Reviews (page 4 of 14)
It’s interesting to finally hear this after years of only listening to Mezzanine. The clear favorite for me is Unfinished Sympathy. I also dig the contributions from Tricky. Horace Andy’s vocals are hit and miss with me… making me not really care for One Love or Hymn of the Big Wheel, but being less of an issue on Five Man Army. Mostly I’m a little disappointed that a lot of the sounds I associate with Trip Hop aren’t really there on this record. Blue Lines gets closest to the sound I was hoping for. Maybe it isn’t fair to review this album for being years away from the major sonic breakthroughs the band would create later, but it’s clear to me that Mezzanine is the one that belongs on the list.
This is all good. Some nice tunes. But then “Unfinished Sympathy” just towers above the rest. It’s no Mezzanine but it’s one I’d put on again.
A classic.
Insane album
Thank you Bristol. 👍🏻
I don't think I've ever listened to a Massive Attack album start-to-finish before. Trip hop isn't really my thing, but this isn't bad. I didn't hate it, but I don't feel compelled to listen to this again.
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.
This was cool. I like how many different artists are included. It gives each track a different flavour. I think I enjoyed this a similar amount to the other Massive Attack album on the list, though I don't super remember it (but I see that I rated it 4 stars too). I really like Be Thankful For What You've Got and Hymn Of The Big Wheel.
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
I am now a certified Massive Attack fan, I don't know what makes me certified, other than that I am certain that I am a fan. I personally think Protection ranks above Blue Lines, and Mezzanine also sits above Blue Lines for me. However seeing how this was their debut, it still ranks high for its inventiveness and authenticity. These guys helped carve out a new genre, and I gotta give em props for doing so. 8.5/10
me aburrio un toque, pero estuvo bien para el contexto en el que lo escuche (oficina un miercoles a las 9:30am). meh :/
Gosto de umas músicas assim bem versáteis
I've never listened to Massive Attack before this. To my uninformed ear, I think this must have been incredibly ahead of its time in 1991, but sounds pretty dated to me in 2026. I think the vocals/lyrics in particular don't help - every time Tricky was rapping it made me think of Flight of the Conchords.
Chill album Standout songs: Blue Lines Daydreaming
Mi mejor descripción para el sonido de este álbum seria collage sonoro, y la verdad que es muy acertado ya que el género que nació a partir de acá es el Trip Hop, un género que fusiona un montón de sonidos de la electrónica con influencias del hip hop, el funk, el jazz y sobre todo el downtempo. Si bien es acá dónde se empieza a cocinar la cosa, más adelante se vería el punto más alto al que puede llegar este sonido (ej. Bocanada), así que es muy buen detonador, la canción que más destaca es Unfinished Sympathy, que nos da un adelanto de lo grandilocuente que puede llegar a ser.
Certainly an interesting and unique album from what I usually listen too. Overall though trip hop is not really my thing (at least based on this album I didn't know trip hop was a subgenre til today). I liked the reggae influence on some of the tracks, but probably would prefer listening to regular reggae. The songs were alright, but nothing really stood out too me too much. Favorite Track - Safe From Harm Least Favorite Track - Five Man Army ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is probably a collection of the worst style of singers I have ever heard. What the fuck is going on with the music generator. One Love….terrible Like it makes Corey Feldman sound like Sinatra I’d like to point out that I complained about the collection of singers on this album to find out that I was only 2 songs in. That’s how bad this album started. I think I’m just going to bitch about the vocals throughout this whole album. Blue Lines is decent but it has that clearly British spoken word singing. A good singer hides their accent. Ya I said it. Then the song with the best vocals yet is a skippable song. This album could only really be weighed based on the music, the singing has sunken this ship.
favs: safe from harm, blue lines, five man army, unfinished sympathy
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).
Damn. I've made clear I don't care for trip-hop in my reviews of Portishead and others. But I like Massive Attack, and what they stand for. Clearly though, I don't like everything. This is all sorts of hit and miss. Some of it, like the big songs (Same from Harm, Unfinished Sympathy) are great. Others, like One Love go from boring to annoying (what the hell was up with those horns?).
i expected to like this. boy was i wrong.
I feel like my memories of listening to massive attack (pretty much just mezzanine) are a bit more experimental and less straightforward chill trip hop rapping. My memory might be letting me down a bit, but this is less interesting than I expected. I still quite like it. The sounds are nice, the atmosphere they create is very laid back and the vocals suit it well. I feel like unfinished symphony is much more the sound I expected which seems obvious, but there you go. Though it does have a weird messy percussion part across it all which I've never noticed before. Yeah, the next tracks goes straight back to the other style. Symphony really stands out here. I like it, not quite what I expected in terms of sound, but similar in terms of feel. I suspect if I listen to mezzanine again I'd prefer it to this, but it's nice.
Meh! I enjoyed it just fine, but not my fave.
Just not a huge fan of trip hop. If I was stoned out of my mind at like 2am this would have for sure sent me into a comatose-like trance state
I've listened to and enjoyed Massive Attack before, but this was not the same style of music that I'm used to hearing from them.
it's 3.75
A chill classic
I felt it was a mixed bag but then the highs were very high. A really unique sound that made me feel lots of differnt things.
Very different album. Love the Tricky tracks and some of the driving synth. The tough thing is a lot of it sounded the same.
I love trip hop and the Bristol scene as a whole. It inspired a wave of really interesting music that blends genres in an intelligent way, creating a cinematic and dark sound that can truly shake you. I associate Massive Attack with the word “layers,” and here you can hear the beginnings of all the elements that would later cement the band’s legacy. There’s the dark electronic atmosphere, moody basslines, hip-hop drums and scratches, minimalistic guitars, and even a sprinkle of reggae. My favorite songs are "Safe from Harm", "One Love", and "Unfinished Sympathy".
Classic, love this genre and this is in the top 5 from it along with Tricky and Portishead
Got already
Boring
Nice, this is very enjoyable. Always heard of this group, never got around to checking them out. Maybe Mezzanine once or something. But this debut is just a smooth listen, it’s almost like a playlist with the way it shuffles styles and vocalists, but it maintains this vibe throughout and that’s what ties it all together. I’ll definitely revisit this. Must-listen #318.
Absolutly loved this album, was a brilliant and well produced debut. Stunning at times, whilst the quality never dips.
Interestingggg
Really good
Production, vocals, lyrics. Just crafts a mood that captures a specific feeling
Classic. A lot of good stuff here.
Done
enjoyed it but 4 seemed too high. 3 and a half
Remember my brother having this album growing up, the artwork always stuck with me. Really enjoyable overall, a solid 3.5. Unfinished Sympathy still sounds sooo good.
GENRE DEFINING
One of the most interesting Trip Hop albums I have heard. You have random hip hop songs, soul songs, dub songs and more but it all has that underlying trippy atmosphere and rhythms that are so characteristic for the genre. The best part is easily the drums which are so thick and crispy, sounds very satisfying. The vibe is immaculate, the whole record sounds like you're walking around an abandoned UK city in the middle of the night.
Had forgotten how influential this was, and how much Tricky was all over this album before he struck out more on his own. Trip hop before it was called that, with a couple of massive singles in 'Unfinished Sympathy' and 'Safe From Harm', and the rest holds up pretty well now, even 35 years later.
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!
This album was actually pretty good.
A cold pancake on a Tuesday morning.
I’m like it, especially the songs with Horace Andy and Tricky. I especially liked the last song, but probably won’t listen to the album again 4
Interesting genre, had a nice sound to it but not really my taste.
top
Too slow for my vibe
Cool name tbf
album #18 Do I like this album? No. Do I think it should be on the list? Yes. Blue lines paved the way for a lot of trip-hop, especially in the uk lol; i massively (;D) respect what they did with this album and what it meant for the uk music scene as a whole. But i just don't like it. it's a taste thing - i like some of massive attack's stuff, just not this album. c'est la vie! ꩜ average track rating: 1.9/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): blue lines ꩜ least favourite track(s): one love, safe from harm ꩜ album rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,071 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 9 (+1 Blue Lines) ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 3 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 14
Somehow boring except for couple of really good songs. 2.8.
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.
Triphoppia tietenkin, mutta vähän ehkä iloisempaa sellaista. Siisti tunnelma kuitenkin. Räppiä aika paljon. Parhaat: Safe From Harm, Unfinished Sympathy
Good for background music but really not my whole thing. Safe from harm was good, but the rest was mostly these trip hop covers which were just meh to me.
Pretty good, though I think Mezzanine is a better album from these guys
Nothing to really grab me here.
I liked this well-enough, and I guess the author chose it because it was the vanguard of trip-hop, but it really pales in comparison to Mezzanine. I think maybe there's too much early 90s still hip hop? I dunno.
I like the bass-led song writing. Safe From Harm & Hymn of the Big Wheel Stood Out. The faithful cover of Be Thankful For What You've Got was fine but did not really add anything to that song. The original is an all time great song and perfect for the summer.
4/5 - I wasn't cool enough for this in 91, and I'm not cool enough for it now. I need to listen to more Massive Attack.
Pretty solid, enjoyed listening to this album. Bunch of different styles all merged into one, with a dark r&b motif throughout. Fave songs: Blue Lines, Unfinished Symphony
Listened to Protection on this list a few months ago, and didn't care much for it. I liked this album better, especially the closing track.
This was pretty good to me. This sort of music isn’t really in my wheelhouse, but I enjoyed it well enough. 3
Trip hop indeed, chill vibe but not something I think I will revisit
8/10
162/1001 First listen. I’ve always heard great things about Massive attack but this didn’t do much for me. The vocals I find, detract from this and date it as well. But that’s just one listen. 4/10
Unfinished sympathy and safe from harm are modern classics. However like a lot of the trip hop albums of the time there is an awful lot of guff to wade through. One for the chin strokers
Gran estilo musical, muy innovador y original.
Mezzanine is better. Enjoyed some of it but other times i was a little bored of it
This is good. I can see where a lot of music I listen to gets its influence from now. I’d agree with most and say the mezzanine is better.
Personally I think Mezzanine was their best album but they could and probably should have had 3 on this list. Listening to this in full again I can see why it is so revered, it hangs together very well as a whole and has some stand out tracks, hard to believe it’s 35 years old, holds up really well and has clearly been a massive influence in the years following. 4.2
Very enjoyable. I liked the mix of different vocalists and the changes of pace. Relaxing and hypnotic.
I’ve never embraced its reputation as an influential, classic LP, but still a very strong album with some excellent, atmospheric, close to perfect songs. But it’s a little too R&B for me in spots and has at least two songs that are unlistenable. Would be a terrific like 7 song EP.
One thing I have to give this experience credit for is exposing me to more electronic music than I have listened to up until now. I've gained a greater sense of just how vast this genre is (I could've guessed this was the case as few genres are one note, but its nice to hear it for myself). That being said, I know this is not *the* Massive Attack record and while there were some cool bits here and there it didn't do a lot to move the needle for me. 3/5
A chill and funky sounding album, a pretty good listen and seemed quite orignal for its time. I enjoyed listening to this but was completly blown away a couple standout songs, good but nothing insanely good.
I had only heard of them as the theme for Luther, so this was a nice joy discovering them in more detail. This didn't blow me away, but I still liked it. Chill beats, the features were solid and interesting, and overall solid soundscape. Felt a little short and repetitive at the same time, but I wouldn't mind listening to some of the tracks again.
Very good trip-hop if a little forgettable.
There are moments and moments throughout the album. Some songs I found boring and some others I thought okay that sounds cool. I especially liked the ones that seemed kind of trip hop. However I would not revisit the album.
це прікольдд
never listened to trip hop so listening to the beginings of its genre is truly awesome
Interesting
I thought I had this record...I recognise the cover art. I must be thinking of Protection. Okay, so I get that this would have been revolutionary at the time but like, it's not their best record...? I could be showing some ignorance here but it seems like the samples aren't even really dressed up, they've just sung over the top of Billy Cobham etc. Maybe that's what they also did later but I was too young to realise? Anyway, yeah pretty cool genre-defining trip-hop type thing out of the Bristol scene. Mezzanine is still my pick.
Good album and new to me
egal was andere denken - ein erfrischendes, atmosphärisch dichtes album mit tollem gesang und beats. und dann noch tricky für den sprechgesang. 5 sterne!
Cooler Trip-hop
ok 3.5
Great beats and grooves. I like the updated version of the classic Be Thankful For What You've Got. Liked Songs Added: Be Thankful For What You've Got Five Man Army
0/9 bekannt 5,5/10 Beste Songs: hymn of the big wheel, safe from harm, five man army
RYM 3.0
not for me.
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!
nothing that stands out
Classic of course
For its time, it really was fresh and progressive music, but now I only like a couple of the tracks. I guess trip-hop just isn't my thing
Boring.
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.
the soulful vocals and gated drum machines of Be Thankful For What You've Got, the whistling wind and deep dub of Safe From Harm, the colossal ambient washes and unabashed turntablism of Unfinished Sympathy. this album is bold, and creates a sound for itself from the ground up. more hip hop than their later work, and a lot of the tracks aren't quite developed, but good debut overall. deserves to be one of the 1001? sure. but alongside Mezzanine obviously
ehh
bof
Light 3. Honestly, this project has really made me come to appreciate and genuinely dig trip hop. That’s a genre I had almost never listened to before but it just HIT for me. Some of my favorite first listens for this project have been trip hop! And I was interested in finally hearing this one, one of the biggest, one of the first, but ultimately I was not as into it as some other entries. It’s a little overproduced, a little busy, and British rapping is always suspect. Like, the bars are REALLY bad, generally. The best tracks are, I feel unsurprisingly, just the women singing. That’s what trip hop should be! Women with ethereal voices singing over esoteric beats! That’s all I want!!!
Perfect
I just could not get into this one and felt myself wishing it would be over soon. UK pop is just not my thing.
I missed this the first time round apart from the singles and reading the reviews I was looking forward to it. First play I would have given it a 3 but on second listen I just didn’t get it so it’s a ……
Never managed to get into it very well. Interesting to hear the much more hip hop sided sound compared to Mezzanine.
Putting me to sleep on this three hour drive. Proto stoner rock mixed with boring electronic music. Can definitely see the vision and how this undoubtably influenced a lot of good music but that does not make this good!
nice album, relaxing
Reminded me a lot of Portishead. Really like Unfinished Sympathy. The rest was mixed but overall a good album.
Somewhat disappointed here. With the huge track that is "Unfinished Sympathy" I expected more from the other tracks on the album, buuuuut I was wrong to have such high expectations. Dull and lifeless IMO. 2, sorry.
Very uneven. I don’t know what to make of Massive Attack. Some of their songs like “Safe From Harm” and “Unfinished Sympathy” are beauties, and others - “Five Man Army”, “Lately” and especially the dreadful “One Love” - are just dregs. More blah than blast in the balance, I’d say. Bring on the Teardrop(s).
so fresh and relaxing, yet a lot of driving force. one of many master pieces from massive attack
Acrescentei duas faixas as músicas que gosto mais, achei muito interessante o conceito do álbum pois a união dos diferentes gêneros realmente causa um impacto por se diferir de outros que já escutei, pela minha ignorância dou 3, pq n é um álbum que vou escutar novamente, porém salvei algumas faixas.
Got a nice drive!! Moodbooster
Was not familiar either this album, loved it a lot.
I liked this!! Daydreaming and Be Thankful for What You’ve Got were my faves
Really liked this album. Very versatile, lots of interesting songs with different styles.
Liked a few songs didn’t care for most of them. Overall I thought it was OK. One I could see myself giving another shot though!
I was excited to listen to this but feel kind of disappointed in it. I don’t think it’s aged very well with some questionable language choices. I just found it a bit of a flat album. Unfinished symphony doesn’t fit into this though, is a great song that really stands out from this so can see what it was the standout track at the time.
Found that this has dated quite poorly, feels very of its time. 'Unfinished Sympathy' is an obvious classic but there are some on here that just feel tired and old. Maybe you had to be there.
I know this is a revolutionary album(by an artist with a name that doesn't correlate to their genre), but the lyrics here are talentless garbage, and the music gets old after the third track. For the third consecutive day, I'm giving an album a "2" star rating. Favorite Track: "Blue Lines".
it was okay i was a little bored
I really enjoy a lot of the beats, but some of the songs get repetitive and meh. Others are very good. This group seems dependent on the guest vocalist they have on each song
Never heard of them before so didn’t know what to expect. Heard hints of reggae, funk, hip hop, dance, prog rock,…. A little of everything. Sections reminded me of Enigma’s MCMXC (1990) album (music not the monks chanting). Probably wouldn’t seek it out, but would listen to it again.
Great album. Very energetic and creative. I've not heard of this group before but I'm a fan now!
Smelled a little funky but tasted fresh
The album starts strong with a killer beat featuring an awesome bass ostinato in “Safe From Harm”. We get some lovely dreamy soulful vocals on this track but sadly the vocals on this album are the element I find the most uneven. On the next track “One Love” the vocalist is doing some really weird vibrato that I find a bit annoying. Also not a fan of the reggae style vocals in “Five Man Army” or the whole of “Hymn of The Big Wheel”. In fact Big Wheel is probably the weakest track for me which is an unfortunate way to end the album. The instrumentals however are excellent throughout the album, slick cool trip-hop beats with enough variety to keep it interesting. Particular standouts for me were “Blue Lines”, “Be Thankful For What You’ve Got” and “Unfinished Sympathy”
I usually like massive attack but the features on this album were waaaack. Extremely and fully repetitive
Decent album. A few good songs mixed in with ok songs. Nothing shattering here.
I've heard Massive Attack but had no idea what they sound like. Surprised this came out in 91. Nice mix of rap/reggae
Good jams, just not my thing.
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.
mid 3 kind of disappointed in this i thought id like it more
Blandar och ger, när Shara Nelson sjunger är det fantastiskt. Några låtar är klassiker annat är utfyllnad. Men en fyra måste det blir.
Had potential but found it very boring. Some cool drums and production
This is one of those bands I've heard of but hadn't heard until this project. Better than I thought, some cool songs.
I like their better known albums alright, but the compositions on this one just seemed too aimless, if not random.
First album in 2 weeks that didn’t totally suck dick. 4 stars
I loved this album. I'm bummed I missed it the first time. Will definitely listen again
shark-core
Definitely does not hit like Mezzanine... Found it a chore to listen through
nu konechno zhe da
The first song sounds so cool and is a real highlight, but I think there's interesting stuff with listening to across the whole album. I can hear in this album stuff that I know from later that could've been influenced by this. I would definitely listen again.
Maybe I can appreciate some of the ambiences, but this album was devoid of any energy or passion. The music is incredibly repetitive and stale, with equally as stale vocals... and that's for every single song. It makes me want to listen to literally any other album that doesn't turn my mind into a vegetative state.
In the trip hop genre or electronica this may have been a hit in 91 but give me Portisheads dummy any day
A few covers. So 90s chill.
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
MORE JAMAICA pls
Dream like.
Fun record! I enjoyed the diversity and various features.
90’s realness
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.
Just not that into it.
Hey that was a cool vibe!
First listen I was not a fan but after 2-3 times thru I was really digging the lyrics and enjoying the beat. 6 out of 10
More RNB and soul than trip hop. Solid album, before they found their sound
Doesn’t really do it for me. Still found it a little interesting though
Am i being punk'd? The opening tracks are kind of obnoxious. Slow jams with childish lyrics. Is this trip hop? Very dated sound. (1/5) Ugh.. Did they just learn what rhyming is? Supposedly Unfinished Sympathy is the standout track, and I'm sorry, I don't see it. Maybe this was a cultural touchstone in a certain time and place, but nothing on this album has held up to the passage of time. The samples are misplaced, just putting strings behind a beat does not make it "ethereal", and the songwriting is hot, steaming garbage. Perhaps I'm a cranky old man now, but I couldn't even see my teenage self liking this too much. There are better ways to create good music using these tools and this admixture of ingredients. Did that mf'er just try and rhyme "weebles wobbles" in a song?? How is this a classic?
Massisve Attack is a group that I have been aware of but never taken the time to explore, and I'm very happy that I got the opportunity here. Immediately gave me proto-Gorillaz vibes in the greatest ways, while also exhibiting a a range og vocal styles (including soulful and well-placed offerings from Shara Nelson). There's some experimentation that really works here, and some that falls flat for me, but it's varied beats and rhythms made it anything but boring, and I repeated a few tracks (namely "Safe From Harm", "Unfinished Sympathy", and "Daydreaming," all of which I discovered after had been released as singles). One of the first on this list that I was unfamiliar with and plan to revisit, this one's the kind of 3.5/5 that I don't mind to round up.
"Cause life ain't nothing but a good groove, A good mixtape to put you in the right mood” Variety: 3 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 3 = 3.8 rounded up to 4 INTRO I saw Massive Attack come up and got a little too excited before I realized this is not the one I thought it was. I didn't jump on the bandwagon until Mezzanine which was, to my complete surprise, a full 7 YEARS LATER! Surely I must have heard some of this before, right? Let's see what Banksy and friends have in store. THE TRACKS "Safe from Harm" - Ok. Fears unfounded. I have at least heard this one before. Awesome opener. Everything about this is what I was hoping the Soul II Soul's Club Classics vol. One was going to be. Take all those criticisms and reverse them. I'm back on board for some late 80s/ early 90s British music collective shenanigans. "One Love" - Steady as she goes. Horace Andy is what you want from a male vocalist on this type of thing. Soulful, and tuneful. He's not just reading off a menu here. That awesome sting is lifted from "Ike's Song" by Isaac Hayes ( had to look it up as I thought it was from a Godzilla (!) soundtrack at first) cements this together for me. Seriously though - do yourself a favor and pull up the Who Sampled Who site while listening to some of these. "Blue Lines" - Not the biggest fan of Banksy's rapping on this. It's not distractingly awful but it veers very close to the talk/ singing stuff I tend to loathe. His flow is , uh... monotone and deliberate if I'm being kind. However, it slots into the chill atmosphere well, so... "Be Thankful for What You've Got" - We get a more than capable, modernized cover of William Devaugn's minor soul classic here ( recognized the song, but had to look up the artist and release date). Enjoyable and a nice change of pace, but does not touch the original by a country mile. I listened to the original while the cover was paused, came back and confirmed this opinion. Bet this killed in their live sets though. "Five Man Army" - I think I could listen to just the drum and bass on this on a loop for hours ( found this after - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3LPGmxpCu4) . The reggae dripping off this is a delight, and maybe my favorite rapping so far (Tricky!) off the whole album. Banksy doesn't even detract from the experience. "Unfinished Sympathy" - I feel like I've heard this drum sample a zillion times, but doesn't lose anything here. The strings over top and the vocals are lovely as well, but both parts seem to be straining against each other. I wish the drum loop was slowed way down so this could feel more chill, but I feel like I'm running to catch up or listening to two separate songs playing over top of each other. This is a flavor I'm not sure of yet. It seems to come together in the end though with the piano. Maybe it could grow on me? "Daydreaming" - Tricky seems to be working at Banksy's pace here for the first part and then gets more confident by the halfway point. Right down the middle though and can't say this one hooks me. Not filler by any means, but the rapping is not what draws me to Massive attack, and it's front and center here. This would be best time to hit the toilet at a concert. "Lately" - I'm fully along for the ride. The groove is in full effect and Shara Nelson kills it with the baby-making vocals. "Hymn of the Big Wheel" - Easily the most surprising track here. To quote They Might Be Giants "No one in the world ever gets what they want / And that is beautiful" - seems to be the vibe here. The electronic bits remind me of Aphex Twin. Not my favorite, but my biggest criticism is that it's the one track that feels out of place. Until the last 45 seconds or so anyways. Paints with such bright colors early on I'm not sure I would have pegged this for a Massive Attack song at all had I heard it out of context. We got some whale song though I guess. HIGHLIGHTS - "Safe from Harm", "Five Man Army", "Lately" if I had to pick standout tracks - Shara Nelson and Horace Andy are the co-MVPs here in my opinion, only enriching things when they show up LOWLIGHTS - Banksy's rapping will never be my favorite - Ends on such a weird note - Another 7 years til we get "Teardrop" :( FINAL THOUGHTS I've heard bits and pieces of this over the years but never thought to go back and give this my full attention. Glad I did. I could make a whole 5 star playlist of just great songs that were sampled for this. It's crazy that this is their debut and they feel so complete and steady already. I can't imagine Mezzanine won't come up on this list at some point though, and gonna go ahead an predict a 5 star for that one. It puts this in perspective though. Very little at all to find fault with, but I know there's better things coming. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Drop "Blue lines" and "Daydreaming". If only there were some way to swap Banksy and Tricky on these. - "Hymn of the Big Wheel" we can maybe pretend never existed. Besides I think ending with some Shara Nelson is appropriate here.
“How we live in his existence just being English upbringing, background Caribbean“ New listen for me. So an odd thing happened as I listened to this one. I initially bounced off of it, just not for me, but something kept nagging the back of my mind. Then halfway through the album, around the track Five Man Army, it started hitting for me. And by the end I wanted to start it over and listen to those first few tracks again. Ah there it is, that start to “Safe From Harm” put me in mind of 311’s “Beautiful Disaster” and that brought the whole album into focus. The beat heavy sound with bits of electronic, reggae, and rap. Wouldn’t be surprised to find out Massive Attack was influential on them. (Upon reading the Wikipedia on this album I see that this album and band are a massive (pun not intended) influence on many artists.) Trip hop. That makes sense. I dig it. A 3.5 that I don’t feel like rounding up to a 4. I’m probably adding these tracks to the playlists: Safe From Harm Blue Lines Five Man Army Daydreaming Lately.
Surprisingly good, liked a few songs on here
I was so sure I had never heard a Massive Attack song but it turns out I was wrong. Overall it's alright but not something I would seek out. Unless I needed a nap because all it does is make me sleepy. Favorite: Safe From Home (the one I've heard before) Would I listen to it again: No
Fave tracks- big man army and be thankful for what you’ve got
Have I changed, or have Massive Attack? Didn't hit quite the way it used to.
Great way to spend a Friday afternoon. Its no Mezzanine but its still quality
Not their best one but still a good album
Good and solid but I’d always pick mezzanine over this if I wanted to listen to some massive attack
Was happy to see Massive Attack album, but it didn't capture me at all. Guess i only like Mezzanine from them
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.
My earliest experience with trip hop and it was phenomenal!
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!
Strong production and atmosphere. A couple dud tracks (One Love and Lately), but also a couple hits (Safe From Harm and Unfinished Sympathy)
Another blind spot I’m very much enjoying exploring-excellent. Diverse in sound. Great grooves. Loved it.
What a great time. Wonderful grooves.
So 90s it deserves to be in a time capsule. The different voices and styles throughout the album were fun
I like the base in the opening track quite a lot. And the closing track in general. Those are the only parts that stood out to me. I don't like any of the vocals in this album, except for the closing track. The closing track is saving this album for me
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."
Me gusto el inicio, es algo diferente a lo que suelo escuchar. Me hubiera gustado empezar con un álbum del grupo que no tuviera ft, los instrumentales son muy interesantes. One love va a mí playlist Blue lines va a mi playlist Five man army va a mi playlist A medida que avanza el álbum se siente más familiar y relacionado con las cosas que me gustan.
Be thankful for what you got is probably the best song on the album and then the hymn of the big wheel is a close second but other than that, nothing much is left on this album but since I was able to find 2 or three songs, can’t give it to one, but definitely has earned a two out of five
Niet zo'n heeeel boeiend album. Klinkt allemaal een beetje hetzelfde. Wel lekker chill. Was verrast dat ik unfinished symphony al kende. Dat vind ik oprecht een leuk nummer
nice but a bit boring. I didnt like the guy rapping
not really my thing. the repetitive soothing nature of most trip hop is kind of boring to me. but i also think everyone on this album has a really unique and beautiful voice and i liked what i heard of the lyrics. maybe i will revisit..
Nice album mixing hiphop and that chilled out grungy sound of the 90s. Uncertain if this is the album that kick started the triphop genre, but definitely still great after 30 years. Overall not as enjoyable as Mezzanine for me, but Five Man Army and Hymn of the Big Wheel stand out as phenomenal songs
fav songs: safe from harm blue lines five man army daydreaming hymn of the big wheel nocturnal, immersive, bass 75/100
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!!
This one started out promising and faded fast. Best track was Safe From Harm.
Good
Cool, prefer less hip hop MA albums
Released April '91. The album that birthed Trip-hop. Safe From Harm: Menacing, sultry, dub baseline is instantly iconic. Essentially the blueprint for triphop. Great opener. One Love: Horace Andy on vocals for this one, based around Mahavishnu Orchestra sample. Points for the jarring Isaac Hayes brass sample that intercuts throughout. Blue Lines: Another dark funky number. The rapping is a tad fast...and the cadence a little dated. Be Thankful for What You've Got: Cover of William DeVaughn. Very cool bass line, organ is the shit. Five Man Army: Worst rapping so far, just cringe. Bass line is cool though, as is the 'money money money' dub outro. Unfinished Sympathy: Classic, 'nuff said. Upon re-listening, I am struck by the effect the percussion has in grounding the track. The vocals soar while the strings wash over you. There is a method to the darkness. Daydreaming: Mean bass line - sample from Mambo by Wally Badarou. Again, more cheesy rapping (sorry Tricky). Lately: Another Sharah Nelson lead track. Bass slaps...a little meandering though. Hymn of the Big Wheel: Low atmospheric hum. Tinny lo-fi drumtrack sounds like a rattlesnake. We wait until the end of the record to address those universal truths...the closest dance has come to a genuine religious call. It's a rare and earnest moment. There are some moments of dated production and vocal delivery, but this is an innovative album of aesthetic and musical quality. They would release more sophisticated albums later, but as a first step it's a giant one.
A very 1990s mix of styles. I liked the opening and the heavier electronic sounds used in soul(-ish) music, not so much the rap and rap-adjacent passages. Favourites: "Safe from Harm", "Unfinished Sympathy" and "Latey". 3.5 / 5
Solid 4 out of 5. Great background music
such a great album until the end. i wasnt feeling it. but maybe it will grow on me
Hindsight is incredibly kind to this album. The first real triphop album ig it’s time holds up SO well. This must’ve really sounded like the future upon its release, and that’s exactly what it was. The focus on creating an atmosphere with the music through minimalist, repetitive techniques is akin to something you’d hear in house music. Blue Lines just takes an acidic, trippy, slowed big beat approach to it. “Unfinished Sympathy” is a monster of a track and easily my favorite. “One Love” was good too. 4/5. There was a time where I didn’t have the patience or pallet to find greatness in this record, but there is greatness indeed
When I saw that Massive Attack was an electronic music group, I assumed I was going to dust off my standard copy/paste electronic music review. I was proven wrong on this one. Turns out it was not the typical house music I associate with that genre. There were several songs on here I really liked, they had a very cool vibe - Safe from Harm, Unfinished Sympathy, Be Thankful, and Hymn of the Big Wheel. Shara Nelson’s voice is amazing on several of the songs. She added a lot of depth on this. But then there were others I skipped through because I thought they were terrible. Giving this a solid 3 though, which is shocking considering these are typically a 1 for me.
It’s spoken poetry, with talented backup singers, over 90’s beats that don’t always coincide. While it is an extremely creative concept, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good music. I’m really struggling to find what is “special” about many of the recent selections as they all fall into the category of average music to me.
I really enjoyed this album. The low key beats and chill rhymes drew me in and I immediately went back for a second listen. Much better than most of the upbeat, over-the-top trip hop I’ve been exposed to, which always felt too dance-driven. It’s good to know that it came from a place that was more clean and soulful than where it ended up … even if it does come from grown men named Daddy G, Tricky and Mushroom.
Smooth beats and chill vibe with laid back vocals. I'm becoming a fan of trip hop.
Apparently genre defining and excellent depth of sound. Very enjoyable
Meh
Me gusta, tiene estilo de hip-hop.
great album a couple skips would listen to again though
A very good listen, I will need to go back to this one!
Not my style of music necessarily, but I can see how Massive Attack is loved and appreciated for pioneering a musical genre. I saw Tricky back in 1995 when he was opening up for PJ Harvey. I enjoyed it!
Great early EDM. A very nice mix of beats with a bit a fun lyrics.
I don't really like massive attack. There was a dub song that was decent, but not really anything else my style in this project. All of it was just fine.
I like the diversity of sound here and the tracks are all really good, but it doesn't really stick with me.
Be Thankful For What You've Got saved this from being a 1
Really good. Think i prefer Mezzanine but this is an amazing start.
Trip hop is everyday music.
Prior to listening to this I have 8 songs liked by Massive Attack - most are on Mezzanine - but none from this album. So I'm excited to dive into this. This is all pretty good. I generally like the songs with Shara Nelson singing the most. Was cool to see a little more melding in of rap and reggae on this album - as compared to the later Mezzanine album. After listening to this 3 times I ended up liking 7 of the songs. Was cool to read that this is considered the first "trip hop" album - though the band members don't really accept that label. Liked songs on Spotify: 7/9 Rating: 4/5
Best Track - "Unfinished Sympathy"
Unfinished Sympathy is timeless. I like some of the other tracks (safe from harm and big wheel) but it doesn’t maintain the quality through the whole album. It is still an important and high quality album.
It’s a classic of the genre and holds up well but doesn’t have the same consistent quality of ‘mezzanine’ for me. ‘Unfinished sympathy’ is by far and away the standout track and still sounds unique. I do like the bass forward nature of many of the songs (‘safe from harm’, ‘be thankful for what you’ve got’), drawing from 70s funk and soul in its own way. Very vibey, but sympathy aside doesn’t quite reach the pinnacle.
Had never listened to this album before even though I knew of Massive Attack for a long time. This was a great listen, easy four stars.
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
very chill. very confident, deservedly so. probably a bit too minimalist for me to want to listen to a whole album of in a row personally. not a surprise that this has been influential
Музыка хорошая, атмосфера тоже передается. Но одно и тоже, нету каки-хто переходов. Вокал тоже отличный. Впервые познакомиоась с жанром трип-хоп, он импонирует мне. Однако альбом прям в душу не западает. Твердая 4 из 5
I only know Massive Attack from the song Teardrop which I love. But this is another artist that I never did any further dive into besides that one track. I was very happy to see them come up today as I wanted to do a deeper dive. And I am very glad that I did. I enjoyed this album very much. I have enjoyed all of the trip hop artists I've listened to, so getting to hear the original one was exciting to me. There was more rapping on this than other trip hop songs I've heard, and I thought there was a great diversity of sound and style due to that, along with some very soulful singing. All of this on top of some very cool music that I really dug. Standouts were Safe From Harm, One Love, Be Thankful For What You've Got, Unfinished Sympathy, and Daydreaming. I look forward to more from this artist and genre.
3⭐️/5 02.20.2026
Top album
Sacré classique, mais comment ça Mezzanine est pas sur la liste ?
Safe from Harm One Love Blue Lines Five Man Army Daydreaming Hymn of the Big Wheel 4.5/5 - Great album - very easy to get lost in the production. Sonically pleasing and will be added to my rotation of albums I will be revisiting.
Great album top to bottom.
I'm a little surprised the list gave us Blue Lines and Protection, but not Mezzanine. Safe From Harm is a mood setting opener. A shuffling, regular drum beat and a burbling bassline with spoken word form the backdrop that is interlaced with sprinkles of piano, guitar, and vocals. For some reason the effect conjures images of urban decay and subways. One Love is effortlessly cool. Shifting between downtempo vocal sections and a muscly horn theme that is mixed in. Unfinished Sympathy is really nice -- love the underpinning percussion. Also cool that the vocal sample comes from Mahavishnu Orchestra -- another favorite of mine. Daydreaming has a sensual yet blissful energy about it that I really enjoy. Solid album is solid. High 4 / 5.
Another really solid album from the Attackers. Maybe not quite as enjoyable as their previous album, but I'm sure there is some bias because now I am expecting them to be good. Hymn of the Big Wheel was great. I think this one lands in the low 4 category because I am interested in relistening one day.
Pretty vibey cool electronic, i remember liking their other album a good amount too. Glad they were able to include some hilarious wanker singing which always cracks me up. This is a lower 4 but definitely couldn't be a 3
Two Massive Attack albums on this list and no Mezzanine? Crazy work but still pumped. Production on this was great and overall was some solid trip hop. I didn't really like Be Thankful For What You've Got. Really loving the theatrical-ness of Unfinished Sympathy. This straddled the 3/4 line. Gonna go low 4.
Unpopular opinion: this album may have been innovative when it was released, but it hasn't held up very well. Yes, perhaps thirty-five years ago the mix of reggae, hip-hop, and soul sounded novel; overall, it still sounds good, but, firstly, many bands have emerged who are making this kind of music just as good, and in some places even better, and secondly, sometimes the songs drag on unnecessarily. The album's cohesion also suffers, and Del Naja has never hidden the fact that they simply recorded demos in the studio and then simply brought in guest vocalists. Ultimately, the music becomes mere background music. It's a cult classic, but I don't find it appealing. Additional star for the rich bass lines, but overall it was a bit boring to listen to.
This slays. Yes.
Not as good as their other album imo. 5/10
certainly feels more derivative than it actually is; I think I would've enjoyed this album more when it came out, back when it was revolutionary, than now that others have perfected this once-new form. a great listen nevertheless.
Really good but can’t say it made me want to listen again, unfinished symphony is a classic though
A STUNNER.
This was fine. Some standouts. A lot of ‘British talk rapping’ ala Pet Shop Boys
*Another dance album with cool samples that I don't hate, I just don't love the genre
This is mostly a miss for me. Kind of tedious. Boring at times. I wouldn't rush back to this album any time soon. Sorry.
this album is weirdly quirky? it has a playfulness that makes things light while also have a LOT of layers musically. I'd use this for a movie soundtrack.
Really liked this, I forgot that they started trip hop!
alright
First trip hop album Safe from harm Five man army
Ooh really liked this - true triphop vibes, as is only listened to mezzanine and some other albums that are maybe more trip less hop.
Top 3: 1. Safe From Harm 2. Unfinished Symphony 3. Be Thankful For What You've Got Least Favourite: Blue Lines
The album cover looks VEEERY familiar but still the music was not..? I found the music generally quite boring and zoned out of it quite a bit. Not my favourite.
I much prefer the soul parts of this album to the hip-hop parts. The rap on this album is very 90s, the lyrics are a bit weak and cringe in parts, but it's still better than the typical gangsta shit that dominates nowadays. The overall sound feels to me like it carries a lot of hangover from the 80s in terms of the synth effects used. Doesn't necessarily do anything that inventive for me. Highlights: - Unfinished Sympathy - classic. Great vibe, atmospheric, just a good listen overall. Not really my type of music; tolerable as background but definitely not my favourite. Extremely chill though, so inoffensive and easy to listen to, if a bit boring.
not what i expected at all but quite fun!
I was excited for this album. My dad was big into massive attack and I associated my current taste to being begrudgingly interested by their music. This album however was a snoozefest with mostly boring rhythms and melodies and on the rare times they were interesting they wouldn't change for the entire 5 minute runtime. Disappointing 2
2.5
2.5
Not bad, but not my type at all… like, maybe I liked the first one, but other songs didn’t got my attention by any interesting details. A little bit too monotonous for me… there is nothing I can catch 💔
I wasn’t really into this. Felt like clothes shopping house music. It doesn’t even sound advanced for the time period. I could just be in a salty mood, but this one I didn’t get.
‘Safe from Harm’ is a great album opener. The track with Tricky, ‘Blue Lines’ is a groovy snapshot of 90’s u.k. hip hop and black british culture. An essential trip hop album- 4/5(10.02.2026)
Its alright, alwats wanted to listen to it, expected more, had some great moments, respectful samples and innovitive for those times
I DIDNT SAVE YHIS GODDAMN LONG ASS REVIRW ARE U KDIDIJ F MEEE DJIEJS SHAVAJ
Mellow, doesn’t blow me away. Some good lyricism and production
Not my favorite massive attack album, but still good. Less ethereal than I like.
I’ve tried with Massive Attack before, I really have. All the hype around Mezzanine, which I’m certain is on this list as well. I listened to this release twice today as well and there are moments I do enjoy, the beats are actually enjoyable for the most part, it’s the vocals that make this, for a lack of a better word, uh lame… Looking over the artists who have credits on Blue Lines, I wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Nenah Cherry there, I absolutely find her music to be lame. It’s frustrating bc it could be decent if they cut away a good chunk of the vocals here but they didn’t and therefore I dislike this. 2 stars
Muy agradable de oír, me sorprendí al saber que algunas canciones que ya había escuchado estaban en este disco.
Súper equisón ya ni me acuerdo la vdd
No
Good production and interesting melodies made this one of the better albums on this list so far. Definitely deserves a slot here.
I like the vocals and the grooves they create. I get tired of it by about the 5th track but generally I liked it.
I liked the title track the best. The rest was pretty good considering the time period.
Really slow paced trip hop that all just starts to sound the same after a while, everything blends together into one long electronic/hiphop medley that I don’t particularly care for
Çok mehti ya hiç böyle bir tarz da beklememiştim nedense daha rock gibi olur fl
The O.G trip hop album, still sounds fresh. Album opens with a banger, has a slight lull, then from Five-Man Army onwards, every track is brilliant.
2.5 not my fav massive attack album
Planned to listen Massive Attack for a very long time and was very pleased with this first impression. A hip-hop soul reggae electronic mixture comes at you like a huge wave. Great music for a heist movie.
English Electronica, again, yet, and still. And another 1 star. Enough!
On makeita soundeja ja smoothia hiphopia ajoittain
Interesting. Not sure how to classify it. Not a bad listen but a little too bass heavy, takes away from the other instruments and vocals
I've enjoyed what I heard from their album Mezzanine, and really enjoy Heligoland, had no idea they’d been in the game for so long. Fun to hear the clear foundation for a lot of electronic music today. Especially the music that leans toward that cinematic feel. Wish I could give half stars so I could give 4.5 instead of 4.
i didn’t realize massive attack started out so reggae-coded. also, the electronic songs remind me a lot of moby. i love mezzanine, but this hardly compares
I didn't even wanna finish this album. Not for me.
Solid, but not as groundbreaking as their later work. Largely just an incremental evolution of Caribbean Hip Hop and House, genres which existed long before them. The lyrical subjects delivered in slow flow, are not any different from countless other hip hop from the Americas, prior to the Gangsta Rap movements (which was accelerating in earnest in 1991). This album was a nice reprieve from the ugly and cheesiness of Gangsta Rap. It was the hip hop that felt like it arrived in a 3 piece suit carrying a cuppa, instead of in baggy pants carrying a blunt and an uzi, but still no lack of cheesy rhymes. It would be on MEZZANINE that they would actually lay down the definitive sound of the trip hop genre, truly making something new and original, and thereby making it their most influential album from a technical, cultural, and artistic standpoint, particularly in the U.S. My favorites from BLUE LINES are the throbbing "Safe From Harm" and "Unfinished Sympathy". In my opinion the only pieces that have fantastic instrumental arrangements while also bringing the non-cheesy lyrics, although frankly I would have enjoyed both more without any vocals at all.
cool in so many ways
not my favorite release from these guys BUT a great album nonetheless!!!!
I like this album but I've always felt like their next two albums are huge improvements. The next one takes this sound and perfects it then the one after that creates a whole new thing. (Then the one after that is good too!) I'm waffling between 3 and 4 but I'm going to go with a 3 because I want you all to know my 3 star ratings still mean I like it .
Not my favourite Massive Attack album. Other than the main hit, I just felt it was a little repetitive and lacked the punch that I associate with them. But you know, they’re a solid band and it isn’t a bad album per se! Just not full of bangers /in my opinion/.
At it's best this is some of the greatest music ever, that incredible bassline on Safe From Harm, the way those massive horns come into One Love but just a tiny bit. Occasionally goes a bit generic trip hop and coasts a bit, but then that's kinda just cos they invented trip hop to begin with. More than enough bangers here to make this a classic!
Strong 3.
Coldplay left me well, cold
It laid the groundwork for better albums to come along (Portishead's Dummy springs to mind) but still good
Mehhh, it was okay, but I didn't love it! I liked maybe a song or two, but again, not an album I think I would ever choose to put on just to listen to. These were also really long songs, which has kinda been a theme for a couple of the albums I've gotten so far. Are shorter songs a new trend? Anyways, solid 2 star. I'm reserving one star songs for something that I literally would turn off, which I'm not sure if I'll even come across because I enjoy, or at least tolerate, such a wide variety of music.
trippy, a bit unsettling, but fun
I already really enjoy Massive Attack, so this was an easy listen. I have never listened to this album from start to finish however and it works so well - feels like a journey in an alternative timeline where you're apart of an underground rebellion against a tyranical system. loved it!
Liked!! Super chill and very interesting. I'll be checking out more Massive Attack.
Very cool album. It’s not really my kind of music, but I still have to admit, that the songs sound great.
Top notch trip-hop. Sexy, spooky, and engaging for every minute of its runtime. A genre staple.
Not my favourite
Chill as hell album. Enjoyed!
I can't imagine this not being a genre-defining record. The opening baseline hooked me, and I was fully onboard with my intro to trip hop from there. That being said, there's no doubt this genre isn't for everybody. It is distinctly 90's and distinctly British, in a way that might turn off some listeners. Sharon Nelson and Tricky especially shine here, merging two genres effortlessly. It's a tight and innovative genre piece from a decade that was full of experimentation, and it absolutely deserves a place on this list. That being said, there are a few too many tracks, especially in the second half, that didn't stand out among the rest. 4.5 Highlights: Safe From Harm Blue Lines Daydreaming
If you love this, run out and grab the Sliver soundtrack. The movie is peak 90's but the soundtrack is timeless.
I never got trip hop until I heard this one. There's just a whole lot going on here, all of it good. We've got some soul, some hip-hop, some reggae, and some stuff that's just uncategorizable. One of my all-time top albums for when I'm looking to have a good time.