Blue Lines

1991. Key Songs: Be Thankful For What You've Got

Wow!! Amazing!!

This album rips. I can't believe it was released in 1991. It seems way ahead of its time.

Just saw this lot at Primavera Porto, this album is one of the coolest things of all time so 5 stars it is

Отличный, чрезвычайно стильный альбом, наполненный тягучей, мрачной атмосферой и загадочным и таинственным вайбом. Шаманский и психоделичный киберпанк, так бы я назвал этот альбом. Его единственная проблема, это то, что я уже слышал Mezzanine и тут он, конечно, проигрывает. Альбом с жуком лучше по всем параметрам. Но и этот дебют, надо сказать, крайне неплох.

So good.

The most important lyric on *Blue Lines* comes from Tricky (who isn’t even an official member of the group) and is delivered matter-of-factly, almost in passing, on the title track: “English upbringing, background Caribbean.” It doesn’t just speak to the multiracial/multicultural heritage of basically all the personnel here but also identifies their intentions. For this album seeks to do nothing less than claim the frequently whitewashed British soul tradition, its antecedents in vocal jazz, and the brave new world of hip-hop as their own. And not just as their own but as a uniquely British signifier - the sound of post-industrial urban Britain on a million soundtracks and commercials and anywhere else you need to tell your audience that this place is dark and dangerous and yet also tender and beautiful. Seriously, the track listing here has everything: R&B, both classic and new (“Safe from Harm,” a killer cover of “Be Thankful for What You’ve Got”), *Sign ‘O’ the Times*-esque funk (“Daydreaming”), downtempo dub that feels comfortable now but was groundbreaking to include on a nominal club album then (“One Love,” “Lately”). Along the way the antecedents are called out and repurposed with panache; the chords underlying “Five Man Army” pay subtle homage to the long orchestral notes in the bridge of “A Day in the Life,” while “One Love” takes one of Bob Marley’s most famous lyrics and bends it into something slower, more methodical, simultaneously menacing and inviting. And nothing I say about “Unfinished Sympathy” can even begin to do it justice; Shara Nelson’s desperate vocal recalls the absolute best of Diana Ross or Tami Terrell, while the chord progression refuses to ever fully resolve, suspended in uncertainty and yearning forever. When the nervy, expansive, gospel-tinged “Hymn of the Big Wheel” emerges from the smoke it feels like walking home from the best night of clubbing you ever had, your head still buzzing with the creative energy of the music. As a teenager I heard Tricky’s grimy masterpiece Maxinquaye before I heard this, so at least initially I recall being slightly underwhelmed by the relative lightness here. Now I hear the calm boldness on display on every track and I’m amazed that Massive Attack could so self-assuredly move the medium forward. This is the sound of a group calmly, confidently asserting that this is *their* island, and they’re right.

BEST ALBUN EVER

Bass heavy beats, clever lyrics and great tunes. This is a brilliant album that paved the way for Tricky & Portishead, and I don't think Massive Attack ever topped it. Stand out tracks include Safe from Harm and Unfinished Sympathy but Five Man Army and Hymn of the Big Wheel are great songs too. Was great to listen to this again after a long time. 5 stars

I heard of Massive Attack but never really gave them a look in but this album is excellent downtempo for feeling rhythm and chill.

Lovely album from an amazing band. Another album that I've been listening to for years, so how can I fail to give it 5 stars?

10/10 no question. One of the best of ‘91 if not the 90’s. Sympathy one of the best pop tunes of all time.

I believe this is a 5. And it is. It has been in rotation since I was introduced sometime in the mid to late nineties. That’s a long time. There’s been long periods where I didn’t reach for it, but honestly, it was always close at hand. This exercise is making me think about WHY Massive Attack and Tricky affected me the way they did. I believe it’s the beats. The sound building experience. And this has aged well for me. I love it today as much, more for all the time it’s been played and played against the developments that were to come. So truly a great album. Along with Mezzanine. A fight for a place on my desert island. 5 Boolean: TRUE

Groundbreaking album introducing TripHop to the world. Also Shara Nelson amazing singer bought all her albums after this came out. Followed by the band absolute Master Piece Mezzanine.

What a banger. Still good and fresh. Why was Mezzanine not on the 1000 Albums list we will never know, go listen to that album if you liked this one.

Really good album!

I listened to this album on my patrol walk in the summer heat, enjoying the feeling of being present in my body through the sweat and effort of a jogging workout. I knew going into this album that I had heard of Massive Attack, but I could not remember what genre of music I knew them for. My mind could not decide between thinking they were a rock band or an electronic band, and the opening song did not clarify the situation for me; with a steady infectious drum loop, gorgeous feminine vocals, occasional guitar riffs, and classic electronic vocal chops, I was treated to a melting pot of both countless different sounds and genres, a blend which I absolutely loved. This strange mix of hip-hop, soul, and electronic music constantly moved between sounds and styles, staying fresh and new at each turn. I always respect an artist or band willing to just do whatever the hell they want, even when execution is lacking, and Massive Attack's execution is certainly not lacking. Just when I thought I had a grip on Blue Lines' soundscape, they seamlessly integrate Caribbean vocal tones, rhythms, and percussion into these spacey, bluesy electronic atmospheres, a pairing which feels like it shouldn't work but sticks the landing. Partway into this album, my research finally revealed to me that this hard-to-define blend of genres is, in fact, trip hop, a term which I have heard before but never experienced. I discovered that Blue Lines is considered a defining album within that sound, and I understand why; one listen to this album has me longing for so much more. This is absolutely the kind of fully realized and bold artistic work which inspires the creation of an entirely new wave of music, looking to recapture that vibe and groove. I hope other albums managed that task, even if Blue Lines sets an incredibly high standard. Highlights: Safe From Harm, One Love, Blue Lines, Be Thankful For What You've Got, Five Man Army, Unfinished Sympathy, Daydreaming, Lately, Hymn Of The Big Wheel

ABSOLUTE classic

Generational blend of so many essential music styles that yet cannot be reduced simply to an assimilation attempt. Incredible production, great vocal performances. Yeah this the one

Unfinished Sympathy. Closer to a 4 than a 6.

Still really does it for me. Fav tracks: Unfinished Sympathy Saved a song: N RYM: N

So good. 5/5

Have it on vinal, absolute classic.

Yes! Should do Mezzanine

Amazing

Great

This is the kind of experience I signed up for when I started the generator. This album is a beast. I couldn't wait to restart it after it ended.

Inte deras bästa album men ändå helt magnifikt bra!

What can I say? English band.

I'm conflicted on whether to give this 4 or 5 stars. It's defo not Massive Attacks best album and the songs on there are probs a 3.5, with the exception of Safe from harm and Unfinished Sympathy which are obviously 5. I also feel like on the whole a lot of massive attacks songs drag on a bit for me. Saying that, I am a big fan of massive attack and love how each of their albums has a different vibe to it. Blue lines is one of the few albums of theirs I havent listened to all the way through and I have rlly enjoyed the groovy feel to it So yh, the album is probs a 4.3 for me, but I'm gonna give it 5 star just cos I want to

A fantastic album by a fantastic group.. Very trippy and inventive. This can be played at any volume in many situations.

The seminal trip-hop album - merging R&B, pop, jazz and hip-hop into a compelling stew. Massive Attack would go on to produce arguably better records, but the classics here ("Unfinished Symphony", "Safe From Harm") are truly all-time peaks of this short-lived genre. Great album.

One of the best of all time

One of my earliest experiences with trip hop is still potentially my favorite. I know Mezzanine is the big classic for a reason, but this album came out in 1991 and saw an entire landscape that would be filled out progressively throughout the rest of the decade. One of the most forward-thinking albums I've ever heard, and the title track is still my favorite Massive Attack song.

nosoy fand el album completo pero me encantan las voces femeninas de este album

Massive album.

Berätta inte för farsan hur man knullar.

Ett album som jag tycker blivit bättre för varje gång jag lyssnat på det och som jag ofta återbesöker. Speciellt låtarna med Tricky har jag svårt att inte tycka är asballa. 5/5!

Blue Lines feels oddly displaced in 1991. Put it beside much of the surrounding product and it sounds three or four years ahead of schedule. Not because it is futuristic in the obvious sense, but because it seems to have bypassed the period’s main argument. While a lot of early-90s music was still negotiating its escape from the 1980s, this sounds as if it has quietly moved on and built a new working model. The record’s achievement is structural. It draws from dub, soul, hip-hop, sound-system culture and post-punk collectivism, but it never feels like a collage. It feels like shelves full of records have become a method. The samples, voices and grooves are not displayed as clever references; they are absorbed into a system. What is most striking is the lack of ego. Nobody tries to dominate the room. Voices enter, occupy a space, then step back. Bass carries authority without bluster. Space does as much work as sound. The album understands that restraint is not absence - it is organisation. That is why it feels so different from more obvious 1991 crossover records. Those often bolt dance, samples or noise onto a band-shaped object. Blue Lines does something more radical: it removes the assumption that the band is the natural centre. The track becomes a room, a field, a negotiated space. There is a lineage here that goes back through dub and sound systems, but also through the rambling collective logic of post-punk and Bristol squat culture. The Pop Group, early Thompson Twins, Soul II Soul (Not Bristol; granted), Wild Bunch - not because they all sound alike, but because they share a belief that music can be a social system rather than a vehicle for one front person. The sequencing is superb. The album moves without seeming to push. It can ramble and not ramble at the same time. The title track into Be Thankful for What You’ve Got is a masterclass in loose structure that is actually tightly governed. Five Man Army makes the sound-system roots explicit, then Unfinished Sympathy gives the whole system propulsion without rupturing it. Even the monster track does not stand outside the album like a novelty hit. It blooms from within it. By the end, Hymn of the Big Wheel feels like the collective writing QED after showing its working for forty minutes. Dub, soul and austere electronics line up, and the album simply demonstrates that the system holds. Its influence is hard to overstate because it is not merely a style record. It changes what later records can be: voice inside environment, beats that breathe, albums as inhabited spaces, collective authorship without chaos. Without Blue Lines, a great deal of 90s and post-90s music becomes harder to imagine. A masterpiece, but not a showy one. More like a lodestone: looking back to 1977 and earlier, pointing forward to much of what came next.

First time I listened to this. Didn't enjoy it as much as Mezzanine, but still thought it was fantastic. The only song I started off disliking (Hymn of the Big Wheel) I loved by the time it finished. This is a 9/10 for me and I'm gonna drag that up to a 5.

One of the most important albums of its genre from one of the most important groups. Simply perfect.

are u kidding dis shit exquisite

Massive Attack is one of my top 5 artists. While this is not my favorite of their albums, I still love it.

Cool. Perfect for chilling out.

Lowkey seminal.

"Mezzanine" is generally the Massive Attack album I'm most likely to gravitate towards (and represents one of several absolutely criminal omissions from the list). However, this is still a scarily good debut and more than deserving of its place. Widely regarded as the first "true" trip hop album, for me its qualities and the soundscapes it conjures up truly come alive at night. A trawl through suburban streets, a late drive or something to decompress to after a long day - this has you covered through its sensual, thumping, reverberating bass-heavy sound entwined with otherworldly, poignant soul and dub elements. It's an enthralling experience from front to back, which can function superbly either as central or background listening. Massive Attack have long been on my live bucket list - hopefully I'll get the opportunity some time.

Listened to Massive Attack several times now from the challenge and just going back cause I liked it. I'd listened to this after the first one we heard. Awesome album and super influential for all trip hop music to come. One of the major influences of Radiohead and the rest of the 90's.

Unreal album. Live they are even better

Just one of the coolest bands of all time. Not as good as Mezzanine but still a flawless album. Unfinished Sympathy lives rent free in my head and I hope it never leaves. 5.0/5.0 Best Song: Unfnished Sympathy

It's just so cool, and so atmospheric, there isn't another album that sounds like this or that encapsulates a vibe as well as this. This sort of changed everything, i think so much is inpsired by this. Best Track: Unfinished Sympathy obviously

So what do you get if you cross Music for Airports with I Feel Love. Apparently this, eventually. Takes all the EDM tricks and ticks, then slows them down and turns them in on themselves to have a good, hard meditation. Safe from Harm: A bass line that goes for miles with great vocals and rapping over a drum sample that drives it forward. One Love A track so minimal it threatens to disappear, then the horn sample appears so it can hook you in. Blue Lines Starts like the coolest jazz track then Tricky appears so he can rap about whatever his stream of consciousness throws up. Be thankful for what you've got A surprisingly faithful cover of William DeVaughan's 1974 hit. Massive Attack even sample the organ from the original hit. The message against consumerism is still relevant. Five Man Army Probably the closest the album comes to traditional rap. The members of Massive Attack take turns to boast and dis. All against the coolest nightclub soundtrack. Unfinished Sympathy The absolute masterpiece on the album. Shara Nelson's voice soars above a dense cloud of strings, voices, drum loops and keyboards. "Are you ready" they chant and Shara really is. The Orchestra (not samples, but live) cost so much that the band had to sell their car to pay for it. Daydreaming. Again a minimalist backing track while Tricky raps over the top, Fiddler on the Roof and Beatles references and all. Lately Another Shara Nelson's soaring vocal over a giant bass line. Superb. Hymn of the Big Wheel Droning synths give support ro Horace Andy's song about the Big Wheel. The environment, social inequality, greed all get a mention. It's a big song with a big melody, stuffed full of ideas. This is a magical album there are people who prefer Mezzanine, but we're lucky to have both that we can choose.

Best album of the year so far

Wonderful album, great opportunity to revisit

A classic.

Is it just Massive Attack or is it all the Triphop-ishness on this list? Have to go back to see if exposure changes my 2 rating for Portishead.

Fun to learn that Massive Attack is recognized as the first trip hop album. What a pleasure it was to listen to this album this morning and learn more about them. Five Man Army gives me some Sublime vibes. I love that Del Naja has been accused of being banksy. Since he is also a graffiti artist from Bristol and banksy art would often appear around massive attack shows. But he denies this claim and mentions that banksy has been to their shows. It would be fun if you were a mysterious graffiti artist and you trolled your famous friend to make the world think they are you. Reuters recently claimed to prove who Banksy truly is. Overall the public response was to reject the narrative and let the secrecy of the banksy name continue on. Anyhoo this tangent on banksy has made me want to check out the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop.

This album was sick. I'm not sure how else to describe it. I was a huge fan

Gosto de umas músicas assim bem versáteis

I had the other Massive Attack album way earlier in the project at album #13. It was great, so I was looking forward to this. It has all of the sonic hallmarks of the other album, with hip-hop influenced beats, atmospheric electronic sounds, and beautiful singing. Lyrics aren't great, as per usual, but they aren't completely terrible either. The album is very beat driven; it all seems built around the drums and turntable scratches. It has an excellent atmospheric quality which makes it a good listen, but doesn't have anything as good as Protection(song). However, by virtue of not having a terrible cover, it's better than Protection(album).

A chill classic

Absolutly loved this album, was a brilliant and well produced debut. Stunning at times, whilst the quality never dips.

Done

The whole album has this dark, moody, almost hypnotic vibe that really pulls you in. It feels atmospheric in a way that’s hard to describe, like you’re moving through a city at night or caught in something a little mysterious. Weirdly, it reminded me of shows like The Vampire Diaries or The Originals. There’s something about the sound kind of brooding, emotional, and slightly haunting that feels like it would fit perfectly in scenes from those series. It has that same mix of intensity and cool detachment. my first 5 star rating!

What a great album! Massive beats, massive melodies, massive flows… it’s so interesting to hear an old school British-made hip-hop album, to recognize the innovation, and creativity. Not to mention the heavy reggae influence. Definitely recommend this one.

egal was andere denken - ein erfrischendes, atmosphärisch dichtes album mit tollem gesang und beats. und dann noch tricky für den sprechgesang. 5 sterne!

What an engaging and immersive album this is. The sounds & heavy, impactful tone sucks you in from track 1 and takes you on a journey throughout the entire record. One minute you're listening to rockier influences, and the next you're listening to a reggae-style beat, yet somehow the album feels very well written and cohesive. All in all I'm loving this one and will be coming back for more!

This album though…it’s a fucking masterpiece. It’s perfect in every way. I love the theory that Robert Del Naja is Banksy. Anyway, I’ll probably listen to this 3 or 4 more times over the weekend The Black Album can suck These Blue Lines.

Perfect

so fresh and relaxing, yet a lot of driving force. one of many master pieces from massive attack

Was not familiar either this album, loved it a lot.

I've been big into this album since the Greg's House days. I clearly remember debating it's merits at length with Joel and it of course is the source of Stewbie's alias 'Trendy Wendy'. But back then there were tracks which I often skipped. The classics of that era were 'Five Man Army' and undoubtedly 'Unfinished Sympathy', and though the whole piece was massively appreciated, maybe there was some filler. But over time the 'filler' has become my highlights - and the old favourites still shine just as bright. Tricky's cool scorn and the more subtle grooves of 'Blue Lines' and 'Daydreaming' are irresistible to me these days and balance beautifully with the boldness of others. A magnificent record overall, a firm five stars. It's got that magic ingredient which is becoming a theme on these five star picks. The 'still sounds as new/fresh today as it did back then' prize.

nu konechno zhe da

What an album! Paired perfectly with a lovely bright walk this morning. Favourite track: it’s got to be Safe From Harm

would have been easy to slip into dismissiveness but I love a lot of movies that owe their soundtrack and/or whole vibe to this record to be played in cars with a scent that is not-unpleasant-yet-distinct

I only recently got into Massive Attack (disappointed that Mezzanine isn’t here as well) and they’re a group that immediately hit me hard. I love the somewhat creepy instrumentals paired with the beautiful and sometimes sensual vocals. Their music feels emotionally complex and I really enjoy it; right up my alley.

really enjoyed this one. Early Trip Hop. Base grooves run deep. Shara Nelson's vocals are a high point.

Hard to describe, but amazing to read to.

I love every second of this album. Amazing.

27/02/2026 *1. safe from harm - very atmospheric to start. niiiiceeee bassss...... love the scratching. loving this!!! love the vocals. 2. one love - love the scratching and sampling :) horns are fantastic! going on a bit long, but not annoying. really nice! *3. blue lines - bass is great again. loooving this. tambourine just started :) *4. be thankful for what you've got - love the bass. scratching!!!! organ is reeealllly nice. *5. five man army - nice drumming. love the bass. love the electronic sounds? don't know what to call them lol. really loving the rapping on this one!!! *6. unfinished sympathy - looooove the beat drop. sampling is great. strings??? the singer from the first track is back!!! loving this <3 strings are phenomenal!!!!!!! great ending!! *7. daydreaming - looove how the last track fades into this one! love the beat.... bit more surreal <3 *8. lately - oooo love the bass. scratching.... vocals are giving donna summer vibes. 9. hymn of the big wheel - kindof ambient start.... didn't enjoy as much as the others, but i reeeaallly loved everything else and i still wouldn't complain if someone put it on :) was excited when this popped up because i've been meaning to listen to massive attack for too long and i reaaaalllly loved it! need to listen to mezzanine now!

I'll search for comprehensive information about Massive Attack's debut album "Blue Lines" to provide you with an in-depth review. Based on my research, here is an in-depth review of **Massive Attack's "Blue Lines"** (1991), examining its lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and weighing its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## Overview Released on **April 8, 1991**, *Blue Lines* is the debut studio album by the Bristol-based collective Massive Attack (Robert "3D" Del Naja, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall, and Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles). Recorded between late 1990 and early 1991 in Bristol and London, it is widely credited as the **foundational document of trip-hop**—though the term didn't exist when the album was made. Executive produced by Cameron "Booga Bear" McVey (Neneh Cherry's husband) and co-produced with Jonny Dollar, the album emerged from the dissolution of The Wild Bunch sound system collective. --- ## Music & Production ### Sonic Architecture *Blue Lines* represents a radical reimagining of dance music. As Daddy G noted, the group aimed to create **"dance music for the head, rather than the feet"** . The production is characterized by: - **Downtempo rhythms**: Slow, hypnotic beats (typically 80-100 BPM) that prioritize groove over energy - **Heavy sampling**: The album is built from carefully curated samples—Billy Cobham's "Stratus" powers "Safe From Harm," Funkadelic provides drums, and Herbie Hancock's textures appear throughout - **Dub-influenced spatiality**: Reverb-drenched keyboards and bass-heavy atmospherics create a claustrophobic, urban soundscape - **Orchestral ambition**: "Unfinished Sympathy" features a **50-piece string orchestra** arranged by Wil Malone and recorded at Abbey Road Studios—a revolutionary move for electronic music at the time ### Technical Approach The band worked with limited budgets, forcing resourceful decisions (Vowles reportedly sold his Mitsubishi Shogun to fund the string section) . They utilized the **Ensoniq EPS sampler** and Yamaha RX7 drum machine, building tracks from DJ breaks and loose, improvisational sessions rather than rigid structures . --- ## Lyrics & Vocal Performances The album employs a **collaborative vocal strategy**, using different singers to provide distinct emotional textures: ### Shara Nelson The soulful centerpiece of the album, Nelson delivers the album's most emotionally devastating performances: - **"Safe From Harm"**: Her vocals carry a "noticeable emotional crack" as she sings about protection and vulnerability - **"Unfinished Sympathy"**: Perhaps the album's lyrical peak—an unrequited love narrative ("I know that I've been mad, I've always been a coward") set against sweeping strings - **"Lately"**: Showcases her jazz-inflected soul capabilities ### Horace Andy The Jamaican reggae legend brings dub authenticity: - **"One Love"**: Uplifting reggae vibes with conscious lyrics about unity - **"Five Man Army"**: Toasting over heavy bass alongside Tricky and Willy Wee - **"Hymn of the Big Wheel"**: The album's closing track, featuring "urban-evensong" spirituality with Neneh Cherry's ethereal harmonies ### 3D, Daddy G & Tricky The core members contribute rapped/spoken word verses that are **conversational rather than confrontational**—smooth, understated, and introspective. As one critic noted, they "often opt for cool over brag" . However, some lyrics show their age, with occasional awkward rhymes ("contagious/dangerous") and overly literal metaphors . --- ## Themes ### Urban Alienation The album's dominant emotional register is **nocturnal urban paranoia**. Tracks like "Safe From Harm" and "Daydreaming" evoke street-lit isolation, surveillance, and the psychological toll of city life. This was revolutionary—electronic music had rarely been this **melancholic and introspective**. ### Social Consciousness - **"Be Thankful for What You've Got"**: The William DeVaughn cover promotes anti-materialist contentment ("Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac...") - **"Hymn of the Big Wheel"**: Environmental and social commentary ("The big wheel keeps on turning") that foreshadows Massive Attack's future political engagement ### Love & Vulnerability Unlike the machismo of much contemporary hip-hop, *Blue Lines* explores romantic vulnerability openly. "Unfinished Sympathy" is essentially a breakup song, while "Lately" deals with romantic disappointment. --- ## Influence & Legacy *Blue Lines* is arguably **one of the most influential British albums of the 1990s**: ### Genre Creation Rolling Stone declared it **"the blueprint for trip-hop"** . It directly inspired: - **Tricky's *Maxinquaye*** (1995) - **Portishead's *Dummy*** (1994) - The entire Bristol sound and subsequent downtempo/electronic movements ### Cultural Impact - **Ranked #87 on Apple Music's 100 Best Albums** and #2 highest-ranked electronic album on Acclaimed Music - **Double platinum in the UK**, peaking at #13 on the album chart - Helped legitimize British accents in rap/urban music, paving the way for artists like Dizzee Rascal, Stormzy, and Dave ### Musical Influence Artists from **Radiohead** to **Moby**, **Burial** to **Adele** have cited its influence . It demonstrated that electronic music could be **album-oriented, emotionally complex, and critically respectable**. --- ## Pros | Strength | Explanation | |----------|-------------| | **Genre-defining innovation** | Created a template for trip-hop that remains unmatched in its freshness | | **Vocal diversity** | The rotating cast of singers (Nelson, Andy, Tricky) prevents monotony | | **Production sophistication** | The orchestral arrangements and sample craftsmanship were unprecedented | | **Atmospheric cohesion** | Despite genre-hopping, the album maintains a consistent nocturnal mood | | **"Unfinished Sympathy"** | Widely considered one of the greatest British pop songs ever recorded | | **Authenticity** | Retained Bristol roots and accents without compromise | --- ## Cons | Weakness | Explanation | |----------|-------------| | **Inconsistency** | Some tracks ("Daydreaming," "Lately") feel like lesser versions of the album's peaks | | **Lyrical unevenness** | Some rhymes are awkward or overly literal; the "cool" delivery occasionally slides into detachment | | **Not fully cohesive** | As a collection of early ideas rather than a concept album, it lacks the narrative unity of later Massive Attack works like *Mezzanine* | | **Dated elements** | Some production choices and rap flows feel distinctly early-90s, which may alienate modern listeners expecting more experimental textures | | **Tricky's underutilization** | Adrian Thaws (who would become a major solo artist) is featured but not fully integrated before departing due to creative tensions | --- ## Verdict *Blue Lines* is a **masterpiece of innovation** that sounds remarkably fresh decades later, even if some elements show their age. It succeeds not because every track is perfect, but because its **best moments** ("Unfinished Sympathy," "Safe From Harm," "Hymn of the Big Wheel") are genuinely transcendent. The album's greatest achievement was proving that electronic music could be **soulful, cinematic, and emotionally literate**—a lesson that continues to resonate throughout contemporary music. **Final Score: 9/10**—Essential listening that defined a genre and a generation. > *"On its release, Blue Lines felt like nothing else... But it still sounds unique, which is remarkable given how omnipresent trip-hop was to become."

Trip-Hop took me a minute to get. When I did, this was my bible.

Never heard of this but I enjoyed it and would listen again!!

Apparently genre defining and excellent depth of sound. Very enjoyable

Never Heard of them before, great discovery. Sounds like the perfect album to have in in the living room on a record player or smth. Also that Bass is awesome Favorites: -Safe from Harm -Five Man Army -Blue Lines

Great album top to bottom.

This slays. Yes.

A STUNNER.

Really liked this, I forgot that they started trip hop!

I DIDNT SAVE YHIS GODDAMN LONG ASS REVIRW ARE U KDIDIJ F MEEE DJIEJS SHAVAJ

Muy agradable de oír, me sorprendí al saber que algunas canciones que ya había escuchado estaban en este disco.

If you love this, run out and grab the Sliver soundtrack. The movie is peak 90's but the soundtrack is timeless.

прекрасно. Но не понятно почему в 1001 альбом именно Blue Line, а не Mezzanine. Видимо потому что первый. Must listen

I really love this album. These grooves are just exactly what I like.

То, что мне всегда нравилось

Very interesting electronic/pop album. has gorillas vibes if they were from 90's

Favorite tracks: Blue Lines, Safe From Harm, Unfinished Symphony yes. Yes. YES! This album is everything I could have ever asked for. Seamless genre blending and just enough guest experiences to pique my attention again

Dated but classic

Liked the style of the album and I think it's well done! Enjoyed the flow of the tracks and it lifted my mood! Nice find!

I think I might prefer this to Mezzanine, it's kinda cheesy in a way that really speaks to me

It blows my mind seeing 1991 as the release date. It’s the blueprint for all of trip hop and it came out three years before the movement really took off. This one is great the whole way. Some tracks I’m not totally in love with but still a classic. Rating: 4.6

A regular spinner back in the 90s for me but haven't listened in at least a decade. Still holds up as a rich, dark, emotive, cauldron of dub paranoia. Paved the way for a lot of inconsequential background music, but Blue Lines itself is a heavy listen. Remains a classic.

Amazing start to finish.

This one has everything I love: energy and edge, jazz melody and hip hop rhythm. An all time fave.

GOOD SHIT

Banger upon banger

Love this

Mezzanine is probably my favorite Massive Attack album, but I really think of tricky as being an essential part of this group. Their first couple of albums were so incredibly good and so incredibly important. Never mind listening to this one.

Love Massive Attack and this album is great.

Excellent love this

It's crazy that every song in this goes hard in a different way. I love trip-hop :)

Some groups would just call it a day after releasing a debut this confident and contained (not counting their earlier Wild Bunch stuff). In some respects it wasn’t until Mezzanine that their sound successfully evolved and that was basically the end of the group, despite occasional attempts at continuing. Remarkable stuff.

Great album

Top 5 albums oat, had already listened

Classic. Given the Bristol connection this was on heavy repeat when I was a teenager. I have continued to listen over the years and it still sounds great.

I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me, to see me looking back at you. 50s country lyrics wrapped into dark beats about possession and paranoia, in a genre of its own. One of the best albums of my teenage years, from one of the darkest, influential and genre-defining groups.

Masterpiece

No words. ❤️

Amazing, one of my favorite albums of the project so far and listened to all their other stuff too. I'm a huge fan!

Second Massive Attack album in 5 days. If Protection for 4 stars this has to get 5.

5 sterne

Dope

"Hymn" is just an okay track that probably belongs on a completely different album. Does that take away from the almost 40 minutes of perfection that preceded it? No, not for me ******************************************************************************* --Safe from Harm...sick --One Love...not loving Horace Andy's vocals but it's still pretty great. really like the slight guitars. head bopper, too --Blue Lines...silky smooth. great keyboards --Be Thankful for What You've Got...just a solid bass groove. not special but it continues the immaculate vibe. outro vocals elevate it --Five Man Army...the bass! the rappers' flow! it's simply too good! --Unfinished Sympathy...love the high percussion sound on this one. what is it? This group's ability to stay in a vibe pocket but still create surprising moments is impressive --Daydreaming...perhaps the weakest track so far. still a bop --Lately...sexy as hell. shout out to Shara Nelson --Hymn of the Big Wheel...not bad but it feels like it belongs on another album entirely. will I have to remove a point for this?!

I have been waiting for the day I get this album. This is easily one of my favorite albums of all time. In just objective relevance, this album helped create one of the most underrated genres of music. In subjective value, it is chock full of amazing songs that just blow my mind. The production and unique styles that vary significantly through the whole album makes this album so interesting and relistenable (ex. Be Thankful For What You’ve Got vs. Unfinished Sympathy). The switch between Tricky’s rapping, Robert Del Naja’s deep voice and of course Horace Andy’s Jamaican touch as well all add a very varied element to the album that is incredibly enjoyable. And that’s not even mentioning the hallmark of the whole album and what would become so signifying of trip hop as a whole: Shara Nelson’s haunting soprano. That voice would undoubtedly go on to influence the works Beth Gibbons in Portishead and many others. Crazy fundamental album to music and certainly one of the top albums I would recommend people listen to before they die.

One of my favorite Massive Attack Albums. I massively played the fuq outta Be Thankful for What You Got!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Good

10/10… trip hop / electronica

Wonderful, dark, trippy and groovy. Some huge highlights on here that carry the album. This is an excellent start for triphop, though the genre certainly gets better after this album. 5 stars because of the influence and importance

I first became fully aware of Massive Attack when I watched the movie Pi and learned they did the soundtrack. Since that time I've been a fan. As a band they hit all the great marks, a few amazing releases, politics that match mine, and just bangers bangers bangers. Blue lines being their first and while not best, that is Mezzanine, you can see the beginnings of what is going to be great. I don't think I've ever considered them part of the trip hop stuff but that is mostly cause It think of that sound as being more Portishead than Massive Attack, but that is just me. If I could give more stars for this album I would give it 1,000,000 but for now it just has to be 5.

Very sick album, but why is Mezzanine not on this list? Without a doubt their best work. However, what this album might lack in Mezzanine’s mood/atmosphere, it makes up for it in “catchiness” I guess, with funky baselines and synths throughout.

Sonically, shit doesn't get more grimy and cool than this. And they put together something this futuristic and left-field in '91? I wasn't even born yet! The Gorillaz first album wasn't til 10 years later! I really enjoy downtempo electronic and trip hop, and this is the mother of those genres. It’s still such a unique listen and worth praise.

Pretty innovative sound for the time

Love massive attack.

Loved it: unquestionably arty yet approachable, International/wordly yet immediate with multiplicity of voices uniting to form a common vision. Seamless yet offering a new twist around every corner. Not a particularly short record but came to an end far before I was ready.

Still felt modern, some killer bass lines. Could be convinced to drop it to four stars for a couple songs that didn't land for me (One Love, Lately, and Hymn of the Big Wheel) ... but I listened start to finish multiple times. Five Man Army is a favorite.

Bisher unbekannt, sehr spannend.

A triphop classic.

Stuck between a 4 and a 5 for this. Some of the rapping is not for me, feels a bit dated and not effectively complimenting just how audaciously perfect the instrumental elements of this album are. Nelson absolutely smashes it with every second of her involvement and brings it up to the 5 with her levels of perfection.

Love this album, probably the best play through of everything I’ve had so far on this list. Every song picks up right where the other ended, and it’s feels cohesive. Mezzanine was more on my radar, but this is great too. Will definitely safe for future relistening.

15.33 (pe), hima, harmaat gen, qobuz noniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin

I put "Fuck yeah!" in my notes but forgot to finish the review. Upon further reflection, that's entirely sufficient. An album so innovative I'd Mandela Effected it coming out 5-7 years later than it did.

MASTERPIECE.

Excellent!

Yes.

Fødestedet for triphop som jo er tunge beats med soul like vokaler og stemningen er lidt mørk. Så det er musik til bylivet bare uden dans, som er rimelig nemt at mærke. Jeg føler det er sensuelt og sexet og frækt et eller andet sted. Jeg tror det er blandingen af downbeats og soul vokal. Dybe toner og nogle af sangene er nærmest hvisken. Portishead var en af mine første albums og der følte jeg ikke helt triphop genren, men den er vokset meget mere på mig siden sidst. Jeg synes helt sikkert det er en 4-5 hvor jeg bare tænker at give det en 5 men det i virkeligheden er en 4,5. Så må jeg vende tilbage.

When I moved to the UK I remember sitting in the pub and having conversations about who the top 5 UK groups were of all time. Massive Attack kept being mentioned. I picked up Blue Lines and it slowly grew on me. I still play this at least once a week. Love the production and so influential.

Listened to this album 100s of times, so hard to stay objective. Tried with a fresh listen and I still get goosebumps, 30 years later The blend of reggae, hip hop, electronic. The bass heavy laid back grooves. The different singers which make every song fresh. I could go on and on. My favourite song: blue lines (the groove!!) least favourite:

Another wonderful album, which is very important for my personal musical journey. It opened a new world to me.

Fav: Unfinished Sympathy Least Fav: Hymn Of The Big Wheel I love Portishead so I’m surprised I’d never tried Massive Attack. Glad this challenge made me bite the bullet because it was so worth it. Everyone is on top form for the album and it rightfully earns its place as one of trip hop’s finest albums

a bit boring

I have to give it a five star ranking because of it basically being trip-hop royalty, but I like their second album better. I prefer tricky as a solo artist and he is heavily featured as the lead on Blue Lines. Still, not a bad song on the album and it was a groundbreaking release that ushered in a new genre that is still going strong more than 30 years later.

masterpiece

Dope

Massive Attack, altijd leuk. Vooral verrast hoe vroeg dit uitkwam, helemaal in 1991 al. Dan hebben ze echt bijtijds een fris geluid neergezet waarmee men in dit genre de hele jaren negentig nog vooruit kon. De nieuwe ideeën en mogelijkheden opgepakt en er lekker eigenwijs mee aan de slag gegaan om dat unieke sfeertje van ze neer te zetten. Ik voel nu een beetje de druk van Eric op m'n schouder om dit goed te vinden, maar weet je, je moet niet altijd tegen de wind in blazen.

Ik noemde Protection eerder al als de minste van de drie grote albums van Massive Attack. Dat ontving alsnog afgerond 5 sterren. De 5 sterren voor Blue Lines zijn daarom niet verrassend. Blue Lines is het debut en iets minder gebalanceerd als Protection. In dit geval zorgt dat voor net iets meer kleur. Naast de vaste waarden Tricky en Horace Andy wordt samengewerkt met Shara Nelson. Een combinatie die geweldig uitpakt. Dat hoor je gelijk bij het eerste nummer Safe from Harm en natuurlijk bij het beste nummer, Unfinished Sympathy. Ook dit album is prachtig afwisselend en combineert heel mooi meer klassieke muziekstijlen met (toen) moderne digitale klanken. In 1991 was dit zeer vernieuwend. Voor die tijd heeft het album een vrij heldere klankkleur. Als je het niet weet zou je dit album waarschijnlijk iets recenter inschatten. Kortom: een tijdloos album.

Onderstaand schreef ik bij Protection. Dus dit kan ik prima hier reproduceren, dit album lekker luisteren en op de 5-sterrenknop drukken. "Dat Mezzanine niet in de lijst staat is echt een grove schande. Als een soort pleister op de wond zullen we het met dit album en zijn voorloper moeten doen. Wat natuurlijk ook helemaal prima is. Maar het blijft onbegrijpelijk dat de beste en belangrijkste Massive Attack plaat niet gekozen is. Als ik even spiek online, dan krijgen we het debuut Blue Lines nog. Om dit allemaal even in perspectief te plaatsen, loop ik alvast even vooruit op de zaken, want ik wil deze 3 platen even in volgorde luisteren. Wat me gelijk opvalt, is dat alle platen een beest van een openingstrack hebben. Dan kom je wel even binnen zeg, nondeju! Blue Lines wordt beschouwd als de eerste triphopplaat, dus die moet er eigenlijk in. Die plaat wisselt heel mooi genres af en illustreert ze door het gebruik van verschillende zangers/rappers. Al vind ik niet alle nummers even sterk, door alleen al Unfinished Sympathy verdient dit wel een notering. Protection vind ik over het algemeen vrij saai. Afgezien van de openingstrack, die ondanks de zangeres van Everything but the girl bijzonder goed te pruimen is. De muziek is wat trager, ik mis vaak een moddervette bas of een dikke beat zoals "Euro Child" wel heeft. Sowieso zijn de 2 nummers met Tricky samen met de titeltrack de betere nummers van het album. Mezzanine is wat mij betreft het magnum opus van Massive Attack, ondanks het vertrek van Tricky. Met absolute kneiters van hits als Angel en Teardrop is dit misschien wel het beste triphopalbum aller tijden. En als ik dan moet kiezen en maar 2 albums in deze snoblijst zou mogen zetten (al gooi ik er liever een of ander wanstaltig new wave product uit), dan zou ik toch gaan voor Blue Lines en Mezzanine. Qua cijfer ga ik daarom een 4 geven. De 5 zou voor Mezzanine zijn en zal ik voor Blue Lines gaan geven. Dit album is net een tandje minder."

Nice

This album is so chill and relaxing. Which was just what I needed tonight. I love Tricky's voice, almost like a whisper throughout his verses. It's very cool

Massive Attack's debut album is great. This one alongside Protection and Mezzanine really showcase the creativity of the band and are must listens in the trip-hop genre.

Beauty. Need more of this. Easy 5 stars.

Possibly an unpopular opinion, but I think this is Massive Attack's best album. It also birthed the trip hop genre. Often imitated, but never bettered. How could this possibly be anything less than a 5?

You guys have got to stop giving me albums I’ve already listened to, or I need to stop listening to so many albums.

I saw them once play live, they were good. Nothing to rave about tho. 9/10

The was amazing, absolutely loved it

Groundbreaking and still sounds fresh 30+ years later. Unfinished Sympathy = top 10 songs ever made. 4.5/5 rounded up to 5/5

I like this, don't have any idea where I was when it came out but love a 2nd chance.

🥰😍

I’d give this 6 stars if we could throttle back on Horace’s vibrato.

Brilliant 5 stars

MORE TRIP HOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Given that this is considered the first official trip-hop album, I give it 5 stars. It's also a great album. Not the best MA album, IMHO. But perhaps the most significant one given it birthed an entire genre. Plus Horace Andy is on it.

An absolute classic. Easiest 5 stars ive given so far.

Perfect. Their first 3 albums are faultless.

This album surprised me. Interesting compositions and slick engineering that balances electronic and acoustic vibes.

Got Anita Baker booming

It still seems slightly incongruous that the city of Bristol should be responsible for the entire trip hop genre, but in retrospect this mix of laid back vibes with a hidden edge fits the place perfectly. This is easily one of the best albums of the 90s, albeit overshadowed by Britpop a few years later and a ridiculous controversy during one of the Gulf Wars where they were forced to change their name to Massive for a while. Unfinished Sympathy is the best known track on here, but everything else is worth listening to on the best headphones that you can lay your hands on.

This album is brilliant. Among the pioneers of trip hop, this debut album is one of the cornerstone of the genre. Even if I prefer the colder atmospheres of Portishead or the progressive leanings of Archive (or at least of the Archive from the 2002-2006 period), this is great by all means.

It was very interesting. I had never heard of this band before and thought the music was great.

This is the 153rd album I’m rating. Massive Attack is weird for me because I hated Protection but I loved Maxinquaye so I'm not sure what to think about getting Blue Lines. Adding to my Playlist - Blue Lines, Be Thankful for what You've got, Daydreaming, and Hymn of the Big Wheel. Not Adding to my Playlist - Safe from Harm, One Love, Five Man Army, Unfinished Sympathy, and Lately. One Love - I feel bad for not liking this because I really really liked Maxinquaye and I'm not sure why I don't like this. I hope the rest is better. Blue Lines - This is a lot better. This is the kind of trip hop I like. All in all I liked 4/9 songs. Better than Protection but worse than Maxinquaye. I really like Tricky but I'm not sure about the other members.

Yea this album rocks. Fave song: Be Thankful For What You've Got

Love it. Great production, immersive and unique. Unfinished Sympathy is one of the best ever.

🗣️ I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR MASSIVE ATTACK It's no Mezzanine, but this one near-incredible too. Highlights: Unfinished Sympathy, Hymn Of The Big Wheel, Safe From Harm

I love a bit of trip hop and this is the starting point. I think I even prefer it to Mezzanine. An easy 5 stars.

This is #day312 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… if you want to know where trip-hop comes from, this is the record to listen to before you die. So many fun stories behind it, like the one when the band had to sell their car to pay the orchestra for recording strings for Unfinished Sympathy, etc. I used to spin Blue Lines a lot when I worked at a local record store exactly five years ago. There was this signed copy on display, which you could put on so the music played out into the street and drew people in. And in the summertime, like in June, it was just the right kind of sound. Smoky, hazy, daydream-like. I loved that part of the job. Anyway, this album is a classic and a true snapshot of its time. I quietly observe, standing in my space. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day313.

Omg yezzz. Cool af album. Lots of flavor and coolness.

I previously covered Tricky's solo debut, Maxinquaye, as album #20 on my journey. Now I get to check out the group he was in prior, the trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack. The group originated from multiple DJs and rappers who emerged together as part of a sound system collective in the Bristol club scene of the mid-1980s. Spinning off together as a quartet, and with the assistance of Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry and producer/manager Cameron McVey, they were able to put out their debut album, Blue Lines. Since this record is genre-defining, a lot of the descriptors that come to mind would end up describing trip-hop as a whole. It's an eclectic mix of electronica, hip-hop, dub, soul, and reggae, where the vibe of each track is distinct, dependent on the rappers and guest features present. From the sultry delivery of Shara Nelson opposite Robert "3D" Del Naja's laid-back chopped-up verses over the sampled bassline on "Safe From Harm", to the posse cut rapping over a chill breakbeat on the title track, to the funky record-scratching rendition of William DeVaughan's "Be Thankful for What You Got", to the uptempo clash of sample percussion and string orchestration on "Unfinished Sympathy", no two tracks come off the same. Sure, the scope of this record can seem rather simplistic, and the production can come off as minimal. But Massive Attack, this early in their career, were effective in their pocket, delivering vibing music that kept engaging through the runtime and didn't overstay its welcome. There's a reason Blue Lines gets called a classic, and I see no reason to disagree.

This is an amazing album. I just have nothing bad to say about it. All tracks are very good, no skips at all. I loved Dummy by Portishead, and this one is pretty close to that trip-hop sound. I think this is more easy to listen to, much less dark, so I think they go together really well. Solid 5

such an awesome album. I never listened to them, but this was great. Every song was different. The music was incredible. I loved this one.

Lysande

It's like, you always know in the backnof your head that this is an all time record, but then you listen and are blown away with the amount of genre bending innovation was unleashed

Very good

Masterpiece. Literally invented the trip-hop genre.

Rather Large Onslaught of the senses, for want of a better phrase. Top three of 1991 and that is saying something.

This is an absolute classic of an album. And super groundbreaking I guess. Plus ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ is a timeless gem. It gets a 4 or a 4.5 but rounding up to compensate for the that Mezzanine, one of my all time faves, doesn’t feature on here. Shame! Shame!

what in the funky

I understand the impact, but this wasn't quite for me.

This album held my four-month-old daughter in a trance, keeping her quiet through its duration. For that alone it deserves five stars. For real - these beats are effing good, and I really got into this low-key rapping style.

An infinitely relistenable album. 10/10 would recommend

love it

People not giving this album 5 stars are American and/or deaf.

Great album

Groovy

Very good as always 👍

Solid.

Even if a couple of songs are slightly under par, Unfinished Sympathy more than majes up for then

Determined to stop liberally tossing 5s to albums I listened to extensively in my youth... Except...I can't start here - this still sounds so good, so crisp. I don't think I would have guessed at a Spring '91 release - I don't think really this came onto my radar until at least 2 years later - although it was very formative in developing my changing tastes once it did.

A definitive album in shaping my mid 90s taste and leading me into the trp hop genre. Still sounds great. It’s a nailed on 5 stars from me.

An awesome album, I have enjoyed hearing again.

yoo.. awesomesauce.. this shit is fire.. hahahaha ja albumi koveri vitsiä siinä vähän vilkuilkaa vilkuilkaa kaikki pikkasen vaan...'' jos katsotaan kuitenkin vuosiluku että se 1991 kuitenkin siinä niin vihaan asanoa mutta aikaansa pirutvietkööt edellä on tämä ei voi mitään.. tämä oli simplisyyden iakakautta ja eikä ei ole mikään hulluntiheää työskentelyä tämäkään mutta onhan tässä nyt suolaa ripoteltu kaikkialle niin intricate.. intricate soundsstyles... eiköhän viiden tähden arvostelu riitä tähän + badass seal of approval... five man army

Cool shit iconic album

I really love Massive Attack and it is such a crime that there are 2 of there albums on this list but neither of them are their magnum opus Mezzanine. I really like how jazzy this album is, a lot of great beats and production. My only complaint with this album is that some of the more obvious hip-hop inspired songs like Five Man Army go on a little too long and get a little stale especially when compared to the rest of their discography. Mid 5.

This is awesome!!!

9/10 Incredibly impressive and self-assured. does what it wants to do and doesn’t try to be something else. No wonder this is the foundational trip hop album. This is closer to pure hip hop than their other stuff. Lots of dub, R&B/soul, with a bit of reggae and even some breakbeat. The production is perfect, the vocalists impeccable. I liked the Horace Andy stuff the most. Best: Hymn of the Big Wheel

Really cool production, and style.

Fabs

Masterpiece. Favourite tracks are Safe From Harm and Unfinished Sympathy 5/5

Instant 5, I don't even have to listen to it. I came to Blue Lines and Massive Attack only after their '94 "Protection", with which I have a stronger connection, but this is among the GOATs. However, a review of this album has to consider what it kicked off: when I had put it on in the years since, I was occasionally underwhelmed. Its two bangers are masterpieces for the ages, the haunting, nightly, urban vibe is immaculate, but there are tracks on here that somewhat carry the stigma of being the first of their kind, but still very much of their time, ultimately overshadowed by what came after. But then again, I listened today with attention and even those tracks offer such a stunningly great glimpse into that, what came after - there simply would be no Burial, for instance, without those Horace Andy songs - and so Blue Lines wearing its age on its sleeve can't possibly count towards this album's detriment - an absolute AYMHBYD.

New favorite

Great album, all time classic and if it's time

Dark but sensual.

Unfinished Sympathy

Brutal

Didn't even know this one. Really enjoyed it

I'm really loving this album. Realizing that Be Thankful For What You've Got is the original is huge. It's referenced so much. Great song! Groovy album - added a few to my Cookin' in the evening playlist.

Incredible.

This is one of my all-time favorite albums

Debut by the trip hop originators, incredible

MUSIC <3

Blissful

Massively fantastic record.

This one kicked in right from the start with 'Safe From Harm'. The whole album flows effortlessly. Carried by slow, thundering bass grooves a combined with good vocals.. The whole album has you swinging and chilling at the same time.

Haven't listened to this enough in my life. Unfinished Sympathy proper contender for best song of the 90s. Rest is great too.

Massive Attack with their debut album and nobody was really able to fit it into a musical genre, and so Trip Hop was born closely followed by a strong Bristol sound with the likes of Portishead & Roni Size among others. The beautifully haunting voice of Shara Nelson, the Jamaican roots reggae vocals of Horace Andy, the menacing voice of Daddy G, the whispering rasp of 3d and snarling attitude of Tricky...all cleverly laced together with some of the finest sampling ever. Unfinished Sympathy is my favourite commercially successful single of all time...I never tire of listening to it. Yes, they went on to make a better album (Mezzanine) but for my own personal nostalgia and being a Bristolian resident from 2000-2015's....this is my favourite Massive Attack album. Its a big fat five from me with a generous dollop of clotted cream on the top! ,

Love this, huge Massive Attack fan.

bangers all over this

Fantastic memories from the summer of '24 come drifting along with the amazing vibes of this classic and genre-defining album. Seeing Massive Attack live was just a dream came true. Unfinished Sympathy is just one of my favorite songs ever, but the rest of this album is almost equally good. A must-listen.

Landmark album.

Favourite tracks: safe from harm; one love; hymn of the big wheel; unfinished sympathy; daydreaming; be thankful for what you've got

This album changes everything when it arrived. Never heard anything like it ✊🏻

Sehr gutes album, kenn ich, leicht hip Hop und zeitlos

This is so groovy and silky and sexy. I really love their lyrics too, and there’s a lot of cool layers in their sound. And the blending of hip-hop and reggae and electronic chill vibes (and more!) is pretty awesome. It all felt very creative and unique. So great!

Great

Love it. Give it time to let it slowly ooze in to your soul. Love the vibe. Dark and warm. Added it to my collection. Will listen to it many more times.

Love the melancholy sound of Massive Attack

Classic. Given the Bristol connection this was on heavy repeat when I was a teenager. Listening again triggers so evocative of listening in my bedroom doing home work.

I love trip-hop, one of the best electronic subgenres. "Blue Lines" happens to be one of the best in that genre. It's got classics like "Safe From Harm" and "Unfinished Symphony". Don't forget the talents of everyone involved with this album. Hopefully, I'll get "Mezzanine" soon. 5 stars for "Blue Lines".

A perfect album. So dark and brooding and slightly menacing but beautiful at the same time. Awesome performances all round. Horace Andy's vocals are magnificent, Tricky is a genius and Unfinished Sympathy a stone cold classics.

Too long since I heard this. One if the best of all time.

It feels temporally impossible that these songs are nearly 35 years old. How?

Yes. Yes to literally anything Massive Attack. I want the two dudes from Massive Attack to eiffel tower me. I don't even care. I love this record and this band so much.

fuckin YESSSSSSSSSSSSS it's up next on my vinyl shopping list best song: all of them worst song: n/a

Rating: 9.5/10 A quintessential trip-hop album. The mix of genres and styles are immaculate, vocals and rapping are superb, and overall an excellent album from start to finish.

Great Massive Attack album. Their first three albums are 5* and Mezzanine (> Blue Lines > Protection) should also have been included.

It is already quite promising to me when an album starts with the bass line from Billy Cobham's Stratus, and then doubles up with a Mahavishnu Orchestra sample on the second track. And the rest of the album does not disappoint. Classic trip hop, with Unfinished Sympathy as the highlight.

saw this and did a cartwheel in the workshop then shouted yippee

One of the next albums, of any genre, ever made. There was nothing like Massive Attack before, and nothing like it since. Although the genre as a whole didn’t stick around, this album sounds as fresh and cutting edge as the day it was released. And it’s not even their best album.

Awesome album, an album I was not expecting much from but really enjoyed and will listen to it over and over again. This album can easily be background music or an album to really pay attention too. It has it all. Musically there is some great drumming on this album!. Favourite song: I have always loved safe from harm and unfinished sympathy but discovered day dreaming and blue lines through this challenge. So many great tunes. Least favourite: None Album artwork: Love the cover

Very few albums \ artists \ tracks have the effect of transporting you to a place and\or time. This is one of those albums though. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I was back with my mates in the early 1990's - driving round in Tommy's 205 GTi (1.9 obviously) or Jay's XR3i cab. Another genre-creating album, one of the easiest 5 starts I've given.

Amazing 👏

Legitimately one of the best albums I’ve heard in my entire life. Massive Attack are absolute units 5/5

Impressive!

I always found trip hop to be a bit cringy. Shara Nelson raises this to an undeniable classic.

-favs while listening: Safe from harm (the Bassline 😮‍💨😮‍💨), Blue Lines, five man army, Lately - man, all of these are fire - this is such a well made album - the tasty basslines, drum parts - absolutely amazing mix of HipHop, jazz and soul in a nearly psychedelic manner - I need to add this to my vinyl collection OVERALL: 5/5

Weirdly intense but chill at the same time, quite a moody album. Some interesting takes on some cover songs! Good beats and flow on the vocals. Inherited this CD of my cousin after he died so will always have a soft spot for me. Opened up some musical influences I would never have had otherwise. Thanks Mark <3

5/5. This is one of those classics that is hard to argue with. Just the innovative energy through the whole thing, you can even hear it nowadays. They jumped into something new and are so confident about it. Every song feels like a step into a new door of a beautiful and elegant mansion. It's simply a well made and produced album that is a must listen. The blending of the darker genres mixed with upbeat genres of dance and electronic is perfect. It's walking on a beautiful day in the park while being worried someone might be following you vibes. Just awesome stuff. Best Song: Safe From Harm, Be Thankful For What You Got, Unfinished Sympathy

Dark, deep, bass-driven trip-hop. One of the finest of the genre. I always expect it to age and it doesn’t, it’s just a heavy hitter album.

Amazing!

Great debut, still sounds fresh even though a lot of trip hop sounds of its time. The bass creates a great mood of introspection

Never heard this one before. No hits that I knew but good listening

Mint Vocals on these were so good Luv big beats me Every song was chef’s kiss 😘 Unfinished symphony wow wow wow

Such a cool album. This was pretty much all new to me, though I've heard some other Massive Attack before. To learn this is basically the beginning of trip-hop, thay really nailed it and it still sounds amazing today. It's very stylish with some good hooks and samplings. I really loved One Love, Be Thankful for What You've Got, and Unfinished Symphony.

In the frontline of beat-oriented music in 91’. Still sounds fresh.

Without a doubt one of the best albums of the 1990s in any genre.

HEARD BEFORE - YES OWNED - YES (VINYL & CD) WILL BUY - N/A Truly one of the greatest albums ever made. Never gets boring. Still hear new things to intrigue me every time. Sounds incredible through good headphones. One of the best late night driving albums.

It’s been nice re-listening to this album. I have forgotten how much I love this style.

pretty good

Breathtaking. From start to finish

Kind of surprised how much I like this album. Groovy. Doesn't feel like 1991. I'm not enamored of sexy ladies singing on top of techno. This does it in a way that isn't ... offensive in a dated and painful way. It feels more like someone had a thought and explored it.

An absolute masterpiece, origins of trip hop right here, add in Shara Nelson and it's just the right tone. "Unfinished Sympathy" remains an all timer as well.

Really enjoyed this. I’ve heard tracks here and there but never listened to a whole album of theirs. Guess I’ve been missing out.

Awesome album. The freshest thing I have heard all year and it's 35 years old. the samples are incredible; reggae guitar, baselines, vocals, everything. I want more and more and more. That last track just set the fucking tone for the rest of the day too. Easily will come back to this album. The drums are incredible too. Stand out Tracks: Safe from Heaven, One love, Unfinished Sympathy, Hymn of the Big Wheel

very very awesome. one of the albums i knew about prior to starting this project, and i didnt know what to expect. i always heard it talked about as an indie head record. so trip hop wasnt exactly what i was ready for, but every track had something special. also fantastic album art

Two thoughts: I had to chuckle when “Five Man Army” shouted out the line “But gettin’ a Visa card nowadays isn’t hard”. Prescient for 1991, and how easy credit in some ways helped create some of the market chaos that’s happened since, including the 2008 crash. My second thought is less ominous: this is my next vinyl purchase. I was surprised I didn’t have it already, honestly. Lots of memories of just being right out of college but still going to nightclubs and this was everywhere, you couldn’t escape it. Rightly so too; it’s a stone cold classic. Literally every damn track is a banger. It’s now considered an early classic of what became dub, but what blows me away is how fresh it all still sounds over 30 years (30 years!! 😱) later.

One of my favourite albums ever.

Albumi #5, 01.08.2024 Massive Attackin debyyttialbumi lienee maailman ensimmäinen trip hop -albumi. Musiikillinen kulma albumilla oli ajassaan innovatiivinen ja erityinen. Albumi myös oli alkusysäys Bristolin 90-luvun musiikkiskenelle. Hittikappale Unfinished Sympathy muistuu etenkin yhdellä otolla kuvatun videonsa kautta, joka ilmestyttyään pyöri jatkuvalla syötöllä television musiikkikanavilla. Albumille luonteenomaista on matalatempoinen melankoolisuus, vaikutteita otetaan muun muassa hip hopista ja soulista. Blue Lines on kokonaisuutena uraa uurtava merkkiteos, jossa ei ole huonoa hetkeä.

One of my music discoveries of the past 3 years or so is “trip-hop”. It’s heyday was a little before I was tuned into music, and I didn’t really give it a solid focused listen until my mid 30’s. It’s a deep, groovy genre with several masterpieces, this being one of them and one of the first. Blue Lines is definitely an album that demands being listened to from beginning to end. There are only a few songs that I think are songs that are good for playlist listening or for listening to one song: from the beginning Safe From Harm leads you into a unique listening experience with its foreboding, dark, groovy groove. It’s a journey from there, and it’s dark at times, a party at times (though a party with a hint of danger), and it finally gets existential with the closer Hymn of the Big Wheel. It’s probably one of the best albums of the 90’s, and even if Massive Attack bested it (in my opinion) with Mezzanine, it’s still a perfect album that everyone should be familiar with.

Best album in the world. Ever.

# Playlist track - Hymn Of The Big Wheel # Notes - An genre-defining album. - Love the ebb and flow of the rhythm as the listening goes on. It never gets boring or repetitive and ends in an awesome note. - Must-listen. And a great starting point to digging more into massive attack and trip-hop in general.

Another album that I just love to pieces. Certainly Safe From Harm and Unfinished Sympathy are standout tracks but the whole album is just sublime.

A nostalgia 5, for sure, but probably a 5 if I was hearing it for the first time too. Lot of affection for this album - one of the first non-metal albums I got into as I left my mid teens. Sets a fantastic tone and blends a bunch of separate elements into something cohesive and smoky and dark. Fave tracks - "Safe From Harm" has that throbbing bassline. "Unfinished Sympathy" is magnificent. "Hymn of the Big Wheel" is an epic closer.

This is in my top 3 childhood albums. I have listened to this album hundreds of times and it holds a special place in my heart. Nearly a perfect album in my eyes except that I have always skipped “One Love” as I feel it interrupts the vibe the rest of the album lays out. It just fuckin slaps. The beats, the raps, the singing is just phenomenal. I still to this day say “Massive” when I wanna describe something that’s awesome. I wish more people knew about Massive and I know they have had success and a following but they are definitely overshadowed in how great some of these earlier albums were. Nostalgia rating 10/10 , nonstalgia rating 9/10

I’ve heard of massive attack… why? Is it sexist that I’m surprised I’m hearing a woman? Probably. Oh there’s the guy (I’m listening to “Safe From Harm”). These folks are English??? Nevermind “Blue Lines” is so British. I like this. A lot! Especially “Daydreaming.”

love Massive Attack, their music is catchy and fun and also introduced me to Tricky

Crabs and football: that's what Maryland does. Banksy and Trip hop: that's what Bristol does.

Frankly, just brilliant. Seems to encapsulate that whole Bristol early nineties vibe in a single album. From the urgency of 'Safe from Harm' to the majexsty of Unfinished Sympathy its just cutting edge and timeless.

How can this album be over 30 years old?? Every song is better than the last. A magnificent album.

Fantastic!!

I loved this album. I loved the rhythm and feel good feeling from the album. Unexpected twist of electronic inputs mixed with soul and new wave style singing. A great discovery

The birth of trip hop music. Absolutely fantastic album. Easy 5 stars

Genius record

Forgot how good this was