Reviews (page 5 of 14)
Original trip-hop can be pretty great. I find it's at its best when it's electronic in production but draws from real sounds. 'Safe From Harm' has the cleanest bass sound and nicest drums you could want. 'Hymn other Big Wheel' keeps out of the way of a really excellent vocal performance (Neneh Cherry). The rest is largely good but those two tracks stand out for me. The closer ('Big Wheel') is the high point for me, but my experiences with Massive Attack are all coloured by first hearing 'Tear Drop' (from Mezzanine, six years hence), which is a song of such staggering beauty as to throw my whole sense of the group off-kilter. It's a tare error in scientific parlance. This album is often credited as founding a genre. You should listen to it. The rapping isn't very good but the rest is. The best of Massive Attack will put you into a pleasant trance and some of this record will do that. Remember the context of 1991 when you listen to this: communication was still one-to-one, unless you published a zine or owned a platform. Raves were a secret. The Berlin Wall had just fallen. Thatcher and Regan/Bush had overseen ages of austerity but the economies were recovering and young and working people didn't know that that would mean, but there was both hope and cynicism. And there was also Massive Attack, blending R&B and band-based dance music with the electric stuff that had developed over the previous two decades. It was very novel and very effective, especially as the group coalesced in 80's Bristol. Anyway, 4/5. Hopefully Mezzanine comes up later - I think that might be a 5.
of its time but US is a timeless classic
I really liked most of this. Looking forward to digging deeper into them.
I was slow to get to Massive Attack in the early 90s, but when I finally got there, the mash up of genres and collaborations wowed me. In many ways, a groundbreaking album, and arguably not their best.
Had not heard before. Surprised as thought it wouldn't be for me. Really liked it. Each track was something new/different and will def re visit.
A classic. Amazing songs.
I don’t listen to this album as much as mezzanine. But it really is great. 1991 as well, compared to what else was going on in music at that time this album must have felt wild.
Well this is certainly vibey and cool. I don't know if it's groundbreaking or incredibly special, but I definitely enjoyed it. Great cocktail bar vibes or for a rainy day. Listened to most of it while walking the dog on a lovely fall afternoon and it was awesome. Side note - when this album finishes, Spotify will autoplay some really chill, groovy tracks. Great music for working or just staring out the window.
Not a big fan of this genre, but was a good listen. I'll definitely go back for another round.
Fun album! Introduced me to trip hop
Classic album, Unfinished Sympathy and Hymn of the Big Wheel my favourites but not a weak track on here. Still, for me not quite as good as Mezzanine so only 4/5.
i would say this album is a 4 more than it’s a 3
Album has a clean and fresh sound, unique to the electronic genre. Also Unfinished Sympathy is a 5 star track. Favorite track: Unfinished Sympathy other picks: Safe from harm, be thankful, five man army
little rough but ill check again
An album that I never really listened to at the time or in the years following, despite being fully immersed into leftfield and Portishead at the time. On first listen, I was not overly drawn into this album. It was okay, with a few tracks that I connected with. On the whole though, I was actually a little bit disappointed. I was expecting more. Has it been overhyped?. Don't get me wrong. It is still a good album, but not as amazing as I was expecting. On a second listen, I noticed a few of the intricacies that I maybe missed. I was still a little disappointed. At the same time, the album still warrants 4 stars. Blue Lines and Five Man Army were the out and out notable songs. Be thankful for what you've got was the out and out worst song. 4 Stars
Very english. Incredibly english. Despite it all, pretty good.
A lot of people say this is the album that defined trip-hop, which makes it very influential, as inspiring for me. The album feels smooth, hypnotic, hazy, and laidback but also deeply reflective and introspective. It’s the kind of record that feels like nighttime music. The production is incredible as well very detailed. Aggressive bass lines throughout the album, immediately sets a very direct tone. It blends elements of hip hop with breakbeats, sampling, and rapping, along with soulful vocals, reggae, dub, soul, jazz and ambient textures. There’s a heavy atmospheric undertone, a very crisp snare and straight to the point drum beats. All of these elements come together to create a sound I really enjoyed. It’s good at being immersive background music or the full focus of your attention. That said some songs are a hit or miss for me, some songs I didn’t really like, while the majority however are definite standouts. Favourite tracks: Safe From Harm, Blue Lines, Thankful for What you've Got, Five Man Army, Unfinished Sympathy, Hymn of the Big Wheel
Really liked this album, didn’t think I needed to skip any. For being electronic it had a lot of range, some songs had sounds very much like something you'd hear from The Roots, Toto, and Enya (or from that time). Good album overall, would recommend.
I've never heard Massive Attack until I listened to it for this site. I really liked this music, looking forward to hearing more of them
I like this more than Mezzanine. Astonishingly beautiful album. Exudes concrete soul. I actually enjoyed every song on here. You got the heavyweights in "Safe From Harm", and "Unfinished Sympathy", but the tracks in between don't drop that far in comparison to them, so it doesn't become a chore to listen to them. I love the vocal deliveries on this. A perfect mix of nocturnal lurking of trip-hop on some tracks (on which they would build their sound on later records), and sunshine soul. Even the lyrics are good if you get into that part of the album. I believe there isn't a single person on this planet who listened to this album that found every track boring. The only gripe I have is that Five Man Army is an amazing track that gets stale because of the length, but trip-hoppers will like that prolonged instrumental.
Very of the era - enjoyable listen.
Funky and goth at the same time.
An absolute phenomenal album!! Classic in every way! Grooves out of this world!
Fedt album. Slutter på klart det fedeste nummer
Virkelig smooth, fed plade, ikke lige så god som Mezzanine. Sikke en serie af bangere vi har fået på det sidste!!
Trip hop legends make a fantastic album, shocker, I think mezzanine has higher highs by just a bit but this is still amazing!
Impact is blunted by the army of inferior followers, but still a classic.
Thank you god and jesus for massive attack
Super chill! Brought me back to a time.
Ikkje like bra som mezzanine
Hypnotic night time music
Iconic cover. Legendary influence. Blue Lines basically invented trip hop, and it still sounds fresh for something that dropped in 1991. The production is dark, slow-burning, and full of atmosphere. Hip-hop, soul, and dub all mashed into something that didn’t exist before. "Safe From Harm" opens the album perfectly. Heavy groove, smoky vibe, total statement of intent. "One Love" doesn’t hold up as well; the vocals feel flat. "Blue Lines" pulls it back with a smooth, almost jazz-rap flow that fits the mood perfectly. "Five Man Army" slows things way down, maybe too much. Not bad, just kills the energy a bit. Then you hit "Unfinished Sympathy," and the whole thing levels up. That song feels like it came from the 00's. The album isn’t perfect, but it changed the game. It laid the foundation for everything that came after. 8.5/10.
Pretty damn good! Chill, great production, and mellow raps and singing.
Very smooth hip hop
3.8/chill. kind of feels like they're on the edge of something crazy coming in each song. also a great vibe for like, racing game lobbies.
This one shocked me. What a vibe. I'd never heard of this album before but throwing it on was a treat. Very pleased
Kids, I must have been having a bad day when I first reviewed this but it’s actually quite very good. So yeah.
Ranking purely in comparison to Mezzanine. Solid album but doesn't quite hit as well as Mezzanine.
When I saw this was an electronic album from the 90s, I was a little worried that it would be like other electronic albums from that era. I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't sound like those. This was a solid listen.
86/100. Blue Lines by Massive Attack is yet another impressive record from the British group. While I personally prefer Mezzanine, this album still stands out as extremely good. The mix of trip hop, soul, and hip hop creates a unique and inviting sound that really draws you in. As Massive Attack's debut album, Blue Lines laid the foundation for the trip hop genre, blending moody beats with soulful vocals and rhythmic hip hop elements. Even if it doesn't hit the same notes as Mezzanine for me, its creative mix of styles and innovative production make it a rewarding listen.
𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 captures the smoky, late-night pulse of Bristol in the early ’90s — where hip-hop, dub, and soul collided to form something entirely new. Massive Attack created a sound that feels both urban and intimate, smooth yet heavy with atmosphere. 𝘜𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘺𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘺 remains the centerpiece — lush, emotional, and timeless — while the rest of the album drifts between cool detachment and deep introspection. A landmark debut that still defines what trip hop means.
I liked this a lot. Never heard of the band before or any of their songs, but the interplay of instruments, electronics made a cool atmosphere
Hadn't been familiar with this one outside of Unfinished Sympathy (which is fantastic) but this is such a novel mix of styles and genres and has such a unique flavor. I think I like the tracks with more of a dark/foreboding/minor key atmosphere, the opening song is just immaculate in this regard with the pulsing baseline, the vocal, and the synths providing the overall mood. Great stuff. The rapping/flow does sound a bit dated at times but then I remembered it was 1991 and the hip hop scene was pretty nascent in the UK. Although their sound would certainly develop further in later works this is a pretty great debut.
Suena antiguo, pero suena bien
Not a TripHop fan, but I liked this quite a bit.
80/1089 Not what i expected, based on the name alone i expected some britpop/rock so was pleasantly surprised to get some vibey elctronic trip hop some really nice vocals production and flows on this album that i’m keen to return to. faves: Daydreaming, Unfinished Symphony, Blue Lines, Safe From Harm 4 stars or 71/100
I’m digging this a lot!! Maybe I’m slowly becoming open to more dance/electronica music. This was great
Massive trip-hop master
No thank you
Some good songs on this album.
So much trip hop on this list....but this is well deserved. 'Daydreaming', 'One Love', 'Be Thankful For What You've Got' are the favorites here. 4.5 stars, just because it doesn't have immediate replay-ability for me.
It's been a run of surprising albums. I thought I knew Massive Attack but apparently I didn't. I even saw them live at Coachella a million years ago and all this time I remembered their music to be more industrial like Nine Inch Nails or something. But I was waaaaay off. I didn't realize their music was so soulful. Ok, just checking the lineup from the year they did Coachella, it was the same night as Tool. So either I am mashing their music together because I heard them so close together... or I never even saw Massive Attack and I'm confusing them with Tool.
3.75 Stars. The singing and the rapping sound like 1991, but nothing else does; I found that really interesting. It has a certain sound to it that I wasn't sure about at first, but I would say this still sounds fresh and unique today.
Very innovative blending of different genres. Didn’t sound at all dated but the songs started sounding the same after a while. Really enjoyed it though and great melodies and vocals.
Banger
like
I liked most of this but some stands out much more.
I was not quite expecting this from a British album. The beats are good, catchy, and honestly very convincing all around.
I’ve been going back to a lot of the Trip Hop classics from 95-05ish for the past couple of months, it seems that 1001 is in the same mode recently for our group. Blue Lines along with most of Massive Attack’s catalog is top tier in this genre. I feel like Mezzanine has a little more depth to the mix but I do love the drums being up front on this album. The many dark ambient layers are there but on this albums but they’re pushed back a bit so the drums and vocals can take the forefront. Excellent album for times of focus or relaxation. I’d give it a 4.5
Trip-hop icons. We've had a few of these trip-hop albums on this list. Sure beats Elvis Costello... My favorite on here is Blue Lines. Sounds like it could be on a Digable Planets album, plus it has Tricky, who I saw live in 97. 4
Ahead of its time! I like trip hop and I guess some claim this one kicked the whole genre off. That being said I don’t think it’s their best album. Dig the bass heaviness of “safe from harm” and the dubnovertones and Horace Andy’s deep bellows on “five man army” the most.
That was better than I expected. I don't think the lyrics were all that great, but the beat is what makes this album.
Not a bad album but not my favorite genre. I was looking for the hit on track 3 or 4 but it was a cover song.
A pleasant experience. Way better then most of the later trip hop.
daora
Mind blowing production and arrangements, and still as amazing and influential as ever.
it was godo!
hell yeah
It’s unfortunate that this album has to compare itself with its little sister Mezzanine but it’s very good in its own right.
Not my favourite from massive attack, but happy to hear this in the list. Was a great listen, haven’t done it for this album in years. Fingers crossed for more MA in the list.
Very groovy, this album was such a mood. Loved it.
A really solid album, it’s crazy. This is the first of its kind. I love the effort they put into it and even how they basically created an entire genre. Not every track resonates with me 100%, it’s so close to being a five, but it’s a really solid effort that I definitely want to revisit.
Cool album, would listen to more. Felt pretty varied
I loved this Album and didn't realize that Massive Attack was the founder of trip-hop, which is a fav genre of mine.
After listening to this album, I'm definitely going to look more into trap hop. While I don't think I'll return to this album much, I like the style and people online day this album was the original of trap hop
Real good. Trip hops debut album was a good listen
Great stuff.
Unfinished Sympathy has such Moby and Pet Shop Boy vibes. That one goes on my playlist. Otherwise, the album is fine. Each song could be a minute shorter and the album would be better, but it's not to the extent that I had to skip anything. Album gets a 4 for Unfinished Sympathy.
This was very good. Unfinished Sympathy is great and the rest was very enjoyable too. A few more listens and this could definitely come into regular rotation for me. Very easy and vibey to listen to.
classic album the start of a good run of albums from MA
It's so nice and chill I almost wanted to study for an exam or something.
Massive Attack is always a joy to listen to. This may not be my favorite album by then but it’s still fantastic and well worth the listen.
Fun bit of trip hop, can’t fault it really
Hvorfor føles det her album så kort? Jeg har aldrig hørt hele albummet før, men kun de store numre som er for vilde. Skal jeg have noget med hop, så må det godt være trip-hip.
Nogle helt fantastiske tracks og nogle der bliver lidt ligegyldige.
trip-hop, downtempo (yeah I could groove to this in the lounge.) yes: 1 (definitely, banger start!),2 (another banger),4,5,7,8,9 no: maybe: 3,6 4 stars...I will listen to this album again. But I might think of skipping a couple tracks...who knows what mood I'm in.
i like it cause its different
Smooth relaxing album with lot of different influences. Seems like something I would have on in the background while just relaxing at home.
I'm generally a Massive Attack fan, though I have to admit this is a bit dated to me. But I've never actually listened to this record in sequence, so no regrets there.
Already knew 1. Safe from Home 6. Unfinished sympathy 7/10
pretty good no real stand out songs for me
Some lovely trip hop with a bit of British weirdness. Recognized the "diamonds in the back" section of "Be Thankful for What You've Got" from the Ludacris song! Have always loved "Unfinished Sympathy", "Daydreaming" slapped immediately.
This album is like sitting in your lounge with a couple of friends, having a deep conversation while drinking a rich bodied merlot and eating fine camembert cheese. It is a quiet night and it doesn't feel right to turn on the main light in the lounge, so instead you light a couple of candles and let their flickering glow, coupled with the moonlight coming in through the windows, provide the lighting.
I only heard these guys before in Guy Ritchie movies. This album was a lot more mellow than that stuff. I dug the R&B rap vibes
Great! Fav: Five Man army
אלבום מצוין אהבתי ממש את שירי הראפ אבל פחות אהבתי את השירים בהם הזמרת שרה וזהו. שיר מועדף - Daydreaming
A nice chilled listen with Unfinished Sympathy the clear stand out track. Some nice vibes and perfect in the right setting I’m sure.
BEST SONGS: - One Love - Five Man Army - Daydreaming
great
Been a Massive Attack fan for years, and this record was my first.
Great record
Massive Attack dragged the late-80s dance music of Soul II Soul, Janet Jackson and the like into a new era, adding elements of dub, hip hop and spooky effects to make something that sounded dark, sinister and cinematic. “Unfinished Symphony” gives me all the feels about life in the 90s that I cannot put into words. There are plenty of bangers but the momentum lags at a couple points. Still, Blue Lines did essentially invent the trip-hop genre.
I like this record and think its a fantastic debut. That said,1001 is tripping if they think that Protection belongs on the list but Mezzanine doesnt.
Alright, after the first listen I was fairly unimpressed, but I decided to give it a second go and somehow it's hitting differently today. Really enjoying how smooth it is and the driving bass each song has.
This isn't bad actually. Probably my favourite electronic album on the list so far. Usually they are so repetitive. I didn't really find that with this one too bad.
Cool, chill hip hop and funk beats with 90s electronic flair and lots of cool vocal performances
What a treat this is. Barebones, but still scratches every musical itch I have. Absolutely going in the rotation. Infectious grooves, creative basslines, really fun incorporation of electronic elements. Ambitious project for the time that pays off so well. LOVE shara nelson in this. Also Free Palestine.
Nice work, Banksy! The songs are a little different but also work together: good album
Mean bass and drums. Deep voices with a slightly upbeat bass. Loved it the first time around, new style and mix of genres I havent learn before. Music wasnt so intense, its one you have to pay attention to. Not the voice but the melody and the nice little accents created by drums and electronic noise. Would listen to again, as a once, not repeatedly in one sitting
Pretty good! I like the instrumental stuff much more - some of the vocals I could work with very well, some less so
Love the smooth Trip Hop sound. Recognised several of the tracks from back in the day on Triple J. There album Mezzanine is better in my humble opinion.
Very good production.
Lighter and more lively than the subsequent Massive Attack albums. Groovy soulful beats, lovely voices on great rhythm and bass.
these white boys (and also Tricky) can RAP (check out Tricky’s debut)
Very good, not their best but still excellent. Horace Andy and Tricky support the vocals, musically excellent.
This holds up remarkably well.
Oooooh a dream! En massive attack gege die viele semi-guete Albe wo sich da bim Album Generator so Tümmlet! Grossartigi Band, grossartigs Album, aber da gits paar Albe vo ihne wo no chli meh fägget. Für 4 Ahzündwürfel und en gutsch Brennsprit langets aber allemal! Verbrennet eu ned Fründ*inne.
sehr schön hed‘s da platz für massive attack – nonie es ganzes album glost, sondern bin nur familiär gsi mit de big hitters. vo dene ih dem album isch entweder keis ganz ah die ane cho oder ich han z‘wenig guet zueglost, aber spass hed‘s ufjedefall gmacht! drum gids da 4 massivi attackene uf‘s trummelfell & zwar uf en gueti art – so ganz liechti liebevolli kläps – massivi liechti liebevolli kläps
90s massive beats, classic album with nostalgia, solid 8/10
Liked the vibe. A little too old school rap for me.
Absolutely fabulous album
The first few songs faded into the background for me, but were enjoyable. "Blue Lines" caught my attention with some bars delivered plainly and smoothly. I really enjoy the "lo-fi hip-hop" instrumental in the background. "Be Thankful For What You've Got" was smooth and soulful. I didn't know who Massive Attack were prior to today, but this isn't what I was expecting out of them. "Daydreaming" made me realize that what I actually like is the rapper, Tricky. I'm enjoying all of his songs on this record. This album was really good. It wasn't too long, the beats were engaging and diverse, and the vocals/rapping were great. 8/10
Still fresh today. Kinda sunny, kinda dark.
A very cool album, of it's time but lots of r&B and reggae influences. Creating the genre of trip hop unto itself is impressive. I wouldn't say huge standouts on here, but I particularly liked Unfinished Symphony. The whole album had a mysterious, sexy vibe
Really good vibes, innovative and interesting
Massive attack is great! This was a great album! They are such good a good band! I really enjoy just vibing to them and this album you can vibe very well!
Solid production. Sounds great on headphones. Not totally my thing. Lyrically sorta silly. More 3.5 stars (rounding up).
I really enjoyed this! No notes, just nice to listen to Fav songs: Daydreaming, Hymn of the Big Wheel
Safe from Harm is sooo good, the bass/electric guitar is super grungy and fun to listen to. Shara Nelson really killed with vocals. Next we have One love which was so hard to go through. I actually laughed when they started adding random sounds it was so bad, and Horace Andy sounded like he was whining constantly and fighting for his life. Overall beats are trippy and I like the experimental side of this album. First song was amazing, great start off. Be thankful for what you’ve got is groovy and enjoyable. I love how album differs and goes from reggae to hip-hop, groove and grunge, soulful music and r&b. Unfinished sympathy was a little bit boring, too repetitive, although piano and violin¿ were beautiful. I would say album is chaotic, lots of genres put together and this was something fresh, haven’t listened to anything like this. But will i be coming back to it? Not really. As much as it’s experimental with genres, every song has the same beat going on for 4-5min, same goes for lyrics. The only songs that were really standing out to me were Five man army, Safe from harm and Be thankful for what you’ve got. Buuut, I will go and listen to their albums:p
Liked it but mezzanine was better
Interesting, will inspire me to check out more “trip-hop” Very vibey
Interesting! I have no familiarity with trip-hop. I like the electronic elements. I will likely come back to this one.
this is so cool, favorite tracks include one love and unfinished symphony
I was worried this was going to be more of that mid UK stuff that shouldn't be on the list but because the author has a soft spot for anything UK from early 1980s to early 1990s it's on the list anyway. This was actually good. It had some interesting ideas and was well executed.
4- Stars (10/15)
Intéressante découverte
Groovy
More like 4.5
that last song tho
Pretty cool, but the production is too smooth. Irons out any life it could have. I don’t remember, maybe that’s the point
Good vibes, love when the last track feels like the last track
absolutely class i love massive attack, so surreal genuinely could listen for hours, house md reference
Really solid album, better than mezzanine. A couple lesser tracks on here, but overall a calming listen.
Some cool sounds, some decent rhymes, goes on to be the blueprint or 'white guy raps' parodies.
pretty good
Love the beats in this one. Five Man Army is my favorite.
Always a fan of massive attack, and I already knew some songs from this album.
A truely fantastic album. Giving it 4 because I know how good Protection, No Protection and Mezzanine are. Also I'm looking back and feel like I'm giving out too many 5 stars and can't find edit. Would be handy if we could do half stars also... But then again so many amazing albums exist, so whatever.
Very consistent all throughout, with hypnotic instrumentals and varied performances. Though, I feel like "Hymn Of the Big Wheel" was lackluster as a closing track. I also wish the performances matched the tone of the instrumentals more closely. Overall, not as good as Mezzanine, but still a great collection of songs front to back.
Dad- 7 Mom- 8 Mike- 6 Lori- 7 Michael- 7 Miles- 7 Cole- 8.5 Avg- 7.21
great
This is an album that I was looking forward to listening to but I will admit that I was pretty disappointed. I wouldn’t say that the album was bad but it is pretty mid, having a very mixed bag of songs. The album starts off really strong with Safe From Harm, which I think is a beautiful song, which does also go for pretty much every other track on the album, with being the perfect mix of hip-hop with electronic influences. It is so clear why this album is considered to be so amazing, being pretty much the first trip-hop album, which is a sound that I absolutely love. I've said before that I am not the biggest fan of the hip-hop genre, but when this is mixed with electronic music, holy shit. It is a combination that should not work in theory but when it is executed properly, it makes such a fun listening experience. I wish I could sit here and say that the rest of the album matches the expectations that I had after listening to the opening track but I unfortunately cannot. One Love was honestly the only track on here that I was severely disappointed with and it did honestly just ruin the whole album experience which is such a shame.They might have been able to get away with making a bad song if it wasn't five fucking minutes long. It was so repetitive and dragged on for so long that I was begging for the song to be over with. It really does suck because pretty much every song on here is so beautiful but in between all that we have the piece of shit song that is One Love and I’m just so upset. However this is completely redeemed in Unfinished Symphony. This song alone deserves a 10/10, and I would argue that while being the best Massive Attack song, it is also such a strong contender for the best song of all time. I can’t describe how ethereal this song is, it’s one that you have to listen to in full to understand what I mean. I think I am being way to harsh with One Love here, but it just doesn't fit at all with the rest of the album, and it stands out wayyy too much to ignore. Anyway, Trip hop is such a fun genre which I love so much and I have to thank Massive Attack for essentially leading the creation of the genre.
house theme
Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to
This album was released to critical acclaim as a landmark in electronic music, and its praises are still being sung thirty years later. The production techniques, tempos, chilled-out modalities, classic hip hop samples, integration of live instrumentation, and fusion of genres were a revelation. Released in 1991 ‘Blue Lines’ individually ushered in a new sound that would come to be known as trip-hop. It predated the genres next wave of classics by three years: Portishead’s ‘Dummy’, Nightmares On Wax’s ‘Smokers Delight’, and DJ Shadow’s ‘Endtroducing’ came out in 1994, and were in direct conversation with the groundbreaking sound Massive Attack established on ‘Blue Lines’. Contemporary listeners discovering this album for the first time amidst the enormous electronic landscape today may find the sound and production dated. Early hip hop records released in the few years before and after ‘Blue Lines’ suffer from a similar reaction from modern audiences. Electronic production technology has evolved drastically since ‘91, and while the music may not be to the taste of today’s listeners, the impact these records had catapulted electronic music on a trajectory that would become the dominant musical expression of the future. Regardless of the schism between old and new inherit in ever musical tradition, the innovation on ‘Blue Lines’ cannot be overstated. Artists that push their art form into completely new territories are cemented into the foundation of a new landscape — and though it may crack and crumble over time under the weight of the beautiful, magnificent things built directly atop it, the structure they provided to generations of artists that follow must be recognized and respected, not unlike placards and monuments posted and erected at the foot of sparkling, sky-high buildings.
kinda cool
I prefer Mezzanine and surprised that is not also on this list given how critically beloved it seems to be these day but this is still great. I like the slightly darker, grittier sound, and interested to hear more of their discography to work out which era of the band I enjoy most.
Before this, I had only ever listened to Protection, and I thought this would be another so-so album to pass through my ears. It's certainly still not a genre I care for, being a rather saccharine type of music, but I can certainly see why people might want to enjoy this one.
Not the best Massive Attack album but still a very good one.
This is a great debut which I haven't listened to for a long time due to overplay. It still packs a lot of its power, especially on the 2012 remaster. Unfinished Sympathy is the obvious standout but I am fond of the deeper cuts like the title track and Five Man Army. The only mis-step is the cover of Be Thankful For What You Got which sounds a bit twee and doesn't fit in with the rest of the album. Also not a big fan of the last track, but for the most part it still holds up. Their next two albums are better though, hope they are in the list also.
Smokkeeeee
The debut album of the founders of trip-hop.
Dope
This one surprised me. How had I never heard this album before? What is trip hop (I thought I knew, but now want to explore the genre more)? So much variety on this album, it really kept me engaged.
Holds up after over 30 years. Sounds as fresh and relevant as ever. Really groovy and laid back. Something kinda jazzy in the execution.
Very interesting music! From Wikipedia: Blue Lines blended elements of hip hop (such as breakbeats, sampling, and rapping) with dub, soul, reggae, and electronic music.
En cambio, esta es una obra maestra. Imagina poner este cd en tu equipo de música, por allá en 1991 o más tarde si vivías lejos de las urbes, y lo primero que escuchas es el hipnótico bajo de Safe from Harm... ¿cómo no terminar encantado, enganchado con el trip-hop? Igual prefiero el mezzanine
3.5/5.0: Very Good
interesting listen. not something id put on but it was good
I really enjoyed this. The vocals were so different from track to track that it felt like a mix of styles that were meant for seperate records at times
Positive suprise
Хороший чилловый трип хоп, база от массив аттак
Een fundamentele pilaar in de Trip Hop-scene. Constant was ik hem aan het vergelijken met het debuut van Tricky, een aantal jaren later. Vanwege zijn intensieve inbreng op deze plaat, en ook omdat we nog niet echt veel Trip Hop zijn tegengekomen op deze lijst. Maar eigenlijk is het een scheve vergelijking, gezien ''Maxinquaye'' de Engelse hitlijsten bestormde op een volwassen Trip Hop-voedingsbodem. ''Blue Lines'' is een pionier. Dat gezegd hebbende, miste ik op dit album de bite en de energie die ''Maxinquaye'' bij vlagen te bieden had. Dat doet een down-tempo genre vaak wel goed, door af en toe te schakelen. Dat gebeurde uiteraard even bij 'Unfinished Sympathy', met verve, maar de rest van het album is ietwat loom. Maar daar doe ik sommige individueel sterke songs als 'Safe From Harm' en 'Daydreaming' wel echt te kort mee. Aan de andere kant mist ''Maxinquaye'' soms de melancholiek, sfeer en soul wat ook wel echt in Trip Hop verschuild zit. Dit is dan wel weer in overvloed aanwezig op deze plaat. Bijna elke featuring is raak, en zo'n afsluiter als 'Hymn of the Big Wheel' tilt de plaat om humaan vlak naar een hoger niveau. Daarom geef ik deze plaat de 'edge' over het debuut Tricky. 8/10 Highlights: Safe From Harm Unfinished Sympathy Daydreaming Hymn of the Big Wheel
Very nice, a good combination of multiple genres and definitely something I’ve never heard before.
Great Album! Iconic Cover and an album that belongs to this list. Mezzanine is even much better and feels more complete! Smooth Album (4.0/5.0)
Solid album, not too many I'd jam on repeat addictively, but could be played any time without offending me.
This one is pretty good. It hooks you fast and doesn't let go, but there is still some nice variety between tracks. I can imagine myself growing to like this album even more over time. Favorite track: "Safe From Harm"
Not a good start but by the 3rd song you find yourself in a great album to chill to.
⭐ Rating: 4.7/5 Urban Ghosts Smoking in the Rain This album basically invented trip-hop, which is music for people who want to be sad but also mysterious. It’s jazz, soul, reggae, hip-hop, and existentialism layered like emotional lasagna. Every track is slow, heavy, and weirdly intimate—like the music knows something about you that you haven’t admitted yet. It doesn’t ask for your attention. It assumes it already owns you.
Pretty interesting album. Considering it came out in 1991 there are some tracks on their way ahead of its time. Liked a lot of the tracks but it’s not a 5 for me. It’s too bad I can’t give have stars, this would be a 3.5 but will probably give it a 4.
I expected to like this more than I actually did. I really really love some of their other music, and this was ok. 3.5
Contains one of my all time fav songs in Unfinished Sympathy but rarely find myself coming back to the rest of the album. Still hugely iconic and influential.
One of those that was way better than expected. Didn’t expect much and there was a lot to dig into. It was smooth, the Sade-esque vocals were right on time and the whole thing flowed very well as a statement. Saved it to throw on at the right times.
THIS IS AWESOME! The songs can be a bit too long but it's groovy. Fucking loved them. Hell yeah, thank you for a great time!
The precursor to one of the greatest albums. Love a bit of MA... Faves: - Safe From Harm - Be Thankful For What You've Got - Five Man Army - Unfinished Symphony - Daydreaming
I really like the unique fusion of sounds in this album. The dark and bass-heavy parts balance very well with the bright and melodic ones. Favorite Song: "Unfinished Sympathy"
on my first listen, i did not like this album. now on my second and third listen, im able to appreciate how dope this album is
I had always heard of this band but wasn't familiar with their music. It wasn't what I expected, but approaching from a jazz perspective helped me go with the flow. Incredible production lived up to the hype, just not sure how I feel about the genre. Another album my them could easily be a 5 but this one is getting a 3.5.
Classic Triphop - good days.
I actually quite enjoyed this album. Was not expecting a rnb/rap/whatever this is. Now even tho I liked this doesn’t mean there aren’t floors, Massive Attack not actually performing on this album sorta pisses me off cuz this should rly be a Shara Nelson and Tricky album more. I didn’t rly enjoy tricky’s vocals on this album but Sharas made me wanna float how angelic her voice is. Very ethereal album and I like it but it is pretty poorly aged even tho it was mixed and mastered in 2012 but it sounds soooo old. Some favourites included Unfinished Sympathy and Lately which are just Shara over a good beat😂. Overall pretty good for me a 8.3/10
зарождение трип-хопа в 90-х. биты мясные с околоживыми инструментами. при этом инструментальные партии разнообразные в плане партитур и подбора звуков
lindo disco de massive attack. ecléctico y clásico del trip hop mezclando electrónica y hip hop. sampleando, cantando y rapeando
all i need is this album, good dick and a big ass blunt
Enjoyable, a mix of styles that works
unfortunately, none of these tracks ascend to "Teardrop" levels, but that would probably be just too big of an ask. I did enjoy my time with this, though. very different, very smooth, like a nitro cold brew.
9 tracks of bliss, brooding and groove. A heavenly marriage of electronic and analog music, blending hip-hop, R&B, dance etc into a whole new identity labelled Trip-Hop. The dark, nocternally atmosphere does not falter - I love the thumping bass and smorgasbord of voices. Best Tracks: - Safe From Harm - Be Thankful For What You've Got - Five Man Army Worst Tracks: - Daydreaming Rating: 8/10
Few albums can genuinely be called genre-defining, but Blue Lines didn’t just define trip-hop—it built the entire blueprint. Everything about this record oozes effortless cool, from the laid-back, dub-infused beats to the murky, late-night atmosphere that feels both hypnotic and unsettling. The production is rich, textured, and deeply immersive, weaving together elements of hip-hop, soul, reggae, and electronic music into something that still sounds futuristic, even decades later. Songs like Safe from Harm and Five Man Army glide along with a heavy, pulsing groove, while Unfinished Sympathy is an undeniable masterpiece—so cinematic and emotionally powerful that it feels almost untouchable. What makes Blue Lines so special is how deeply it feels like a world of its own. The interplay between 3D, Daddy G, and Tricky gives the album a restless, unpredictable energy, while Shara Nelson’s vocals add a haunting beauty that elevates it beyond just beats and samples. There’s an undercurrent of paranoia and grit running through the record, but it’s never overwhelming—it’s the kind of album that pulls you in and wraps around you like city lights flickering in the rain. While later Massive Attack albums like Mezzanine would take their sound into darker, heavier territory, Blue Lines remains the purest expression of their vision—cool, controlled, and effortlessly innovative. It’s not just a trip-hop classic; it’s one of the most important albums of the ‘90s, and a perfect example of music that sounds both of its time and completely timeless.
Im excited for this, I know and like massive attack. added safe from harm to playlist. I like the sounds, but my main issue is i really hate the sound of the male vocals. safe from harm has the female vocals which means i like it.
:::
I’m a Massive Attack fan, by way of the follow up album, but there’s no denying the genre was built up from their work. Great hearing this again.
Enjoyed this
sexy and groovy baselines. i’m not really a fan of some of the vocals. this reminds me of peeping tom and lovage in a way. it’s like something that plays in the background of a scene where these really cool teens find a spot to do some spray painting art while it’s raining
4/5
I love Trip Hop. Massive Attack and this album in particular arguably kicked the whole thing off and definitely set a vibe for the 90's. For that I am grateful.
I really liked the style. Massive Attack mixed together a lot of different styles, but somehow the album still felt like a cohesive unit. So creative.
Triphop blew me away when it emerged, and Massive Attack was its architects. Total urbane atmosphere, cool and sophisticated. Not quite as good as Mezzanine, this is still a wholly worthwhile record, particularly for its role as the debut of the entire subgenre.
Very good
Didn‘t live up to the Hype for ne although it had some Great Moments
Schöne Stimme Shara Nelsons. Langsame beats, smoother Sound. Be thankful for what yuu got - wow - spricht mi total aa, bitte meh vo däm! Zwüschedture plätscherets ächli. Aber dänn wieder "Unfinished sympathy" so guet. Daydreaming ischechli eintönig. Hynm of the big wheel hät es vielversprächends Intro, aber dänn, naja.
Dark moody lounge music I like it.
More rapping type stuff than on mezzanine, which I think is great - I also really like tricky, who I guess was part of the group at this point still. Beats are amazing, sound much more like dummy than what they would go on to do. Only complaint is that some of the songs kinda just keep going on with not much happening. Favourite songs: safe from harm, be thankful for what you’ve got, five man army. Overall around 8/10
Loved this.
Another great album. They were very much a sound of their times but their material has aged well
Songs to wake up to while making breakfast on the weekend. Not sure if I'm fully awake once I'm through.
Chill acid jazz.
Great record!
This kind of stuff isn't really my thing but it's well done and it's doing something original.
Interesting that we actually get two Massive Attack albums in this collection, but I'm glad that this was my first one in the project. I own this album (as well as "Mezzanine", sadly not the other Massive Attack album in this collection), but it's been a long time since I last listened to it. I'm really impressed how more than 30 years later it still sounds fresh and distinctive, bringing trip-hop into being. I particularly enjoyed the opening track "Safe from harm" and the Faithless-reminiscent "Five man army" and "Daydreaming". I kind of prefer their later albums, but it's hard to deny how influential "Blue Lines" was as their debut.
A very cool recording!
• 4/5 • Classic from the godfathers of trip-hop • Strong throughout- Unfinished Symphony is the standout track
вайбы потрясающие. уже давно слушала трек blue lines, но fav track Unfinished Sympathy
A classic. Paved the way for all the amazing trip hop and even better massive attack albums that followed
Oh man, enjoyed this. Isn't the best of massive attack, but pretty great anyway. 4/5
It’s interesting that Blue Lines is often considered Massive Attack’s best. IMO I’d put Mezzanine and Protection ahead of it. That said, Blue Lines is an excellent album, and perhaps its acclaim is based on how it defined a new genre of trip hop that dominated British music for a good part of the 90s.
It was a good album. A lot of the songs were really easy to vibe to. I didn’t always enjoy the voices, but the instrumentation was amazing.
I liked it a lot more than I expected. Really good album.
87% Best: Safe From Harm; Unfinished Sympathy; Lately Must-Hear? Sure
Very repetitive, hard to distinguish the songs from one another
I didn't like this album or band in 1990, I'm happy to have had the opportunity to relisten to it 35 years later with a greatly expanded music taste
Incredible to think this was 1991. So ahead of it's tone
Another immediate love. Excited to put this on repeat.
I should do better about listening to Massive Attack. Good album. They walked so Bjork and Portishead could run.
Enjoyed this way mor than I expected too going in. Some classic that most people would have heard at one point. Good shin dig background music
Unique. Thought MA went harder but that wasn’t the vibe.
so tasty
Lyrical masterpiece
Great album, invented a genre, etc. It’s funny that people say one of these guys is Banksy because I can see it. Banksy is the very definition of r/Im14andthisisdeep but I also kind of like Banksy despite that, and the same with Massive Attack’s lyrics. They are pretty cringe at times - not to mention the inherent cringe of British people rapping - but I fully give them a pass because they are cool despite how dorky they are. Maybe it’s just cringe amnesty for being from the early 90’s.
Instead of sounding cool, it makes me feel cool from the outside in
Not my favourite massive attack album. But god damn tricky is amazing.
The perfect groove for making my rounds at work in a light rail.
Excellent album!
Massive Attack is undeniably cool. Throughly chill. Great mood all day.
First listen: Wasn’t expecting a woman’s voice. Very vibey and groovy. Be Thankful… feels like a standout. Unfinished Sympathy has really beautiful layered percussion.
I enjoy Massive Attack. They are without doubt one of the most thrilling set of musicians to come from the 90’s, helping to create the trip-hop genre. This album deserves its lofty accolades for its overall vibes but it’s not their best. Like any good set of musicians, their first album is a warm up, and it is regarded so highly by the critical masses because the style is so new to the ears.
Overall: 8/10 At times I'm reminded of Portishead (who I've fallen in love with since getting Third a couple months ago) and at other times I'm reminded of the more chill, experimental hip hop emerging around this time. The highlights are definitely the songs featuring female vocals but the rapping is actually pretty great too and I think it's pretty cool how well they mix the two different styles. I'm way more open to listening to more trip-hop after listening to this. Fav Song: Unfinished Sympathy Least Fav Song: Be Thankful for What You've Got
The beats were really cool, but some of the vocals were hit or miss for me.
Feels like a causal stroll through a quiet metropolis with a smooth cigarette and a calm demeanor. Epitomizes 'smooth'
3.5
Really enjoyed getting back into this one!
A personal favorite
Nice one
Great album
Not something I would ever usually listen to but I enjoyed it. One of the songs really reminded me of The Lord Is A Monkey
Pretty good. This is a good band. I didn't like the hymn of the fucking wheel or wahtever it was called because I accidentally played it twice and got really annoyed and thought it was a really long repetitive song so tht awas cool or something. Overall pretty good tough.
Near perfect album for me. Unfinished Sympathy is exceptional. High 4s
Iconic album but just not perfect to me
incredible album
Ok, controversial review time. I love Massive Attack. I absolutely respect that this is universally seen as the start of trip hop as a genre. This is also the only Massive Attack album that had Tricky as an officially member, which is another massive plus. But 'Blue Lines' just never clicked with me. It sounded to me like an early sketch of what they'd later become. Yet, it's seen by so many as their classic album. I tried many times in the past to get into it, but I always ended up switching back to 'Protection' or 'Mezzanine' (by the way, why on earth isn't 'Mezzanine' on this list??). But the 1001 Albums Challenge is a chance to try to listen to everything with fresh ears, right? And it's always a nice surprise when old albums come back to life in unexpected ways. And sure enough, there are some great songs that I've been neglecting here, like 'Blue Lines' and 'Five Man Army'. There are elements of rock, hip hop and reggae that come through a bit clearer than in their later work. Like the elements haven't quite melted together yet but they're well on their way. But ok, here's one of my most controversial takes in any of my reviews: 'Unfinished Sympathy' is not their best song. It's good, very good, but I still find it a bit overrated. Sorry to any fans! Overall, this was well worth another listen. A bit more maturity in my musical tastes helped a lot. I can really see how this album was a launching point for a genre full of great artists and I really can't give less than 4 stars on that basis. But I will always maintain that 'Mezzanine' is their best album by a mile.
I don't know if this is was the first trip-hop album, but it certainly was the one that defined what the genre was about in its early days. Hip-hop beats, gloomy atmosphere (although it would become gloomier in years ahead), soulful singing, and only occasional rapping. This last bit is relevant to me because, while I'm not a rap person at all, I love trip-hop. My parents were huge into trip-hop during the 90's when I was a small kid, so there is also a big nostalgia associated with this sound, if not necessarily with this album. Later Massive Attack albums are better but this one is an undeniable classic. Key tracks: Safe from Harm Unfinished Sympathy Lately Hymn of the Big Wheel
Really enjoyed this 7/10
Great album, genre defining!
Not sure why anyone else British and electronic matters relative to these boys. So good. Real songs with real hooks and energy - laughable that mf's that came after such as the Beta Band couldn't build on this rather than producing their boring drivel. Driving bass that I didn't ever know bush stole on the first track. tricky is so good, and the horace? guy the first rap break feels a little dated, but the rest of it begs the question of why we have travis scott or some of these other chuckleheads nowadays and they aren't remotely to the same standard. Don't call me officer, you can call me sarge, I'm going to america when I gets a green card.
Thoroughly entertaining album with a very relaxed and diverse sound.
Pretty good! Nice to listen to, think patio party at dusk.
Great city driving music. Never heard of them however I loved this album.
Smooth
Excellent
I liked it a lot.. "be thankful for what you got" is a great track.
Sounds exactly like bristol
hell yeah
fucking righteous mannnnn. kind of insane that this is from NINETY-NINETY-ONE. i love the reggae influence, as well as the 1970s soul moments…they’re clearly drawing from a lot of different sources of inspiration and combining them to form something totally new and exciting. massive attack has always been one of those bands where i knew i would like them a lot if i ever sat down and listened to them properly—so i’m glad i finally did cos i was right. i do like them a lot. fav tracks: safe from harm; five man army; hymn of the big wheel
i loved that. i've listened to tricky's solo music before but haven't heard massive attack so it was cool to hear the precursor to it. just very cool and fun....will definitely be coming back to a lot of these songs
I loved the instrumentals in all the songs, but I felt like some songs were lacking a bit in the lyrical side.
I like Massive Attack
"the birth of trip-hop" several vocalists, several styles, soul/rnb/drum&bass incredibly, I'd never heard this before (even though I have "Protection"), liked it.
Very enjoyable! I haven’t heard a Massive Attack song I disliked. Maybe no song in particular was a stand out for me, but I really liked the atmosphere it conjured.
Great 80’s album with pretty in pink
Super moody, great listen
Honestly really good, added a few of these to the playlist, cool how it was a different voice with each song, only negative was if you really liked one then you weren’t getting many from that person. Overall, good album.
I really enjoyed this. I have the first song on a playlist and found a few more keepers.
My first thought was that some of the songs sounded like Flight of the Conchords without the satirical lyrics. A second and third listen revealed more. Chill, arty, trance, dance music. Will add some of these songs to my playlists. Favorite song: Five Man Army
Never heard of these guys before, and I couldn't quite figure out what type of music I would call this. Sometimes "club music", sometimes a little bit of jazz, sometimes a little bit of rock. Overall very interesting stuff, and I enjoyed this album.
Interesting...enjoyed it. Had never heard of them but will have to give it another listen.
Very nice, interesting sound.
Ok
One of the most suitable albums and genres is when you walk 40 minutes after a bar at three in the morning, with a sad mood and slight intoxication. Basically, for all reasons, it's sad to go home at 3 a.m. after a bar. But if it is already beginning to lighten, then it is generally ideal for the atmosphere
Very good background groove music for a lounge
Long time no hear on this one / the majority of tracks is still a pleasure to hear today / do I have this on CD? ... Hm oh yes...good!
Absolute classic. The fusion of drum,bass and rap. Brilliant. Unfinished symphony - BOOM!
the guy who this 1001 album book has excellent taste in trip-hop this album makes me want to relisten to low end theory by a tribe called quest. idk why but i feel like I'll appreciate it more after listening to this despite them entirely unrelated
This is a really solid start for the band that would later created the masterpiece known as Mezzanine. Unique, great beats, I like a lot about this.
Very chilled, not my style though
Quite fun! I dont think I’ll add anything to my library but it was enjoyble
strong enjoy, father of so many more amazing albums
Loved this
me copó pensé que iba a ser re darks y nada que ver 8/10
It was very good and has some bangers on it that we did not expect. Strong trip hop album.
Massive attack make excellent music. They are dark and varied and interesting. Their use of strings and soaring vocals, interesting rhythms and good production make them a serious band making progressive, interesting music. When it works, it is unbeatable and unfinished symphony is a contender for best song if all time and they have a few of these. Ive never really fallen in love with their rap led tracks and this inconsistency is the only thing holding this back from a 5.
Added to library
Never heard of it before but surprised me a bit