) Anyway...

I can’t believe I never noticed that the title track is 8 minutes long. Just goes to show how DAMN smooth it is. Passes like a river, and it could go longer and I wouldn’t mind. This is even better than Blue Lines- better choices, more mature. I love it so. Still not perfect, end to end, though… if Mezzanine doesn’t come up on this list at some point, I’m going to freak out!

i really, really liked the intro, i thought that it was very groovy. it’s giving off a very jazzy aura which i don’t listen to, too often but i enjoyed nevertheless ! solid 7/10😊😊

Starts off slow, but grows real nicely. Good stuff.

Very chill baby

Not as good as Mezzanine or Blue Lines. Still good.

I loved loved loved the production and instrumentals here. If you want a chill, cool, yet moody atmosphere, this is it.

Good enough.

Influential and good but not as well known as earlier debut album.

My 3rd favourite MA album which still makes for an excellent listen. Overall a quieter affair than either Blue Lines or Mezzanine that can languish a little at times. The vocals are a particularly strong point and it is a very consistent listen front to back with moments of brilliance. The title track is one of those moments; absolutely gorgeous the show stolen by Tracy Thorn's vocals. Eurochild and Better Things are other examples of Massive Attack at the top of their game. Not as brilliant as Blue Lines but hardly the disappointment that some say. 4 🌟

Super songs mixed with not so good songs.

Decent album with some memorable tunes. Don’t think I’d skip any either.

To be completed

Muito bom quando aparece mais opção de trip hop.

Really took me back, what a surprisingly diverse and interesting album this is.

Brilliant. Purchased immediately after listening.

An excellent introduction to chill triphop

Really cool slow moody electronica. Nice vibe.

Thoroughly enjoyable - not quiet as good their first outing "Blue Line's". The Mad Professors remix of the album "No Protection" which used to do it back in the day would probably get 4.5 stars....

So well put together.

Moody, groovy, and surprisingly varied. Definitely a solid entry in the trip-hop genre; it's man flaw is that it lacks any real "stand-out" tracks for me.

This album is low key and groovy, and while it has lost a little luster for me, I still think it is a great album when I'm feeling extra moody.

Pretty cool

Þetta var eiginlega allt öðruvísi en ég hafði ímyndað mér Massive Attack. Guð hvað það er gaman að prufa eitthvað nýtt!

Doing so much damage

yep, a milestone

Massive Attack can be a little hit or miss for me, especially later on but Protection and Mezzanine are great albums

Love me some Massive Attack, if Mezzanine isn't on this list somewhere down the line I riot. Protection is a good record, though front loaded quite heavily with a drop from Spying Glass onward but those first 4 tracks do a lot of heavy lifting.

I really like Massive Attack so this doesn't come as a surprise to me! A strong 4, not a 5

7/10

This album gave me Porcupine Tree vibes. Each song felt like it was performed by a completely different band. While I didn't always care for the lyrics, the tunes were very chill.

I have to be in the right mood, but this is just so deliciously smooth. Just lie back and let it wash over you.

Classy

A pretty good electronic album

Love it.

Added!

Slaps

The first couple of songs were not my thing but the rest was much more my cup of tea!

Very 90s.

Perfect ambient work music. I ended up listening to the 'recommended songs' playlist afterwards for hours.

Superbly created music. Great for any occasion

Loved it...undiscovered gem

3.5 | Después de el disco flojo y soso de Gotan Project este album cayó como un agradable refresco de memoria de la forma en que se puede hacer música electrónica, que puede ser suave, no bailable y no por eso aburrida. Un disco que no hay mucha forma de ponerle nombre, las canciones a pesar de que se pueden sentir de un estilo todas muy distintas, todas creativas, está ese trip hop en algo como Karmacoma, canciones medio ambientales que podrían sentirse influencia del vaporware como Weather Storm o una especie de reggae pop extraño con Spying Glass. Creo lo que me ha agradado mucho de este grupo siempre es que uno no sabe qué esperar, no hacen muchas canciones que se parezcan entre sí (como por ejemplo pudiera uno decir que Daft Punk siempre suena muy similar) y aunque sí obviamente se escuchan metidos en su estilo siempre se siente fresco incluso dentro de un mismo disco. Quizá lo único que me preocupa ahora es si esta lista va a tener demasiado Massive Attack, me puede gustar bastante pero en realidad van dos discos y todavía falta el que creo es el mejor de ellos. A veces siento que abusan de poner casi discografía completa de algunos artistas que no era necesario. En este caso incluso a pesar de mi gusto por el grupo yo no hubiera puesto en la lista ni el debut ni este, solo hubiera puesto Mezzanine... que en teoría todavía falta (o que quizá no venga y simplemente me quede confundido en cómo eligen esos dos sobre el otro).

3.5 pero sube | Me vuelve a pasar con Massive Attack que el disco en general me es agradable y puedo disfrutar de sus detalles, pero me cansa el tema triphopero o electrónico y de pronto ya no le estoy prestando toda mi atención. Creo que este disco me gustó incluso más que el anterior que oímos de ellos por la fusión con otros ritmos y géneros que son lo que le da un poco más de variedad.

Sono sempre stato un po' un fan dei Massive Attack e questo album, che non avevo mai sentito, non mi ha deluso. Su questo disco c'è la loro firma inconfondibile, il giusto equilibrio di atmosfera, raffinatezza e senso artistico del pezzo. Le interpretazioni vocali sono tutte molto particolari come sempre. La produzione è forse una delle cose che mi ha sempre impressionato di più dei loro dischi e pensare che questo disco sia stato prodotto nel 1994 mi sembra incredibile. Diciamo che come lati negativi forse è difficile non confrontarli con i Massive Attack successivi e notare che mancano di un livello di raffinatezza superiore che svilupperanno più avanti, certi pezzi sono anche forse non sviluppati al meglio e l'album forse fa sentire lievemente la sua durata. Comunque un po' meno di 4 ma merita il 4.

It's got a vibe. Good music for when you're unsure how you're feeling and want to cover all the bases.

Great album overall, standouts for me are protection, heatmiser, better things. Not a fan of spying glass or light my fire though so 4 stars.

A favourite Still fresh ... so influential

Not my usual fare but I enjoyed it for what it was. It is un-categorizable in genre, but still feels unified.

Surprisingly good. Definitely high music.

good but kinda boring

Pretty solid album. Has different sounds with each song. I really enjoyed the song Karmacoma. Very relaxing and funky sounds which I enjoyed.

decent

good listen with some jams but overall the production value to Mezzanine is just so much better and that means alot to a band like this. Will listen again

Not my vote for best Massive Attack album, but an excellent album nevertheless.

First 1001 album so nothing to compare. In its own right nice easy listening. Think it would be nice on driving somewhere on a winter's night.

Great album! So much variety. Each track sounds like a different band.

LOVE

Trip hop

Knew more songs than I thought, great background album

Enjoyed this, good ambient music for working; good beats/vocals/instrumental juxtaposition. Enjoyed Weather Storm, Sly, Euro Child... Not House music tho.

Great album

Bit of a late night record. Not as good as Mezzanine but pretty close.

Very, very, very good.

More of a 3.5. The instrumentals are great throughout but occasionally I dislike the vocalists (the "Light My Fire" cover is particularly bad). Love the Tracey Thorne cut, and didn't realize a band I liked had sampled from "Sly" (Does It Offend You, Yeah?'s "Wondering"). Favorite tracks: "Protection", "Weather Storm"

classic, slow rock

If it didnt have the cover of light my fire, this could potentially round up to a 5. As it stands, its still a really good album that builds a strong mood.

Good likes it better than other massive attack album

Loved some songs others were a bit off.

This was a humble surprise, this is in no way as good as Mezzanine however there are great peaks within this album

Meh

First inkling I had of Massive Attack was when they released Mezzanine which was after this particular album. Really liked Mezzanine but on admittedly limited listening never really got into any of their other albums. So listened to this one from scratch and was pleasantly surprised. Not as good as Mezzanine but not far off. Nice ambience and one for a Sunday night with lights off and glass of red wine. 3/5 16/8/26

It’s a fine album, but trip hop isn’t really my thing. It still astounds me that Blue Lines and this one are on the list, but Mezzanine isn’t.

lekkere muziek tijdens het bakken

This album was rather boring, and a big step down from "Blue Lines".

It is fun to go totally blind into an album because just based on name alone this was not the sound I expected.

What an amazing sound. Peaceful, viby, and interesting. While it isn't my type of music, this album really flowed fantastic track to track. Only favorite track was Euro Child but it might be because of Tricky.

Liked this more than I thought I would. The Tracey Thorn vocals are great. Since this list skews so British, I'd expect an Everything But the Girl record at some point and am looking forward to it.

not for me

Not my favorite Massive Attack album by any means, but it's still solid enough for what it is. I didn't love it, but I did have a fun time with it, and the title track is among their best. Pretty good, but I don't think I'll return to it much.

Trip hop Is not in the dictionary if it where the definition would just be Massive attack’s Discography Bit repetitive, almost dreary in places. But so where the 90s Almost all songs out stayed thier welcome and average 5 mins where 3-4 would be better.

Pleasant enough. Bit zzzz.

Uma mistura de estilos até que interessante.

Chill. I like the songs with low, almost whispered vocal performance. Heat Miser fucking slaps and is a complete stand-out song from the rest of the album. The rest I found pretty meh.

Interesting flow, a bit downbeat at times, overall interesting album. last song feels really out of place.

I expected a heavy metal album and was surprised. Decent electronic. A little dark and boring at times, but not bad at all.

It's Interactive Buddy! I was never an Interactive Buddy-er, truth be told. I always felt bad for the poor guy. Okay, maybe I lit him on fire once or twice, but I tickled him way more than I hurt him. That should be enough to prevent him from punishing me beyond the grave, right? Anyways, I know Massive Attack are a trip hop act because I confused them with Primal Scream in my pre-written review of Screamadelica, so I don't need to deliberate too hard over what the genre of this album could be. Hopefully it's good. Yeah... Yeah. That's about it, really. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Trip hop is the musical equivalent of popcorn. It's filling in the moment and is difficult to get wrong, though it's also exceedingly difficult to get right. Fortunately, this album sates my appetite, so no complaints from me. I favour the deliberate, measured compositions of this album as well as the unique sound palette. The songs are very techno-sounding, but with a fuzzy, murky mastering which makes the music distinctive, fresh and surprisingly clear. The bass is lathered on these songs in a satisfying, cohesive manner, completing the sound of these songs. The vocalists aren't anything to write home about and the hip-hop slant to their performances pushes me away a little, though they generally get the job done. All in all, this was a good time and an album I might just put on whenever I want to relax. Book time. The album had a troubled production cycle. A founding member and vocalist of the band departed after their previous release, Massive Attack briefly changed their name to "Massive" in order to distance themselves from the Gulf War and they had a disappointing tour in the US. That middle point is amusing because of how hilariously performative it is. Critics were alienated at the time of release, citing the pivot in style as a main complaint. "Protection helped cement Massive Attack's status as figureheads of Britain's emerging Bristol sound; paving the way for acts like Portishead, Sneaker Pimps, and Beth Orton." The entry closes out by saying that "Massive Attack's sophomore effort's influence can be heard worldwide wherever good blunted beats are sold." Wikipedia says that there's a dub remix album of Protection similar to that of Gorillaz' debut album. Weird that the Brits chose to do that twice. The critic reviews have been favourable and it had a solid chart performance. It usually peaked at around No. ~25 in the 13 countries where it charted, notably peaking at No. 4 in the UK, No. 9 in New Zealand and No. 15 in Australia. Hmmm. I think the book is vastly overestimating the creative influence of this album, though it was competent and I don't think the trip-hop albums have overstayed their welcome just yet. I'm content to let this one through. I cosign this inclusion.

Pretty good.

Club soul 1991 Protection Karmacoma

Good stuff.

A nice chill listen this morning when I woke up too early on my day off.

The title track is way too long and I didn't really love Karmacoma. The rest of the album is pretty good, but I'd take Blue Lines any day. Damn, Weather Storm is groovy as hell. Sly is atmospheric and beautiful. The Light My Fire cover is a fun way to end it, if a bit out of place.

Cool, but not as satisfying as some of their other work.

I definitely should have been high for this one.

Somehow I ended up on an album filled with remixes of Protection (the song). Once I fixed that, this was more enjoyable. It dragged in places and didn’t stick with me, but was enjoyable enough. 6/10 Pretty Good

Taas kerran biittejä, mutta jostain syystä tykkään siitä. Sopii hyvin jonkun tekemisen taustalle.

I like the slower beats and the chill vibe, but it didn’t stand out to me.

...

Enjoyed the variety throughout the album

not bad for not having the house theme song

You know, not too bad!

Better than most things of its genre and time but still not my bag

Maybe their 3rd best album. Average, but worth the listen.

On a mid streak ☹️

Does it get any cooler than this? But though I love the vibe, I found the album uneven: some songs just wandered off into the ether.

It wasn't massive, but not necessarily attacking either.

I’ve never heard of this band before. Enjoyable enough for a listen but not the typical stuff I listen to.

Big improvement on Blue Lines. Not something I’d go out of my way to listen to, but it was nice background music. Put me to sleep a couple times so had a few repeat listens.

I’ve never really dipped into Massive Attack beyond acknowledging Teardrop as a banger so I didn’t know what to expect. It’s experimental, samples galore with a few tidy vocal entries but it’s a bit mangled and some of the songs are just a bit too odd. You can tell it’s the same group throughout but I’m not sure how well it hangs together. A solid and interesting entry without ever really delighting me, may be one for further listens.

Interesting little mong fest this one.  It's largely very chilled and relaxing.  It has vibes of Faithless and even a bit of Peaky Blinder on "Karmacoma".  Not my normal haunt this, but I respect it has some level of atmosphere built and it's not a loop fest or an overly commercial hip hop hammer, so I do find this easier to enjoy. It's been on the list to experiment with Massive Attack just never did until now.  It's a mixed bag for me as its largely enjoyable background, but some songs don't grab me much.  I feel like I should be experimenting with some mindfulness activities or something.  As music goes it's an interesting canvas I suppose for letting your mind connect and seeing where it goes and, on the basis, it seeps in rather than slams its rather nice.  I am just not the kind of guy to let my mind go still to appreciate this which is possibly a shame.  Happy enough to come across this.

Not the album I was expecting and not as outstanding, but still good

Not bad

++: Protection, Karmacoma, Three, Weather Storm, Sly, Light My Fire +: Better Things, Eurochild, Heat Miser +-: Spying Glass 7,7/10

High 3 low 4 for me. First track and second to last stand out most.

Considered ambient trip hop

Great at creating a mood. The impact reduced with to many voices, most successful tracks were with Tracey Thorn

There’s a consistently interesting combination of sounds, though admittedly nothing that truly ever sets my world alight. I like the dubby, chill soundscapes which slowly morph, change and reveal themselves. Some are more effective than others but they all create a welcoming vibe. The variety of singers keeps things fresh while the production is consistent enough to make for a coherent album experience.

Massive Attack gets a 3 from me too. Great sounds, cool vibes but nothing grabs me beyond the first track here.

This was a meh for me. A 2.5 with rounding up.

It’s ok, not as good as mezzanine but a solid chilled beats album

I like the idea of Massive Attack as a band I could listen to and appreciate in a dark room and let their vibe float over me, but this never happens. This one I was doing the hoovering at the time, hardly a relaxing chill out thing to do. I could feel all of me,. apart from my right arm, starting to relax, taking in the ambience of their slow burn tunes and generally enjoying the feel of album, then an incongruous cover of 'Light My Fire' came on at the end. WTAF? Killed it for me right then.

Background music

3.4 3x

Massive Attack at their most subdued? Criminal that this is here rather than Mezzanine, but I'm only the 10,000th person to say that. This is a good background-album, but far from MA's best

Easy enough to listen to but wasn’t good enough to get added to the ole library

Protection Karmacoma Eurochild

More Tracey Throne and less men mumbling over a bass line, please.

6/10

Pop, HipHop, 1994 -> 3

Bleep bloop massive attack is alright but I prefer hip hop massive attack tbh

5 - AVERAGE

Ein bunter Strauß an elektronischer Musik. Viele aneinandergereihte Klänge, teilweise mit Gesangs-Verstärkung unterschiedlicher Künstler. 3/5

3.5/5

Title track is excellent but found it to be a bit forgettable other than that. The light my fire cover doesn’t come close to original

7/10

6/10 It's basically "lo-fi hip-hop beats to relax/study to" but from the 90s

My least favourite Massive Attack album.

El trip hop ha llegado al grupo. Lindo. Electrónico y melódico. Un buen álbum. 6/10

7/10

Lounge background music

While neither incredibly massive nor attacking, the vibes are impeccable. Very minimalist in nature.. definitely feels like the kind of electronic record that heavily influenced many to follow.

This was enjoyable in a relaxed groove style. If I was out somewhere on a casual Sunday afternoon and this was put on I wouldn't complain. Would really like to give it 3.5 as felt it didn't do enough for me for a 4.

Relaxed techno vibes doesn’t always land but it’s not half bad

Massive Attack (never heard of them) is a British group, and as Wikipedia says, “their music often defies categorization, ranging from R&B to hip hop/rap to reggae-tinged synth-pop to classical influenced electronica instrumentals.” Overall it is pleasant to listen to, although the last track on the album, a live cover of “Light my Fire”, doesn’t fit with the rest of the tracks.

Second Massive Attack album I've got. Once again, it's painfully mid. Looking at it one way, there isn't a song on here I really dislike. But, there isn't one song on here that sticks out that I really enjoy, either. Painfully mid. And it doesn't feel far off from being better than it is...but it's not.

Not bad, it was a pleasant enough background listen.

Along with ‘dummy’ this provided the Bristol part of Britpop. Hard to categorise and with a refreshing array of collaborators, including two lovely tracks with Tracey Thorn. The title track is one of the 90s finest tracks looking back. Pleasantly surprised today as I didn’t pay too much attention to the album as a whole back in the day.

The only thing I can say is that I didnt think I knew who this was but I had already listened to an album of theirs before. Not a great sign. And then it does its thing, washes over me and I just dont have anything. It just is. I can hear its good. I can see the person this is for but its not me. I can't get behind it. Im ok listening to this but thats it. Nothing else to say

Doesn't feel that massive.

Wasn’t doing it for me. Great atmosphere but it didn’t really spark interest in me at any point

A good groove to this album, I think it's more chill than the last one? I really enjoy the bass throughout, some good lines. Would put this on again.

I liked this better than Blue Lines. But do we really need more than one album from these guys here? Nah. Still, I liked the overall vibe of this one. And the two tracks featuring Tracey Thorn from Everything But The Girl were a nice surprise and some of the best. The inclusion of the last track was completely unnecessary and definitely took away from the intended feel.

Rating the same as Blue Lines... pretty decent for background tunes. Last track nearly had me rounding down. Had to check to see if it was added in a later issue of the album. Shocked it made the cut on the original. So unnecessary. 2.75/5

Soundtrack for a film about hedonistic drug use.

Karmacoma : très bien et donne vraiment le ton en début d’album . Sinon c’est du trip hop, pas mon genre. Paraît assez vieillot par moments.il y a quand même plusieurs points d’intérêt et l’écoute est plutôt agréable (ex: Sly). Mais parfois je trouve que massive attack est assez caricatural. Je suis content de l’avoir écouté mais ne le réécouterai pas

-1 for the last track. Yikes

Kinda flat but helped me deal with a stressful commute

Maybe it's all of this 90s nostalgia, but this sorta hit for me in a surprising way

Interesting listen. Cool grooves, but seemed like one, long 48 minute song. Not something I would normally gravitate to, but I enjoyed it.

interessantinho, uma coisa mais trip hop lofi bem suave para ouvir enquanto trabalha. mas somente ok mesmo.

The first track is a banger but sounds nothing like the rest of the tracks! Otherwise, it is a decent album; I expect to see more Massive Attack here.

I found this a little dry. I'm not into this kind of electronic i guess. It was still nice and interesting.

Would listen again

I am starting to like Massive Attack.

Good

I casually know Massive Attack, mostly I've heard Mezzanine a bunch of times. Apparently that one is not on this list but this one is? That's a little weird. I haven't heard this one though so maybe it's better? Yeah, it's not. It's fine but is mostly kind of background music. I don't understand why this album would be picked instead of their most widely recognized and popular album that actually does deserve a spot on this list. And what the hell is up with that garbage cover of Light My Fire? That was painful. 2.5/5

Nice background music. Very chill. I can understand why some people would rate this a 5, because it evokes a period in the 90s when this kind of music was peeking into mainstream territory. I think there are better Massive Attack albums, though, so I'll give it a 3.

6.40

i like this band but found this album just a little primative

Ganske snork

Had protected myself from listening previously. Wish I hadn’t!

When it comes to trip hop I prefer Portishead.

Chronologically this album sat between two great ones (Blue Lines and Mezzanine). Protection is good but not up to those exceptional standards. That said, the opening two tracks are fabulous. The basic rule of thumb for this album is that if the primary vocals are provided by either Tracey Thorn or Tricky (here using some lyrics also included on his solo material), the track is a winner.

there are better massive attack albums tbh

Reminds me of nineties cafe music and turtle necks and air

My second Mass Atack album- this one was interesting. It was a broader mix of genres- definitely electronic influence but with more ethereal and downtempo elements. Complex- a lot of good somes and some moments that didnt quite hit for me. Overall- good album

Not bad, pretty vibey with some solid vocals from Tracey Thorn and Nicolette. I particularly liked Better Things and Sly. However, some of the other tracks were less interesting and I didn't like how they mostly just cut out suddenly. That might have been because of where I was listening to them though.

Decent, I didn't like it quite as much a Blue Lines but it hit the same trip hop itch

An inconsistent album full of ups and downs. Almost felt like I enjoyed every other track.

Hmmmmmm lol

I liked this but it made me feel stressed and freaked my dog out.

Solid effect from MA here. 3.5 stars

Opening two tracks are great stuff. A lot of this albums makes me feel like I’m playing some long forgotten game for the Playstation 1. I like it, but I don’t think I’ll ever revisit it.

Es un disco agradable, pero prefiero no volver a escucharlo y ponerme por 167 vez el puto Mezzanine que es uno de mis discos favoritos de la historia. Si ha existido para que exista Mezzanie, ok, pero está a años luz de esa obra maestra.

This was fine. I think I liked it more than Blue Lines but I think just because my expectations were ratcheted down this time. They're probably pretty even if I went back and listened to blue lines. Did we really need TWO non Mezzanine Massive Attack albums on this list??

i love trip-hop and i love Massive Attack. Despite that, this it's not something as complete and realized like Mezzanine. Has some good songs, but feels more diverse and varied. Good in general but not as mindblowing

***A good, easy listening album

Slum plate, fungerer fint som bakgrunnsmusikk.

Pleasant lo fi beats

Mein... viertliebstes Massive Attack Album. Von fünf. Für mich zu viel zu ähnlich, zu viele Filler. Highs sind high, though.

All the moody, seductive atmospheres you want from a Massive Attack album; hardly any of the bittersweet, mysterious melodies or gripping, tense song structures you want from a Massive Attack album. Wait, why aren't we listening to Mezzanine instead?

This was a head turner in 1994. I heard "Karmacoma" in a record store and bought it that day. Impressive listener counts from top to bottom, leading off with the easy to enjoy "Protection", Tracy Thorn sings the shit outta that one. "Weather Storm" is a smooth track, fits in perfectly with the overall vibe. The vocal on "Spying Glass" is awful, that quavering delivery, wow, that's just not good. His "Light My Fire" is hard to enjoy as well. And I do like Horace Andy. Also, not a fan of Nicolette's voice either, a bit high and irritating. This was cool and different in 1994, it is a good window in to what was happening back then, but not a fantastic album or a must hear.

More jazzy but a little less notable than mezzanine or blue lines or heligoland. at least more muzak to me than the monumental trip hop group they would become

Lots of variation; interesting listening

Genre hopping Vibey Evocative Enjoyable listen that never crossed over into truly memorable for me.

My rating 3.2. Reggae infused ambient electronica. Ok but nothing special. Liked Protection and Karmacoma.

Some good ones here, brings the bass

Vähän oli liian ”lässyä” mun musamakuuni, mutta kyllähän tän kuunteli. Toimi ehkä sunnuntai-aamuina parhaiten.

The albums before and after this one, Blue Lines and Mezzanine, seem like more complete visions. I like some individual songs (Karmacoma, Sly) and always love Tracy Thorn's and Nicolette's vocals, but too many tracks seem like rejects from Blue Lines. I think 1001 albums should keep Blue Lines and Mezzanine and let this one go. It's not Massive Attack's best work.

Har nesten ikke hørt på denne plata siden både Mezzanine og Blue Lines eksisterer.

Good background music to just groove too

Ehh. Digital elevator music

Mostly pretty good, but nothing else reaches the heights of the title track.

Not a bad electronic album. Good relaxing almost lo-fi vibes that make for a calming listen. Still a bit too drawn out and generic in parts for my larger liking, but still not bad by any stretch. Top tracks: Weather Storm, Euro Child, Sly

Favorite track(s): Protection, Weather Storm, Euro Child

Chill Massive Attack, always a good sound

I can definitely hear it being a game changer just as Aphex Twin. Scene changer, really awesome!

This record is pretty good. I thought that the production was grimy or dirty, and there was a lot of distortion, making this a little overwhelming to listen to. At times, it works to its detriment, like the heavy breathing sound in Heat Miser, which doesn't stress me out, but it's kind of just annoying. Favourite Track(s): Better Things Least Favourite Track(s): Heat Miser

I quite liked listening to this. But I couldn't tell you what I enjoyed... It really could sit in as a background noise. I know that's not true, and there is a relatively cool range of tracks. However, I can't recall them. I got to stop doing these albums during housework... 3 Stars.

This album is like catching public transport into town to go to an acupuncture appointment.

Coole vibes, sommige bangertjes, ma ni heel speciaal

Last year I went on holidays to Bristol. Home to Banksy and top-tier street art. The birthplace of trip-hop. And of Portishead, IDLES, and Massive Attack. This album reminds me of Bristol. Not just because Massive Attack are from there, but also because there's a grittiness and a sharp edge to everything. It reminds me of the vibes of Turbo Island: broken bottles and smoldering ashes from last night's bonfire lingering, with some dodgy character lurking not too far away. It's hard to define the Massive Attack sound. They drift between electronica, hip-hop, reggae, dub, soul, R&B, and ambient genres throughout this album. But the overall vibe is trip-hop. Downtempo, bass-heavy, slow and moody. Lots of space and heavy atmosphere. I'm a big fan of Massive Attack. But this is far from their best. The opening title track is a classic tune, but there's something about Tracey Thorn's voice that grates against my brain. I always find it hard to listen to just because of her voice. "Karmacoma" is a good song, but feels a bit out of place. The rest of the album has a lot of textured atmosphere, but not a lot of anything overly memorable. It's not a bad record, but it's a victim of comparison. Being sandwiched in between two great albums always highlights what it isn't. It's not Blue Lines and it's certainly not Mezzanine. It feels more like a stepping stone between the two.

Started off nicely with "Protection," a slow burn of a song that goes on too long. From there, it was fine, although forgettable. Just too many of the same mid-tempo lackadaisical kinds of songs. Ones that stood out were "Spying Glass" and "Heat Miser." But to end with a limp, tepid cover of "Light My Fire?" Why?

This was fine.

i liked most of this. it was like an early 2000s teen or spy movie soundtrack

this is an album for making out, yeah?

Trip hop was never my bag, but this is ok. Always liked Protection.

I heard this band was a triphop band that blended dub music, electronic and triphop. I immediately thought, “can I just not listen to this album and rate it a 2.” But I listened to it anyways and I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this album. I even let Spotify pick songs from this genre the rest of the day and was exposed to more bands and music… I’m probably not a triphop fan yet but it just shows that you can’t say you hate broccoli without having tasted it yet.

6/10

Nice.

A few great songs. Protection and better things. Not consistent

Echt heel erg jaren 90 vond ik. Maar best prima wel verder.

Hadde vært perfekt hvis jeg hadde en dyp sofa og likte te.

lovely

Review - Some decent tracks, can see the progression to their later, better work. This album is very specifically of it's time/place, in a nice, quaint way. Rating - 6.5/10 Need to hear? KINDA

Egentlig ikke min kopp te, men veldig behagelig bakgrunnsmusikk, typ rolig tirsdagskveld på VT.

Hørt på tur med Guri på kirkegården i sinnsykt nordlys. Eventyrlig setting, skulle ønske musikken var littegranne bedre.

Going to give this a 3, but it's really a 2.5. It's a relaxed vibe, but it never really grabbed me.

I’m more familiar with Blue Lines, which I’ve listened to quite a lot. Coming to Protection while I was tired, I found it so smooth and subdued that it actually made me a bit sleepy.

The first two tracks are exceptional, but a lot of this album is just ok ambient sounding tracks. I really didn’t enjoy tracks like spying glass and sly

I'd not managed to get to this album, as it was Christmas Eve and I had stuff to do. But then it turned out I had a bout of insomnia and at 1:10am, I realised this might be the perfect thing. It was going well (making me sleepy) until Spying Glass - what a weird vocal! But then I started nodding off again and, when I was clearly so sleepy I couldn't keep my eyes open, I took off the headphones... Well it turns out, all but the last track of Protection is what I need to fall asleep. So while this may sound like damming with faint praise, very relaxing album: 3/5

i don’t really know what to say it was just okay and that’s all

Inspiring sampling work, as expected. I didn't really find much else of this album interesting, however. I can't tell if this was better, worse, or around the same as "Blue Lines" from earlier in this list. Both kind of operate on the same wavelength.

Good background music but not altogether remarkable or ear catching. Mezzanine is a better album.

Decent. But their other album(s) belong on this list and not this one. Additional example of bias from list author(s).

So-so. I really liked the first song with Tracey Thorn, but that was mostly cuz of Tracey Thorn.

Pretty good. Came out the same year as Portisheads' Dummy, apparently, and it did remind me of it at points.

Highlights: Protection, Weather Storm. In a nutshell: smooth fusion. A bit of downtempo and dub, a lot of trip hop. It's smooth. It's not their best album but it's certainly not their worst. Unfortunately, Mezzanine isn't in the book. But it's on the user list, so hang in there if you want to add your review! Overall: 5/10

Smooth vibes. Not what I would put on usually. Deserves more of a 3.5/5.

Smooth songs with some catchy grooves

Hmm. The best I can give it is “pretty alright.” Like many triphop albums on the list, I’d say I generally liked it, but not much more than that. There were some good songs here, many that were mediocre, and at least one that was straight-up bad (the cover of Light My Fire at the end. Why?!). Favorites: Karmacoma, Three 3.5

As others have said, the Light My Fire cover is absolutely unnecessary in itself and also spoils what would have been a perfectly good ending to a perfectly fine album. Aged a bit better than Blue Lines to my ears, but the question has to be asked... Why more than one Massive Attack album?

Weirdly enough I kind of like trip hop. Massive Attack is always fun to listen to.

electronica...not my cup of tea

Unique but super boring

Feels like LoFi before LoFi. A bit weird but was able to vibe to it.

The main focus is the low end - the construction of spacious dark beats, propulsive but laid back - borrowing styles from dub and house music, the interplay of repetition and iteration, of subtle variation and constant looping, of synchopation and resolution, of reggae basslines's flair and the machinic precision of the drum machine. Then the high end they fill with whatever - house diva vocals, raps, toasting, jazzy piano - and it just works. Impossibly icy and steamy, the sound of a damp warehouse recently packed with bodies - the contemplative calm after the heat of a rave.

I didn't mind this playing in the background

It's a relaxing listen.

Not my bag but I get it.

There were some solid highlights on here, but I felt like it paled in comparison to their bigger albums. A lot of moody backgroundy/ambient sounding songs which just don't hit me as hard as their other work did