Blue Lines

I had only really known later Massive Attack. This is fun. More of a varied sound, with more reggae influences.

Reggae but not. MADSIVE

Love it!

Holy shit I like this and didn’t think I would. Very interesting!

Great album. Not as good as mezzanine but that's a very high bar

Stone cold classic

Really surprised that this and Protection are on this list but Mezzanine is not. I think most people would pick Mezzanine over this. Not that this isn't excellent - it's still an easy five stars (as will be Protection when it comes around).

The creation of a new genre. You can really hear their punk and reggae influences on this album.

sexy hip hop, a whole range of voices and really interesting songwriting. a surprise five for me

Obra fundamental de finales de siglo. Llevaron la música a rincones donde no se sabía que podía llegar fusionando Hip-Hop- Soul, Dub , Reggae... lo que se les ponga por delante, con la colaboración de Shara Nelson, Tricky, Neneh Cherry, Horace Andy... su asimilación de ritmos pasados e integración en un disco electrónico pero a su vez orgánico supuso todo un estallido en los tímpanos de los 90. Abre con Safe from Harm, que incopora elementos de Stratus de Billy Cobham, Good Old Music de Funkadelic Chameleon de Herbie Hancock. También coros de Johnny "Guitar" Watson (Looking Back). One love mete el archiconocido riff de Ike's Mood de Isaac Hayes, fusionándolo con You Know You Know de la Mahavishnu Orchestra. Blue lines con los breaks de Sneakin' in the Back de Tom Scott and The L.A. Express el riff de Rock Creek Park de los The Blackbyrds. Be Thankful for What You Got es un versión del clásico de William DeVaughn, aquí actualizado pero respetando la estrutura original. Una delicia. Five man army usa percusiones de I'm Glad You're Mine de Al Green así como Cuss Cuss de Lloyd Robinson y Skylarking y Money y The Root of All Evil del propio Horace Andy. Todo ello con soberbia maestría y resultado. Unifinished symphaty es una obra maestra con breaks de Parade Strut (Instrumental) de J. J. Johnson y de Planetary Citizen de la Mahavishnu Orchestra and John McLaughlin. Su video en en Los Ágeles también. Daydreaming es una epopeya Trip-Hop a partir del Mambo de Wally Badarou (Level 42). Incluye también partes del Here comes the sun y The end de The Beatles. Lately, con partes del Mellow Mellow Right On de Lowrell y percusiones de Joy a cargo de Isaac Hayes. Hymm of the big wheel es otra joya con partes del Three Whale Trip de Frank Watlington. Un final inmejorable para un disco único.

Very nice album with some cool vibes.

PRetty awesome early electronic music. love the general vibes and listenability. great for when doing work. predates The XX by about 20-25 years but very similar in sound and style

Va dura

Consistently good throughout. All killer no filler. Great vocals and good baselines. Interesting percussion as well.

I really enjoyed the vibe of this one.

Cool and atmospheric. Not as good as mezzanine, but a hell of a lot better than some other albums in this list

Highlight: Unfinished Sympathy

Didn’t know it and loved it.

The kind of album that makes you wish it was longer

An album that both feels like something to sit lazily in a chair watching the sun rise with a brew listening to, and as something to get up and MOVE to. A near-perfect sonic experience that reminds me of the hip-hop of the time (mostly the Native Tongues collective, but insert your fave alternative here) while still defining something different in being the foundational record of trip-hop. Powerful, meaningful, and with an impact I don't think we'll ever truly see the end of. Timeless.

Classic album

Великий альбом. Великая компания. Выпущенный в 91-ом, он до сих пор, имо, звучит более чем достойно и современно. Если бы такой альбом вышел прямо вот сейчас, все эти хип-хоп люди съели бы заживо за эти биты. И это даже не лучший альбом группы. Лучшая песня - Safe From Harm.

La découverte du titre Unfinished Sympathy sur une compile a marqué le début d'une grande histoire d'amour avec Massive Attack et le trip hop en général quand j'étais adolescente. Ça a fait "boum" dans mes oreilles. Blue Lines propose quelque chose qui déborde de tant d'influences qu'il me semble impossible de s'en lasser. Happée doucement dès la première chanson, je réalise toujours avec étonnement 45 minutes plus tard que j'étais pleinement installée dans ma bulle, portée par ces voix calmes. L'atmosphère à la fois urbaine et rétro a quelque chose de délicieusement mystérieux. Je n'ai d'ailleurs jamais vraiment envie de sortir de cette torpeur à la fin de l'album, comme une sorte de médiation qui prendrait fin trop tôt. Intemporel, classique, indémodable.

Trip hop!!! 🖤🖤🖤

Love it!!! Love the rhythm, the bass... The lyrics tell great stories and I feel 'there'.

This is easy. "Unfinished Sympathy" was the first track I've heard from Massive Attack and I was fascinated by it. So, naturally, I bought the album. The style, later dubbed Trip-Hop, was my thing. I still love this record.

I really liked this album. Great beats, bars and vocals. Towards the end the songs dip a bit, but they are still great songs to listen to.

É uma mistura de Tribe Called Quest com vocais de Soul e R&B. Os samples de bateria e baixo que se repetem em loop ao longo das vão ganhando complexidade com sintetizadores, teclado, backing volcas etc. e te carregando cada vez mais pra dentro do som. Recomendo ouvir o álbum de cabo a rabo e se possível com um fone bom. Apesar da última música ser a que menos gosto do álbum, tenho que concordar que ela é a que ela é perfeita para encerra-lo. Ela tem mais cara de créditos de filme, tem um tom vitorioso, que afirma a certeza de que acabaram de finalizar um puta álbum. E o encerrando dela, em que o vocal para abruptamente e os instrumentos seguem por mais 1 minuto, lentamente se desligando dão impressão de um show em que os artistas vão saindo de cena um por um. Talvez seja a que menos goste porque me tira da atmosfera que estava antes e me lembra que o álbum já esta acabando.

Absolutely adore the absolute hell out of this album

Top marks. Timeless.

A timeless masterpiece of an album. If "Unfinished Sympathy" isn't the high water mark of human accomplishment, I don't know what is

I think it isn't surprising that I really really adore this album. Massive attack has been my top 3 band for two years and even though my all time favorite album is definitely Mezannine, Blue Lines is absolutely amazing. Easy easy 5 stars.

exquisite

Safe From Harm Blue Lines Be Thankful for What You've Got Unfinished Symphony Daydreaming

The first album I heard by Massive Attack that I was enthusiastic about was Mezzanine. When I heard Blue Lines, I was pretty disappointed. I was expecting something completely different. When a friend told me that he had been the other way around, I gave the album another chance. I'm glad I did, because it's great.

Staple

This is completely new to me. I loved it.

Still one of the best albums - and groups - that I’ve encountered.

Really loved this album, my only experience to trip hop prior to this was a few Portishead songs, definitely plan on digging deeper into the genre.

British trip hop pioneers with a debut that blends genres and your mind.

Great vocals

Bam! My first 5 Stars! Much going on! Great dynamic vocals, big harmonies, nice blend of R&B and electronica. Every song is worth a listen, a few home runs, all unique. Easily in my regular rotation.

The best trip hop album

Blue Lines This album is 33 years old. 33 years before it was released the South Pacific soundtrack was the best selling album of 1958 and Elvis had only been around for 2 years. I can’t have listened to this in about 15 years, but fuck it’s a great album. I’ve heard it so many times but I really concentrated on listening to Unfinished Sympathy today. Obviously it’s a classic but it really is an absolutely fantastic bit of music. The melody and strings are genuinely affecting and moving, while the restless percussion and rhythm contrast beautifully with that tenderness. Safe From Harm, Five Man Army, Lately are also excellent tracks and I absolutely adore Hymn of the Big Wheel. Sometimes the ‘englishness’ of the rapping vocals can jar a bit and sound a bit Lonely Island - I guess this must have been a bit of an influence for them I still listen to Mezzanine pretty frequently and that is probably my fav MA album, but this really is superb. Also when I first got it in the mid 90s it sounded so different to anything else I’d ever heard before. I’m finding it surprisingly hard to rate, it’s between a 4 and 5 for me. Mezzanine would definitely be a 5 and I think this sits a little below that. However it is excellent in it own right, and factoring in its originality and groundbreaking’ness’ I think I have to give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was good, had no idea about these guys.

Wow, absolute stunner of an album

That is my style

This still sounds fresh 33 years later. Chill trip hop with soul. Massive Attack is one of my go to's for background work music & my ears always perk up when I hear Unfinished Sympathy. This album definitely deserves to be on this list. 4.5 stars.

Excellent

So much early hip hop instrumentals from here

This album, is what i call a masterpiece. Great blend of electronic sounds&vocals. This is for me the beginning of electronic music. Can listen to this all day. Love Massive Attack.

My favorite Massive Attack album is "Mezzanine," which is essentially a perfect album to me. However, "Blue Lines" is still 5 stars. It is beautiful, haunting, smooth, and heavy.

Absolute classic album. Truly deserves to be on this list

Never heard of Massive Attack and was shocked at how much I loved this album. My style of music, trance like melodies with soul vocals and hip hop mixed in.

So good! The birth of trip hop. Innovative, mysterious, haunting but oh so cool. Just superb. And yet, not their best. Mezzanine is even better but sadly, not in the book. Still, Blue Lines is a classic in its own right.

What a wonderful album this is. The birth of trip-hop in a tight little 44 minutes. The whole album just whispers "vibes." Basically set the stage for what could be done with beats. Just cover to cover quality, although I think "Hymn of the Big Wheel" kinda bobbles the finish. But by the time you get to that track, whatever substances you may have ingested are fully kicked in, so you can just lay back, take a deep breath, and let the waves crash over you.

This is my vibe!! Love this album, so deep in the heart with the beats, vocals, soul...

Very funky album! I h ave heard of this band before but never listened to them. I enjoyed the whole album

Epitome of late 90s groove + synth sounds. I also can't hear it without hearing Flight of the Conchords or thinking about the Matrix for some reason.

Have listened to Massive Attack sparingly throughout the years and glad I have found this. What an album.

Soft 5

Excellent album - YouTube Music glitched and I listened five times.

Album #4! First album in this series for me you couldn't remotely describe as "blues-rock/hard-rock", a welcome reprieve. I LOVE Mezzanine, been one of my favorite records for years, but I think I remember trying to listen to this one years ago and not getting it all. So, very excited to jump back into this and see if I can get the hype this time around. From the jump, I'm remembering why it wasn't as immediately appealing to me, it's a bit less accessible, more hip-hoppy, more minimal in some ways? But I think I'm starting to get it a bit more this time around. The "Be Thankful for What You've Got" cover/remix is pretty dang stellar. "Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean ooooooooo". I think also starting to dip my toes in dub is making me appreciate the dubbier tracks better. "Five Man Army" sounds so good on headphones. "Unfinished Sympathy," just wow. Listening to this song first on my earbuds on a run I enjoyed it but it didn't stand out, then my second time through the album with nice headphones my jaw dropped with those layers of strings. "Hymn of the Big Wheel" is so damn good, very different from the rest of the album, feels like watching the sunrise after a night clubbing in London. And of course the deadhead in me can't help but think of "Big wheel turn by the grace of god..." (doing a little research, apparently both are references to the buddhist "bhava-cakra", very cool). Overall, my favorite new listen of this experiment so far (only 4 in though). So happy this project pushed me to go back and check out an album I had written off as "not for me" before. I think this is going to be my first 5 so far.

All around great sound!

Blue Lines, like the mysterious haze that oozes from this seminal album. Like the waves of pleasures one can feel roaming this nocturnal, urban maze--soul, dub and hip hop all merging to create all those lush sound-system-inspired skylines. Listen to "Five Man Army", and you'll see those evocative nightly shapes in front of your very eyes. You might even smell the scent of burnt engines. Younger listeners may not understand how groundbreaking this record was at the time of its release--and how it still informs many genres today, far beyond the "trip hop" moniker that was ascribed to it at the time (more on that in the conclusion of this review). Truth be told, this sort of "fusion" had never been encountered before. Even if, in a way, said fusion hearkened back to the spirit that had for instance guided musicians of The Mahavishnu Orchestra, here sampled at least twice during the course of this LP, or the ones of Love, whose "Be Thankful (For What You've Got)" is wonderfully covered during the proceedings. Add the singular vocal performances of soul singer Sara Nelson and reggae legend Horace Andy, and what you have as a result is a jewel. From the ominous, obsessive "Safe From Harm" to the wide-eyed, almost naive "Hymn Of The Big Wheel"--from the heartbreak of "Unfinished Sympathy"'s tense strings to the sensual groove of "Daydreaming"--each and every track of this masterpiece is a gem. *Blue Lines* was not a simple debut, you see. It was already a crowning achievement. So it doesn't matter if the "groundbreaking elements" of this LP get lost in the mix today. There's still enough urban poetry in this album to make up for how supposedly "dated" it sounds in 2023. A couple of records later, for *Mezzanine*, 3D, Daddy G, and Mushroom would incorporate post-punk in their formula to further their ambitions and make everything sound more (in)tense. Yet what we get here is equally precious. It's a *smoother* version of the Massive Attack project, and this mix of juvenile seduction and more menacing undertones is an asset the collective would never *fully* profit from ever after. Some say that *Blue Lines* is one of the best debuts of all time, and they're damn right about that. Others say this record is the birth of trip hop, its whole starting point, and they're right as well. Yet this album is far more important that trip hop--which was just an ephemeral phase during the history of modern music, a transition within the great mix of the times. This album is a tone poem, first and foremost--and it's one of the most impressive tone poem ever put to tape. No other record will ever sound like it again, as influential as it was from 1991 onwards. Massive caught lightning in a bottle that year. "Inflammable" indeed. Number of albums left to review: 356 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 291 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 154 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 206

Amazing album. Up and down, left and right.

I feel like I was transported back to the 90s with this album. Favorite song: Be Thankful for What You’ve Got

Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac Diamond in the back, sunroof top Diggin' the scene With a gangsta lean Gangsta whitewalls TV antennas in the back You may not have a car at all But remember brothers and sisters You can still stand tall Just be thankful for what you've got I love this album, it really stands up as a great album. Takes me back to my CD changer and how long this CD was in the rotation (it outlasted many other albums.) 5/5

Maschine: Grado Hemp Mische (2012 Mix/Master): insb. Bass-Referenz, besonders tolle Dynamik im (Re)Master Musik: zeitloser Trip-Hop Meilenstein Meinung: 5/5

Yes yes yeees!

< mezzanine, bet tāpat 🤯❤️

Pure perfection.

- Heard some of the tracks before and listened to Mezzanine but first full listen - Really, really good, somehow sounds ahead of its time and of the era at the same time - Fav songs: Unfinished Sympathy, Safe From Harm, Blue Lines

Great vibes, good working music. 10/10

Loved it

Fun one, never heard before. Almost like spoken word over classic hip hop beats Wouldn't go back, but very much enjoyed

Groovy baby. Immaculate vibes

I had never heard this before, and I can see why it's considered a masterpiece. What an incredible album.

Every song is great and transitions nicely. Mellow.

Beautiful 🥲 I can listen to this on repeat for days

Yep, this is still great.

I finally read where all these albums come from. So, now it makes sense why there are so many great albums. Massive Attack is one of my favorite groups. I have listened to this album many times and will keep it in my regular rotation. 5/5.

Chill

Funny how many songs on this album I've already heard and love. Big Wheel is the perfect closer and Horace Andy's best performance with Massive

I had the joy of living in Bristol when it all came together and the Wild Bunch settled down to make some fine music. Trip hop came from a time in England and, frankly, in Bristol. The dreadful mess of the 70s and 80s was beginning to get better, cities like Bristol were calming down and bursting with creativity. Massive Attack produced the absolute seminal Trip Hop album here. A genre that was brilliant but very much of a moment but an album that is absolutely timeless.

"Blue Lines" is the debut album by English electronic band Massive Attack. The genres listed are trip hop and British hip hop and it is actually considered the first trip hop album incorporating and blending elements of of hip hop with dub, soul, reggae and electronic music. At this point, the band members are Grantley "Daddy G" Marshall, Robert "3D" Del Naja, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws and Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles. Singing contributions were also made by Shara Nelson and Horace Andy. The album had widespread critical acclaim and commercially reached #13 in the UK. Wind and a downbeat temo open "Safe from Harm." Soulful vocals from Shara Nelson. A guitar break and rapping comes in. Nice sampling of Billy Cobham's "Stratus." "Be Thankful for What You've Got" gets a groove going. More soul and scratching. Based on a1974 song by William DeVaughan of the same name. "Unfinished Symphany" is downbeat. There's bells and this is more dance. A synth beat. "Daydreaming" has soft synth melodies and us dreamy. I got to think this is about drugs. The album ends with "Hymn of the Big Wheel"." There's wind sounds just like the album started. Dual vocals. Strings in the background. This is very optimistic sounding but it appears to be about being inevitably stuck in the wheel of fate. (This reminds me, I need to watch the latest episode of "Wheel of Time.") This album is nice and chill. It's not a busy album which sometimes hip hop can be. I defintely see its influences in the 1990's trip hop albums. It's a really nice album to listen to and would be perfect in the background while reading, working or doing just about anything.

Absolute banger.

Perfect

I loved this album! I was surprised to hear a lot of familiar sounds. I can see that this music has paved the way for a lot of future genres of music. Very nostalgic 90’s vibes as well. Trail blazers

Massive Attack really has become this group that I wasn't familiar with before starting with 1001 albums, but now love. Had their 'Protection' album here before, which was really good. I think this is stronger though. I am probably a bit biased in my honeymoon phase with this band, but they are just really good at creating extremely cool grooves with nice mellow chord progressions that works very well for me. It definitely feels 90s to me, but also manages to stand out and be very unique compared to much other music. The singers on the album have very different vocal ranges, which it makes it very interesting. It sounds quite similar to Moby, of which I am a big fan. He also manages to capture a similar feeling, especially in the 'Play' and '18' and albums. Some of my favourite tracks from the album are 'Blue Lines', 'Daydreaming', and 'Lately'. But like I said, all tracks keeps a very high bar.

This is a classic album front to back. This whole album is a "shots fired" situation that ignited a new genre and I'm so thankful for it.

Incredible, vocals were amazing

I'm just a little bit too old to have really gotten the whole trip-hop thing. I knew about it but never got into it and haven't bothered listening since. So, this was new and I really enjoyed it. A fine mix of laid back rhythms and hip-hop vocal that was easy to listen to. And I'm sure there's a Bristol twang when whoever it is sings "lover" at one point... Obviously important as well, but that doesn't always equate to being enjoyable to listen to. This does both: solid 4.5 stars, so it can have 5 for being different

Super album

Nice! It is cool to hear the birth of trip hop.

Very much enjoyed the various voices and the smooth trippy groove.

I had thought I had an idea of what Massive Attack sounded like but I was wrong. This was a fantastic listen! I love the atmosphere and vibe. It sounded a lot more contemporary than 1991 - seems like this was establishing the path for a lot of later music. Super cool!

Groundbreaking.

Great album. Love trip hop / chillhop.

One of the greats

Beautiful album. Masterpiece.

This album was really cool. I had never heard of this group before, but I dig their style. I use bass, drums, and keys in a very tasteful way. This album is groovy and chill and was perfect for listening while sitting at my desk at work. The rap style kinda sounds like Flight of the Conchords which makes it kinda funny to me. Favorite Track: Safe From Harm/Blue Lines Least favorite: Hymn of the Big Wheel

60’s, 70’s,80’s guy here, gotta say I really enjoyed this album.Always open to new music and this fit the bill, listened twice and was intrigued..so listened to more ,quite good

Possibly one of the greatest starting points of a genre, that genre being Trip-hop. As a result of combining electronic, soul, maybe even some psychedelia & reggae, this provided an all around great experience. For my favorite tracks, the opener, "Safe from Harm" (aka. My favorite), "Five Man Army", and "Unfinished Symphony" all round up for a solid top 3 from this album. This album is absolutely essential, and something you should look into if you want to get into trip-hop.

Still magnificent

The first trip hop album features beats that are slower than typical dance music influenced by funk, jazz, soul, hip hop etc. This album is so influential that it consistently ranks highly on decade and all time lists. I am familiar with later trip hop artists to the point where this album doesn't sound groundbreaking to me. However, when listened to in historical context, it is clear just how important this album is. It's easy to listen to, atmospheric, and wears its influences on its sleeves making it accessible to any listener.

Can’t believe this album has more than 30 years now. Just as good as the day it came out.

First real suggestion

Superb!

A classic!!

Really excited for this one. I don't know why I never really got into Massive Attack even though I was always obsessed with Faithless and they are often referred to as similar groups/music. The first track is pretty dope so far. Vocals sound a bit like Maxi Jazz RIP. I really liked that album! There was a song that had the same bass line as one of the Faithless songs. Five Man Army was the MA song, and Dirty ol Man was the faithless song.

Album so good it spawned a genre overnight. Love every single track on this. Fantastic. Masterpiece.

this was pretty solid. I liked a lot of the songs especially the title track. one of the best so far.

Hearing massive attack from time to time, finally a chance to listen to the album in a different way.

Great

A top of the tree all-time favourite list album. Contains some of my favourite songs, and in my humble opinion, the best album opening track ever.

7/9/25 loved this album so much!!! listened to it and then listened to it again two more times. so many cool sounds, no skips, still sounds so fresh - "the first trip hop album" - wish i could have heard it when it dropped favorite songs were one love, blue lines, hymn of the big wheel

One of the greatest trip-hop albums. ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ is simply stunning, and, while the rest of the album isn’t quite as good, it still sets a mood with smooth songs that are a joy to hear.

Never heard of this band!

Smooth

Massive... massive... When the Wild Bunch of Bristol began to infiltrate the music world, little did anyone know what would come from the abundant talents of Robert "3D" Del Naja, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws, Grantly "Daddy G" Marshall and Adrian "Mushroom" Vowles. In the creation of what would be known as the dreaded moniker "trip-hop", Blue Lines is not just one of the pillars of the chilled out hip-hop subgenre; it is one of the greatest albums of the 1990s. Across nine tracks, Blue Lines indulges in some dub-infused lovers rock, reworked stylings of obscure 70s soul and atmospheric swaggering rap in ways only these innovative Bristolians could wrap their minds around. A hell of a start to one of, amongst many, the best three album runs across any genres. Boom... boom chick-a chick, boom chick-a chick...

Awesome album. Not my favourite from them (I mean: Mezzanine, enough said), but amazing nevertheless.

Hard to believe this is 32 years old. The impact that this made is muted by the fact that a tremendous amount of music copied portions of what is contained here. The number of genres they incorporate in the sonic palette is both refreshing and astounding (in that they were able to make it work). And, they arguably created trip-hop.

Not sure if TripHop made it across the pond but this had a big influence in the UK. I like Mezzanine better (darker) but loved Tricky's influence here. Simply infection, moody, and dark. Every track holds it's own- great variety in styles and sounds.

Erinomainen levy! Suosikkini koko bändiltä. Pyörinyt lautasella ihan megapaljon. 5/5

9/10 really fun album, I loved the diversity

LP

I'm aware that I probably wouldn't have given this album 5 stars if I wasn't already familiar with it. I can remember things like the original vocals taking me a while to get into, but it is an album that has a lot of depth you uncover as you listen to more and more.

Absolutely great Album

Amazing!

Een favoriet hier in huis, staat dan ook geregeld op.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

This album holds up years on, and bits and pieces still show up as influences in modern music and pop culture. The stunning production, stream-of-consciousness yet poetic lyrics, and consistent end-to-end identity of this album make it something I come back to year after year.

A trip hop classic, still not my favorite Massive Attack

As one of the pioneers of trip-hop, it deserves its recognition with over half the album constituting of masterpieces to show what the genre could do, with their most accessible songs in the first half. Emerging from rave culture, electronic music fills the room with open ambiance and a tight groove. The synths are subtle and ensure there's a lot to focus on. The reggae-infused "Five Man Army" is one of the best examples: with two distinct rapping styles back and forth, but the background is full of creative jazz samples, weird synth effects, and hidden scats to ensure there's always something new to pick up on. The use of hip-hop may sound normal today, but it was completely innovative at the time when you consider their more forward and punchy contemporaries. It meshes well with the R&B and reggae styles singing of Shara Nelson, Horace Andy, and other singers. Despite having several vocalists, they all sound great and add to the diverse styles of these tracks, as if to show the genius is within the production itself, with the vocalists rather serving an instrumental role. I was once assigned Tricky's solo album a year ago, and I found it repetitive, but I much prefer his vocal contributions here, but maybe that's because it's more spread out and not the center of attention, even in his own songs like "Blue Lines." Still, the lyrics in songs like "Be Thankful" and "Unfinished Sympathy" are infectious, with inviting hooks to pull in all sorts of audiences. Even the tracks I didn't care for much became favorites given enough time. Nothing felt like filler, and the last few tracks gave a satisfying ending.

What an album! Super chilled, really enjoyed from start to end, strong beat in the background keeping it going the whole way and just zoned out into it, defo listening again

Classic, loved this.

The best album of one of my favorite bands. Massive Attack created an album full of ideas, great sounds and innovation.

Stone cold classic

Solid, I liked the style a lot. It was consistent and I am a fan.

For this genre, it's one of the best examples. For music, it's one of the best examples

One of the best - I listen to it all of the time.

This album changed my life. I don’t think I can actually say more than that.

C'est exactement comme ça qu'on imagine la vie

vendu

9/10. Excellent, was obviously a huge influence to Moby, Groove Armada, etc. Highlight was Unfinished Symphony.

Yes all around.

Wawow mag net een vijf krijgen van mij (omdat ik het zo makkelijker ga vinden haha). Heel mooie liedjes vooral: blue lines, unfinished sympathy en hymn of the big wheel . Ik duik nog wat in hun discografie

This is SOOO my type of music

Very good! Loved it!

4.5

Another perfect album

Unsurpassable greatness

Classic. It's not my favourite of their albums, but it is a timeless wonder.

Flawless. The singing alone on Hymn of the Big Wheel...

very cool

Just fabulous. And magical. Adore this album.

Fantastic. Thought I would find it middling. Instead I loved it all.

Inspired. Trip hop at its smoothest, freshest and funkiest, full of brooding emotion.

Perfection!

Prior to this, Teardrop was the only song of theirs I knew. I enjoyed the whole album!

Every time it ended I hit play again, and I just kept turning up the volume. (:

Truly an innovative direction in music and the start of triphop as a genre.

The big wheel keeps on turning…

Massive 🔥

Amazing

Love leve. Love

An absolutely gargantuan album of early trip hop. A definitive album of the genre. And you get Unfinished Sympathy to boot. 5 stars all the way.

I enjoyed it

Awesome, I would have never found this on my own.

4.5/5. Can definitely hear the influence on Radiohead and NIN, and how it expanded use of samples. British rap tho 😬

That was nice.

Very bassy and chill Awesome for 'high' setting

From the opening burbling bass of Safe From Harm, I was hooked. What a song. What an album. Genre defining. I love Mezzanine which is a more consistent album but the high points of Blue Lines are enough to carry the album to a 5 🌟rating

A veritable banger, already with many plays by me. I think I'll always prefer Mezzanine and Heligoland, but this is so impressive for a debut. Fav new track: N/A, but fav old track is prob still Safe From Harm. Memories of drilling the iwaslookingbackatyou section back in the day...

Nice!

6 of 1,001. Already own. Brilliant.

Great album from start to finish

*classic alert* I have this one on cd from years ago.. My second favourite massive attack album I reckon, just behind mezannine

Дебютник моих любимок в мире трип-хопа. Не лучший их альбом, но все равно хороший 9/10

Awesome rock album, some parts I didn't care for but some 5 star songs

A true classic. And if 3D Del Naja is Banksy, then even better.

Massive Attack haben mich geflashed, als ich sie das erste Mal entdeckt hab und tun es immer wieder. Düster, mystisch, fett, melodisch und überraschend. Das ist für sein Genre zeitlos.

Superb.

great album, mezzanine my fave though

👌🏻💕

Sin ser el que más me gusta sí es el que más me sorprende, lo tiene todo para ser una obra maestra: mezcla de géneros para hacer uno nuevo, flow y rollo a rabiar, magnetismo a tope. Musicalmente es una locura y, en su momento, rompedor y totalmente novedoso.

Really liked this, listened several times.

Brilliant album!

Mummy! Mummy! The cat pissed all over my hair again. Please help.

great album

7/10 Best songs: Safe from Harm Super interesting album that kind of foreshadows the triphop genre and the path electronica would take as the 90s progressed. Synths, soul, rap, atmospheric sounds and music - the album has it all. It doesn't quite hit the mark for me, but I do generally enjoy it.

Pioneers of lofi/trip hop. Features by TRICKY, Shara Nelson, Horace Andy, et al. fill out this album beautifully. Inspired to do a 90's trip hop deep dive.

Fajne na 4. Taki dziwny spokojny hip hop może.

This shit’s cool as fuck.

Doesn't really feel like a cohesive album. Really wide variety of styles. I looked some songs quite a bit and others weren't necessarily to my taste but not actively disliking. Could make for a good addition to a upbeat mix.

I liked it. I could see myself very easily running this album in the background while I'm doing something else. Kind of drags by the end and doesn't have any real captivating quality, however that's kind of the point.

A nice album with a relaxed vibe and many different fascinating musical elements. Some cool melodies and beats. Especially liked the back half of the album. I'm thankful for what I got. Four Stars!

It's not Meazzanine - but it shouldn't be, and should he proud for what it is. Unfinished Sympathy is a beaut of a track.

Effortlessly cool.

As I write, we're in the midst of yet another heatwave here in the UK that we're simply not equipped for. It could well be that I'm delirious, but this really is a pretty wonderful record, sounding all the more perfect in the hot sunshine. I'm familiar with Unfinished Sympathy as it's surely one of the most blissfully perfect singles of the last thirty-odd years - a real masterpiece - and it sounds all the more magnificent in the context of the album. Some tracks fall a bit flat in my opinion (Daydreaming, for example) but for the most part, yes, this is a fine record indeed.

Excellent album, "Mezzanine" is better but this is a very high 4* 4/5

Instant bass to face !!! Idrk what I was expecting but it wasn't these groovy tunes.

i love shara nelson’s voice mixed with the sick production

I found this album to be much more consistent and enjoyable than their album Protection. 3.75 / 5

Wonderful album. Won't lie, at the beginning of it I was thinking "oh I'm gonna fucking hate this I know it" but I proved me wrong. I had a very nice time with this. Crept up on me forreal. If I still drank wine, this record would be drunkenly danced to 10 times a day.

Traveling -rated 4 stars temporarily based on an earlier listen

01) Safe from Harm - 10,0 02) One Love - 9,0 03) Blue Lines - 9,0 04) Be Thankful for What You've Got - 8,5 05) Five Man Army - 8,5 06) Unfinished Sympathy - 10,0 07) Daydreaming - 8,5 08) Lately - 8,0 09) Hymn of the Big Wheel - 9,0 TOTAL: 8,94 (89/100) Current ranking: 97/962

Groundbreaking mix of trip hop, dub and electronics. It's cool and laid back and still quite intense and layered.

-yay Massive Attack finally! this is a really great album, one of my fav 90s and British hip-hop albums for sure. you can really see the early development of the later trip-hop style the band would embrace taking shape here -it’s not perfect and sounds a little dated now but i still love it. never forgetting my Massive Attack phase from 2023 -Favorites: Safe From Harm, Five Man Army

Great but not something I listen to

A bit of Reggae a bit of ambient, a bit of hip hop finalized with some house. All of it packed with crispy beats and cutting vocals. Real journey with a clear common theme leading through the album.

Had no idea who or what this was. Surprisingly really epic

Who are these people and why is this good. The album starts off slow, but after blue lines and be thankful for what you got, I was really invested. The drums are crisp and clean, and the base lines are really punchy. There were so many times in this album that I picked up on chops where I thought, “this would be an amazing sample “. Will definitely be listening to this album a lot moving forward. So unique.

The trip hop blueprint. The best albums of the genre (including Massive Attack’s best) were still to come, but the groundwork is all right here. Delivered to you straight from the backstreets of Bristol.

9 songs I was familiar with some songs from their other albums, and while I'd say that those are an improvement, this wasn't a bad debut album at all. Unfinished Sympathy is the highlight of the album, but all the other songs are pretty good as well!

Absolute classic record! Unfinished sympathy is an all time classic. The whole record has an awesome vibe. Iconic

Este ya lo escuché. A mi Massive Attack me gusta. El Trip Hop también me gusta bastante, pero creo, que me termina de gustar más cuando es hecho por una banda. Massive Attack son dos djs y funcionan a base de colaboraciones. Me pondría a explayarme pero hoy no pq tengo paja. No sé. Me gusta, pero jamás será más que madafakin Portishead.

They really struck gold with this release and never quite hit that spark again. Not all the tracks are classics, with some holding the album back slightly, but still some all timers that did a lot for electronic music going forward.

The influence Massive Attack has had on English culture is immense, and most will never know.

Is trip hop the best hop? Certainly near the top of the hop heap.

Knallsterk debut. Ikke alt jeg liker like godt på plata, men det er for det meste småpirk.

Utrolig at denne kom ut i 91. En del ulike retninger men alle med en egenartet vibe. Deilig.

Thoroughly enjoyed this…definitely listen again. Having only ever heard Unfinished Symphony and Teardrop before, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the variety of the rest of the album.

Audio gold.

Revisiting this, it sounded a little more dated than I expected. But still a landmark album full of bangers that kickstarted a genre.

One of the first trip hop albums. I think Mezzanine is better but this is still bloody good, and if this album paved the way for Portishead’s Dummy then hats of to it.

Really good album to listen in the background. I enjoyed it. I will give it another listen, and thats kind of weird for me bc it rarely happens.

Velmi dober🔥

This one tickled me

Fun trip! I'd be okay with more of this coming up on my shuffle occasionally.

trip hop pioneers

Groundbreaking sound and the birth of trip hop. It's a big album which still sounds good today

4+

Very upbeat and electronic

Really enjoyed!

Big fan

Great stuff. Knew the one hit. Listen to other tracks and knew then too!

Now it's my turn to have rating choice regret, since I might want to give this 3 stars, and yet I just gave an early, not great, Buzzcocks album 4 stars. On second thought, I'd probably go with 3, for the Buzzcocks. Anyway, was gonna say, after 1 listen, that 3 feels right for this one (but see below . . . ). When this came out, it was a certain kind of cutting edge - specifically, trip hop (Wikipedia says this was the first trip hop album). Now, it still sounds kinda cool, but also a little bit (as I guess it always was) like groovy background music -- wallpaper music, if you will. The best song, "Be Thankful," is actually a (very faithful) cover of a GREAT 1974 soul song. The other songs, if I'm honest, tended to fade into the background, albeit pleasantly. I'm glad (grateful) that this album exists, and that these musicians innovated, and genre-bended, in this way, and for the influence that it had on the development of popular music. So I guess I could bump it to 4 stars in part for its influence? But, no, I think I'm gonna stick with a high 3. Ok, but wait: late-breaking news: I listened again, and liked some of the songs better, especially in the middle (tracks 3 through 6), so am gonna bump it up to a low 4. Still does (mostly) sound pretty fresh and innovative.

Vid första anblick inte så märkvärdigt, men det har ju nåt

Chill sound som har något eget, även om de också har gjort ännu bättre saker.

It’s great, not quite Mezzanine though 😛

Oh, hey. It's Tricky again. I remember him from earlier. Always fun when a name I only know from this project pops up again unexpectedly out of nowhere. Hilariously enough, he's also my least favorite part of this album, just like he was in Maxinquaye. I still just don't really like the way he speaks. Nothing against him, it's just that he's the weak point of an otherwise very strange, but very good album. It won't surprise you then to know that my favorite songs on the album are ones where he isn't present. My favorite songs on this album, all good enough to add to the usual rotation, are "Unfinished Sympathy", "Lately", and my favorite, the opener, "Safe From Harm". The common denominator between all 3 of these songs is singer Shara Nelson, who has an incredible voice. Shara included, when you add the absolutely killer, ear-wormy background elements, heavy bass, and the other singer vocally aura farming, you've got just a really surprisingly killer opener that I wish set the standard for the entire album. This album skirts the line between a 3.9 and a 4.0 for me. While I find Tricky barely passable to listen to, and I actually can't stand the closing song, "Hymn Of The Big Wheel", the elements of this album I do like may be worth giving it a 4. Adding 3 songs from an artist I've never heard of before is a pretty good accomplishment, and I've already established that I love this kind of unholy mix of genres that blend a little bit of everything. So, you know what?? It's obviously not a 5, but I would 100% return to it, Tricky songs included. That sounds like a 4 to me. This one was incredibly unique and different. Flaws included, I think that should be celebrated. One thing I can say about this album for sure is that even in the weaker moments, it was never boring, so yeah, gonna be an immensely low 4, and I should probably give it a 3, but I think the background elements elevate this one higher. The vibe album of all vibe albums. Looking forward to the other one on here, and I'll likely check out even more from Massive Attack. Nice job on this one, low key kinda loved it.

Awesome listen with this one. Somehow both chill and engaging tunes throughout. I felt at peace listening while still being enthralled with the instrumentals. Every vocalist just glides across these beats and adds to the beautiful atmosphere the production builds.

i find it hard to define this album and what makes trip-hop and Massive Attack so special. Maybe is the moody night vibes that carry the specific combination of hip-hop rhythms, psychedelic sounds and female voices. But I think that there are limitations with that definition, as it doesn't encompass some other trip-hop albums. So I think, is more of a general definition that achieves to classify a lot of musical works influenced in a specific period of time and place (Bristol in the 90s). And a sound, that usually has this and that, but due to its experimental approach, can be quite varied. That said, i don't think this is the best album from them. I don't even think is a stellar or exceptional album of trip-hop. But i think is pretty good in perspective, and sets the bases of the more interesting and important sonical explorations that came after.

okay i hope this isnt public gulpppp. anyway safe from harm. pretty neat i feel pretty neutral abt it, not necessarily in a bad way but yknow, yeah. love the female singer. oh wait lowk on further listening its lowk a banger. love one love, makes me feel like im creepin around in the city, doing smth dubious. titular track, blue lines. i alr knew this one and its pretty neat. once again be thankful for what you've got is cute but like idk its just pretty neat. idk why im finding this album mid, bc i rlly want to like it haha. okay i like five man army, that one is pretty groovy. okay and then one of the besttt songs finally appears, unfinished symphony. omg i love this song sooooo much. Quite like daydreaming too. okay im lowk vibing with lately rnnn. oh wait this is totally a vibe i like it. last song was cool but for somewhat reason underwhelming. guys pls dont shoot me for this. 7-8/10

Pretty good. Not what I expected

unfinished symphony being the highlight but this is solid - very defining album of the genre/era imo! they have better albums but this is very solid

FIRE ALBUM!! i like it a lot, especially „safe from harm” which was just fantastic, it reminded me a bit of esthero’s music which makes sense given that she was inspired by massive attack. „blue lines” is a staple for trip-hop in the 90s and made me realise that the enterity of this genre is something i can resonate with!

Fye

So fucking weird that mezzanine isnt on the book originaly. This album is very good. Not for everyone cause its trip-hop yk. Cool reggae influence. 1991 was a hell of a year for music godamn. Nevermind, loveless, Laughing stock, spiderland... and this ofc.

Æ hørte på det her og tenkte mest av alt at æ egentlig kunne tenke mæ å høre mer på Tricky? Det va en ganske uventa observasjon, men sånn e livet.

This is very much of its time, and I think was pretty influential at the time. Nothing like as good as "21st best album of all time" as quoted in the Wikipedia album. I'd have said Mezzanine was better. Anyway this is a fine album and probably a grower.

Unfinished sympaphy is one of the best Massive Attack songs. Some other good songs on this album. Nice chill album to listen to.

It's good, it's Massive Attack.

Some songs can be a bit repetitive but I like how goofy they all are. And unfinished sympathy is one of the best songs ever made

que almbum tan chimba, de buena que le pondría 5 pero como que a la misma vez no lo guardaría entonces queda en 4, 4.5

Proposition extrêmement originale, et qui passe très bien, tout est amené correctement et l'aspect feat de partout donne à l'album une certaine identité sans partir dans tous les sens Je n'ai pas accroché sur une partie de l'album cependant

Alec will like this one and have a raunchy story to share

This wasn't the sound I was expecting from Massive Attack, but I really enjoyed it. Felt like a really cool trip back to the 90s

Not for everyone but I love it. A classic record and fantastic debut

Kinda Invented Trip hop , very nice

big fan of the mix of iconic samples and groovy sounds

This was decent. I like Massive Attack. Kind of timeless music, listening to it, I wouldn't have pegged it as early 90's. I wasn't really familiar with much, only peripherally Unfinished Sympathy; the rest of the songs were good, but a lot of it didn't stand out to me. Safe From Harm & Hymn of the Big Wheel were good. Another 3.5 star album... (4)

Very catchy ! But maybe a little too repetitive

A lot of fun. The bassline at the top pulls you right in.

sensual and groovy. lots of other music like this from the 90s that sounds dated now, but this has held up just fine. the variety of vocalists helps. so many good bass lines and drum tracks to enjoy.

Groovy enough to overcome my prejudice against British people rapping.

It started good so I am giving a 4 already. Because I am getting ahead

it was pretty good, it wasn’t what i was expecting based on the album cover and name of the band, but it was still a good listen, would have to pop it on again to really get some substance from the lyrics because i was working while listening, but it was a vibe.

dik

This seems to emphasize the hip-hop aspect of trip-hop more than their later output does. Still quite enjoyable.

Big 4* literally sounds like nothing before it

Excellent recording. Very good band from the 90's

Kriminalno što na listi nije Mezzanine jer bi mi on vjerovatno bio petica. Ovaj ima sve od moje najdraže do moje najmrže pjesme od njih ali srećom ostalih 7 je više nalik na Safe From Harm nego Unfinished Sympathy.

Fucking wonderful

Pretty funky. They have a cool sound. I've never heard of trip hop before and I'm interested in listening to more of it!

Biittejä. Outoa musiikkia mutta tykkään siitä.

It’s not Mezzanine, and it’s not Portishead, but it’s better than Protection.

Love Massive Attack, can tell the influence they have on the genre. Plus Bansky

Dinámico original gran momento para disfrutar

al igual que el de orbital, me abrió bastante la cabeza. no es música que suelo escuchar

nice

Har klagat mycket på triphop under det här projektet, men här har vi genrens bästa argument. Man kommer inte runt den lite tråkigt förutsägbara slutsatsen att ”unfinished sympathy” är ohotad höjdpunkt, satan vilken låt. Men finns också annat mysigt som ”One Love” och ”lately”. Svag för ”hymn of the big wheel” också. Där hör man tydligt hur inflytelserik den här skivan blev. Väldigt före sin tid. Det är ju pissnygga beats rakt igenom, men finns verkligen en hel del bjäring transportsträckor också. Svårt, antingen stark 3a eller svag 4a.

I appreciate how varied this album is

Massive Attack is a name that commands respect, but until now it's been for a few tracks that I knew as monuments in a landscape of 90's trip-hop. Safe From Harm the opening track brings to mind the sound of the iconic soundtrack to GoldenEye on the N64. Soundtrack to the youth of every British boy born in the early 90's. The other way I'd describe it would be `not out of place in a triple X movie`. And that isn't a slam, it's a vibe. Some of the choices made in this record are really interesting, I mean One Love is an insanely slow jam with a very weird atmosphere, I think if I'd have made it, I'd have left it on the drawing board, because I'd have been wondering in what situation someone would want to listen to it, and I don't know if I could have pictured one. But the sluggish, hazy hotbox of a texture actually makes sense when I scan back to the teenagers i knew as a kid in the 90's. Rooms seemingly with no sunlight, walls painted black, plastered with posters, a million VHS cassettes, magazines, a games console and if they were real legends, ashtray and cigarettes. I won't try and tie up that tangent of the imagined audience to this record. It's got enormous longevity and breadth. Be Thankful For What You've Got is an incredible jam that floats along with an incredible sample for the 1972 DeVaughn original granting it what so far looks like immortality. The other standout of course is Unfinished Sympathy, again bringing that kind of GoldenEye texture. Cinematic, full of tension, trip hop royalty - a forerunner to tracks like the This Bitter Earth - Dinah Washington & Max Richter collaboration. This track screams 5 star album, but I have to remind myself that there are records out there where every track is this good. So, after all these years, Blue Lines is getting a respectable 4 stars from me.

very unique album, few tracks i would return to as a solo but AMAZING as a project. felt star wars cantina vibes at some points lol

Thoroughly enjoyed this

Top quality trip hop

Hot take #1 This is the best British take on hip hop. It’s influences in American music are evident, but the rhymes are so British with Tricky bringing one of the most interesting rapping styles in hip hop- but the influences are also very Bristol with reggae bubbling through. Just a seamless mix Hot Take #2 it’s not as good as Protection

Any album that toys with genre awakens me and draws me in!

I enjoyed this a lot, a fun collection of songs that had a nice groove to them.

Good álbum

This is on my shelves; it's on most people's shelves time be fair. Certainly a departure at the time for this metal head, but the influence and importance of this album, and the trip-hop Bristol scene of the early 90s cannot be ignored. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ Iconic ★★★★☆ (7/10) Total reviewed : 294 Already owned : 68 Purchased : 15 To buy : 3 Nope : 208

amazing chill, incredible chill

I'm not normally a fan of this kind of stuff but it was kind of a vibe tbh.

This one’s good. Favourite track: “Safe from harm”.

Mezzanine is the better album and I wish it was also included along with this one. Great album though - very atmospheric. I especially appreciate Unfinished Symphony as using strings in that sense was quite groundbreaking at the time.

I quite liked this album. My favourite song was Unfinished Sympathy

This album is amazing