Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Why did someone decide to use this awesome album as a platform to talk about their nasty, unwashed, unhygienic ass?
Way better than massive attack. I really enjoyed it. Maybe because it’s dark and droney. But something here got me.
A little all over the place, but kind of in a good way. Felt like Gorillaz meets Massive Attack, with a little Prodigy thrown in from time to time. Needs a few listens but came away with a positive impression.
Trip hop milestone. Hybrid between electronic, hip hop and rock.
I liked the first half a decent bit. I love Alison Goldfrapp so cool to hear her. Need to listen to Massive Attack to have the full context needed for this. I still got a handful of new songs I liked. I like Portishead more but this one does operate in its own lane Rating: 3.6
I like Portishead and Massive attack more but this was enjoyable as well
I used to listen to Tricky as a teenager, a good communication between ambient and industrial.
Very cool beats with some smooth vocals.
There is such a range of cross-genre samples from Marvin Gaye to Smashing Pumpkins, Shakespeare's Sister to Public Enemy; that it sounds layered and varied without ever straying from the Tricky brand of ominous trip hop. He has created something quite foreboding and cavernous and interesting. Although I can appreciate the likes of 'Strugglin' and 'Feed Me', that is more admiration than active enjoyment. Elsewhere, like the pumping 'Your Retro's or the opening run of four or five songs it is positively great. I end at a high four.
Cool trip-hop, love it.
love this one. grinding metallic trip hop. england isn't real but this album is.
FEEEEDDDD MEEEEE
Almost a masterpiece.
An interesting production journey.
I got pretty into trip hop a couple of years ago and did a deep dive into the genre. This is one of those albums that always ranks high in the best-of lists for trip hop, and for good reason. I favor Tricky’s collaborations with Massive Attack, but this is an excellent example of what this genre does best: create a good vibe.
Widely regarded as a classic, but I'm not sure it holds up that well as an album. The first half is great - Ponderosa, Black Steel, Hell is round the corner etc are incredible - but it does start to drift. If you listen on headphones while high you can get totally lost in the fog of it, but if not it can disappear into the background a little. Just about makes a 4 because when it's good, it's very, VERY good.
Great, added a few songs to my playlist
Solid, electronic/trip hop album
4+
breakbeats are so delicious. i can't understand how goood this album is, even if it's sounds like sex music. i should probably check out more trip-hop if this is what it sounds like. tbf the album starts a lil weak but it gets SO GOOD BY THE END. fav song: aftermath (beep)
Nah cause this album FUCKS! The instrumentals were so consistently good, and paired with the vocals and rapping they really scratched an inch in my brain. I can see why this album is called the Blueprint for Trip Hop, because everything about this felt so confident in its style. Fave Songs - Overcome, Black Steel, Hell Is Around The Corner, Brand New You're Retro, Strugglin'
#468. So you're telling there's weird obscure British shit on this list that is actually good and not just stupid and annoying? Interesting. 4/5: good
Phenomenal production - and surprising turns throughout (Like "Black Steel"). Definitely deserves a revisit.
Great listen. Very massive attack feeling but yet sometimes not. Talented artist.
Pleasantly surprised.
Tricky always seemed to be a supporting actor in the whole trip-hop scene. This is clearly his best album. Very immersive and oppressive atmosphere, great use of samplers and creative beats. I do wonder if using the same Isaac Hayes sample Portishead used the previous year was a coincidence or not. I also really enjoy Martina Topley-Bird's vocal contributions throughout the record, as well as the earliest(?) credit on record of Alison Goldfrapp. Key tracks: Overcome Ponderosa Black Steel Hell Is Round the Corner Pumpkin
Smooth beats and a calming way of getting the message across. I like it.
This album is maybe the best example of one of those links between electronic, hip hop, and even rock music of the 90's. You can hear the influence that Massive Attack had on Tricky (obviously from being part of them) the most, but quite a few of the beats are pulled straight out of the UK's dub and hip hop scene of the time. His own rapping/singing is much more of a UK style than American one. Martina Topley-Bird's voice is a great foil and she's much more prevalent in this album than I remember. All of this combined makes for a really excellent and unique album that pushes further through genres than Massive Attack and other pioneers of the trip-hop sound really ever did. "Overcome" and "Aftermath" are the standouts for me. The first being a remix of "Karmacoma" kinda leads the way for how the album is going to sound and "Aftermath" is just an excellent slow burn trip-hop classic. The latter half of the album gets a bit sluggy, with some misses (Brand New You're Retro, You Don't) but overall it's still pretty great. I've been listening to this for decades and it holds up really well.
Will listen today
Sonorous and cool
This album feels like both high and low rank at the same time. Kinda reminds me of Bowie's Low in that way. The first half of Maxinquaye is 5 stars, easy. It's great from so many angles. But by the time Struggling comes around it's just running on empty. The play count on Spotify backs me up here. But the net is very positive for me. I can't get myself to give 5 stars, but it's juuuust shy. In other news, this having only an 'electronica' genre tag is really strange and dumb.
Albumi #124, 04.12.2024 Trickyn debyyttialbumi julkaistiin vuonna 1995. Takuuvarmaa alkuaikojen trip hopia.
Nice
This was a surprise. A lot darker, and a lot slower than I expected, but very listenable.
It was pretty good.
good vibe
This was good trip-hop. I’m not in a critical position to compare them to the Portishead and Massive Attack I was listening to around this time, but I enjoyed the album.
Good. Reminded me of Massive Attack and Portishead
Of the classic trip-hop albums, I like this one best. It's a high 3, and since it's best of its genre, I'll round up to 4 stars. Trip-hop tends to lean heavily on minor-key melodies, unresolved loops, and scratchy, warped sounds, giving the whole genre a slightly eerie quality I don't care for. That's downplayed here, partly because the record has more tonal range track to track. Tricky and Martina Topley-Bird trade off lead vocals, and there's real variety: the mellow sound of a song like Aftermath sits right next to the outright aggression of Black Steel, Tricky's cover of the Public Enemy track. That range keeps the record from settling into one mood the way a lot of trip-hop albums do, a mood I don't love anyway: laid back yet eerie, so not really laid back at all.
October 23, 2024 HL: "Overcome", "Black Steel", "Suffocated Love", "Feed Me" Take #2 of listening to this, as yesterday my coffee wore off & I started to doze off towards the end of "Aftermath". I generally don't fall asleep to music, so I wouldn't take that as a sign I was bored- I certainly am not today. Perhaps the delirious, slow-moving nature of Maxinquaye is best suited to just before bed, as Apple Music suggests. (It's between one and 2pm now tho :0) The quietness of the vocals, often overpowered by the eclectic samples, forces me to be engaged with it more than some of the other downtempo albums I've experienced through this list. "Karmacoma", one of my highlights from Protection (1994), gets a fresh coat of paint right at the beginning with vocalist Topley-Bird, and I honestly prefer it here.
Silky smooth trip-hop. Overcome and Black Steel have always been popping up on my playlists for years but it's been a while since i went through the whole album. It's definitely a little front-loaded, but for an hour long album it doesn't really drag much at all. The vocals all over it are fantastic, and you gotta love those bassy beats.
gott
I know I've listened to this one before, but it has been a very long time. This gets lumped in alongside Massive Attack and Portishead as seminole entries in the trip-hop genre. Love the laid back, unrushed atmosphere on Overcome. Slow, shuffling drum beat with some sort of wind melody and some aural synths underpinning it all. Hell Is Round The Corner is a familiar jam born from the same sample that Lupe Fiasco applied to Daydream. Where Lupe's is upbeat and bright, this is drugged out and relaxed. This is an enjoyable listen. Martina Topley-Bird's vocals are pleasant and pair well with Tricky's atmospheric, trip-hop beats with shuffling drum beats, heaps of dust, and layered effects. Not something I would put on often, but I can see why its here. 4 / 5.
This is getting me hyped for some Portishead that we should be getting eventually (hopefully). Right after I typed that Hell is Round the Corner used the same sample as Glory Box. Would've thought this was a remix of the song if I didn't know. Really loving this halfway through. Also have Goldfrapp on one of the songs who we listened to earlier. This was such an interesting album love the trip hop sounds.
A very dark, almost cursed feeling album.
Tricky is a great example of what made ‘90s electronic music so special and unique. Since the genre was still developing and finding itself, every artist had their own distinctive style, even within the same sub-genre. For example, it’s impossible to mix up Tricky with Massive Attack, because they each had their own sound. Back then, producers didn’t confine themselves to certain boundaries or borders of music depending on the style they were making. Anything and everything went.
loved a few tracks: overcome and hell is round the corner
Great trip-hop record!! I love this genre, and I love the fact that Tricky did his own thing, he didn't copy entitely the Massive Attack formula. Amazing!
What can I say, I like trip hop
I liked this! This was a wider range than traditional trip hop, but still had some of the sounds I was anticipating. It was an interesting and dynamic listen
atmosphärischer start - wow! danach eher schwächer, aber alles in allem gefällt mir das album gut.
Nice beat
cool stuff - 4 stars
Tricky is a great example of what made ‘90s electronic music so special and unique. Since the genre was still developing and finding itself, every artist had their own distinctive style, even within the same sub-genre. For example, it’s impossible to mix up Tricky with Massive Attack, because they each had their own sound. Back then, producers didn’t confine themselves to certain boundaries or borders of music depending on the style they were making. Anything and everything went.
This album caught me off guard in the best way. The mix of trip-hop, soul, and dub creates a sound that’s dark and hypnotic but still catchy. Tricky’s production is creative without feeling overdone, and Martina Topley-Bird’s vocals add just the right touch of smoothness and edge. There’s a lot of atmosphere here, but the beats and melodies keep it grounded. Every track has its own mood, yet the whole album feels connected. It’s unique without trying too hard, and it still holds up after all these years. Definitely worth a listen if you want something a little different.
Tricky’s production on this album brings to mind Enter the Wu-Tang and DJ Shadow, dense and dark urban soundscapes. Martina Topley-Bird’s singing adds to the sense of unease, but also brings in the occasional softness to keep this a multi dimensional album. The cover of Public Enemy’s Black Steel also reminds me of Bring the Pain for some reason (or maybe Mindless Self Indulgence’s cover of that track). The found sounds in Tricky’s production and his spoken word that weaves in and out both create this eeriness throughout, like I’m walking through a dark subway tunnel. Favorites include: Black Steel, Aftermath, Suffocated Love, and Feed Me. This is also one of the rare albums where the second half is actually better than the first half. I feel myself coming back to this a lot as the weather turns colder and the days get shorter.
I loved the first song. There were a few decent in between as well.
A rare well-done 90's electronic chill-hop, charisma dripping, electronic safari. There are moments of excitement, but most of the album captivates with its' lack of energy. Great use of sampling and a model for a lot of EDM down the line.
Trip-hop suavecín, casi ambiental. Venga, un 4.
I really enjoyed it.
First time listening to the album. Loved the sound and Topley-Bird's voice. Solid album if a little longwinded in places.
1. banger, 2. bra, 3. meh/bra, 4. bra, 5. bra/banger, 6. banger, 7. meh, 8. dårlig, 9. dårlig, 10. bra, 11. meh, 12. bra Overall: 8/10
Surprisingly enjoyable
quite liked this lowkey slow trip-hop album.
Vocals remind me of Billie Eilish
Black Steel, Pumpkin, Brand New You’re Retro were favorites. Echoey, layered, mystical tracts with a clear, pleasing singing voice and Tricky’s spoken lyrics often trailing in the background. Brand new exposure, which is always appreciated. Variety/Spice and all of that.
Loved it more than I remember
A very specific vibe which, for me, does have a place. I love Martine Topley-Bird. I'm not as in love with much of the lyrical content. But it sure sounds great if you are in the right mood.
Los disfrute buco, el tono de la guitarra me tenía sumamemente imnotizado. I love rock sm, 7/10.
I thought this was interesting, and had a particularly great selection of samples for some of the tracks.
tricky fr a goat del triphop
dressing up in stussy
It was okay
J’ai plus aimé cet album que je m’y attendais, par son rythme plus lent, ses échantillons originaux et la voix de la chanteuse – malheureusement celle de Tricky lui-même me laissait de glace. Je réécouterais certainement
I'm familiar with Tricky from my general interest in other so caller "trip hop" acts like Portishead and Massive Attack, but I've never listened a full album from him. I really liked this, some really slow sexy grooves like opener "Overcome" and energetic rockers like "Black Steel". I'll admit it is perhaps a bit too sexy for an album named after the artist's mother!
Trip Hop staple. Not one that has been part of my steady rotation.
Massive Attack did it better. The highlight tracks are when the music leans toward MA's style.
I dug this. Sweet music and the vocal tones were spot on. I would check this out again
A lovely bit of TripHop on a sunny Sunday morning
Thought I wouldn't enjoy this much, but was pleasantly surprised by a rather abstract but still very enjoyable album. I have a feeling this is an album that I will grow to like even more with repeated listening.
Very good, but doesn't click emotionally with me which is a shame. It's cool, trippy, and chilled out but maybe a bit too horny for my tastes. I'd sooner go for Portishead or Massive Attack, but this is a great example of the 90s British sound that I love so much. 29/04/24
I don’t like electronica or Brit pop. But I liked this a lot!
From my understanding, Tricky started as a member of Massive Attack, a group considered one of the pioneers of the trip-hop genre. He left them in the mid-'90s to pursue a solo career alongside vocalist Martina Topley-Bird, with this album being their debut. With that little background out of the way, I can say this album was a trip. Elements of psychedelic rock, R&B, electronica, and hip-hop are blended and weaved into this dark little package. Martina's smooth delivery and Tricky's off-kilter spoken rap balance out each other, only broken up occasionally by appearances from Alison Goldfrapp and Ragga, who also do an excellent job. Aside from the covers of Massive Attack's "Karmacoma" and Public Enemy's "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos", this album lyrically taps into the psychological effects of recreational drugs and sexual paranoia. It's uneasy with purpose. With all that said, I don't expect everyone to enjoy this album. It's a slower and more ambient album than what someone would expect from a rapper. But if you're into that style, it's highly recommended. Update 4/21/2025: 200+ albums later, I went back to Maxinquaye after realizing I didn't really articulate any issues I had with this record outside of the general statement of not expecting everyone to enjoy this album. After all, music is subjective, and not everyone's going to have the same opinion. Upon relistening, I can better explain what stopped me from going head over heels for Tricky's debut. Let's start with Tricky himself, particularly his soft-spoken rap cadence throughout this record. Compared to Martina's well-sung delivery, Tricky comes off as vocally inferior on his own record, save for moments where he builds more strength in his flow, such as on tracks like "Brand New You're Retro" and "Suffocated Love". Add to that, as much as I commend the two of them for varying the styles and compositions employed in these tracks, the album does feel its length running at almost an hour. My engagement started to wane on the penultimate track "Strugglin'", which is probably an apt title given the stream-of-consciousness lyrics of a painful existence with the slow, spare percussive beat and the sample of a creaking door. Still, I do consider Maxinquaye to be a solid and innovative debut, as Tricky, with help from Martina and company, carved their own legacy in the trip-hop genre.
4.1 - OK, this is good shit. Grimy, dark beats, laid back vocal deliveries, subtle sonic textures. Most importantly, Tricky blends samples beautifully, digesting a broad array of influences like some voracious music gourmand. Standouts: "Pumpkin", "Black Steel", "Suffocated"...
4.5
I’m going into this with very little info on the artist or even what the genre is. Starting out, I’m not sure how to feel. I definitely feel uneasy and confused. I suspect this is probably brilliantly giving the feelings and visuals that were intended. It clicked starting with Ponderosa and got deeper after that. I bet some of this would hit at a rave. As someone who plays the flute I really appreciate Aftermath. Loves: Black Steel Hell is Around the Corner Aftermath Abbaeon Fat Tracks Suffocated Love You Don’t
Really cool beats
first listen such a vibe
Trippy and experimental. I vibed with the first half more, fell off a bit after the middle. Reminded me of portishead but I liked this more. Stand-out: Black Steel
This album isn't perfect but I really love the industrial backings with the smoother vocals from Martina Topley-Bird
A great album that really gives a sense of Tricky's character.
I expected to dislike this, but was pleasantly surprised.
My first Tricky album was "Angels with Dirty Faces" and I listened to it nonstop for weeks. My cooler friends said "Oh you need to listen to Maxinquaye", and they were right. The upside was that this album is tight; leveraging past achievements with Massive Attack while going in his own direction. The downside was that I wished I'd listened to Maxinquaye first, as I think it would have been more eye-opening as an introduction to Tricky. It has hard-hitting, gritty lyrics that ring with some authenticity. Really worthy inclusion on this list.
Been ages since I’ve listened to this one. I like it better now. There’s still some stuff that’s more sound than music, but this album is overall very good. 4
From the description I didn't think I'd like this but enjoyed it more than I expected. It must have sounded pretty unique in the mid 90s - reminds me of some later electronic artists like DJ Shadow, Kid A Radiohead and Burial so doesn't surprise me that is was influential. Interesting
Great trip hop album, a nice departure from Massive attack for Tricky as it's deeper and darker.
We've had a fair few trip-hop albums come up, probably more than I would consider "essential" enough to make this list, but I think I enjoyed this one the most - it had more variety than the two Massive Attack albums and the Portishead record.
im sorry what were you saying? i fell asleep
I did not expect to enjoy this, but what an amazing atmosphere this album brings. It is full of soulful vocals, tastefully utilised instrumentals and a dark, erotic mood. It is a bit long, but I wouldn't mind that if I was listening to a CD that I bought.
I was aware of this when it came out, but never gave it a chance at the time because I was only interested in heavy music This is great, really glad that it was suggested. I will listen again on the future. Great headphones album
Really great, rather dark and very atmospheric British trip-hop album from the mid 1990s. I wasn't familiar with this album or artist, though I'd known other trip-hop bands like Portishead before, but this album is almost as great as Portishead's finest album 'Dummy', it's a bit more weird perhaps.. The first half if excellent, the second half lacks a bit of the same quality, but overall a solid album.
Have heard this one before but haven't brought it out for a spin for a while. Great fun trip every time.
Intriguing album, some songs gave a UK night club vibe, while others sounded like they could be on the soundtrack of an HBO “after hours” movie.
I got this CD in the summer of 95, I was a student at NYU, and played it daily. It was quite a trip revisiting this album. It doesn't have the same power to me as it did in a certain place at a certain time, but it really is a solid album all the way through. Martina is awesome.
This has been on my list for a little while now, and I loved it. Generally a good genre, a good sonic palette for me. I especially loved the Black Steel cover, which ended the album with so much energy (and im a sucker for breakbeats). Is this the first song from 1001 albums that made me want to dance? Certainly no, but in that moment it really felt like it.
Never listened to much trip hop before, but I get why people like this. Nice vocals, varied beats, and a general chill vibe make this album a good time.
Really good. I had no idea what this was going to sound like (knew the name but not the music), but this was more than I was expecting. Music to chill by. Will definitely add it to my playlist.
I love the chilled and dark mood. Standout tracks Aftermath, Overcome and the Portishead sampled Hell is around the corner. The album hangs together well although some tracks are quite weak
Has all the hallmarks of a mid-late 90s club album. Great dance tunes "Brand New, You're Retro" lead right into make out mixes like "Suffocated Love". A better album than I expected. As was recommended on Apple Music, "play this late at night and loud". The next time you're looking for a background make out vibe album, give this a try
Haven't listened to tricky before...saw him interviewed and didn't think much of him. But need to hold my hand up here. Very good album. Can hear the massive vibes. Will defo be into his other releases
I am a pretty big Massive Attack fan, so I have been meaning to listen to this album for a while. The first half of this album is very good, and reminds me a lot of Lovage. The 2nd half drags
Actually not bad!
Gear: Hifiman Arya Mische: greifbare, analoge Qualität mit standesgemäßem Vinyl-Rauschen Mugge: Notwendig. Kein "Maxinquaye" = kein Trip Hop. Kein Tricky = kein Massive Attack. Wertung: 4/5
The dude who made this group is one of the members of Massive Attack apparently who broke off and did his own thing. This is like hip hop meets electronica.... So trip hop I guess. Not bad at all. I've been listening to Maxinquaye all day. Not because it's long, but because it's chill as fuck. Favourite songs: Black Steel, Overcome, Brand New You're Retro, Ponderosa, Abbaon Fat Tracks, Aftermath Least favourite songs: Hell Is Round The Corner, Pumpkin, Strugglin' 4/5
This album started out strong for me and then kind of waned as it went on. First three songs were super intriguing, then they kind of fell into a Portishead-sounding style for a few songs, then the rest was ok but not super interesting. 3.5/4.
C-
This is a very nice atmospheric album. Really nice production and smooth vocals. Flows well. Will listen to again.
Been ages since I’ve listened to this one. I like it better now. There’s still some stuff that’s more sound than music, but this album is overall very good.
Liked it quite a bit
This guy is from Massive Attack and I really liked the Massive Attack album we listened to. And I really liked this! This came out when I was 15 and I would’ve loved to have gotten into it when I was that age. But I enjoyed this listen. Are the editors of this list British?
Well...gave it a go not expecting to enjoy it; however, the gentle beat was easy listening and mid way through I heard "how can I be sure, in a world that's constantly changing". It's David Cassidy, what a treat dragged me back to 1973 ish!
not at all what i was expecting from the description. was pleasantly surprised i quite liked it
Pretty neat!
Actually kinda dig this. Really nice sound.
Tykkään tästä tosi paljon, mutta onkohan tää vähän liikaa jopa Massive Attack -henkinen? 4/5
A nice trip-hop album. It's a bit of a shame he left massive attack, I think a lot of his best work is as part of that whole group. Kinda funny that a lot of the lyrics here are taken from massive attack songs too
"Maxinquaye" is the debut album by English rapper and producer Tricky. Tricky had become frustrated with his limited role in Massive Attack, found main vocalist Martina Topley-Bird, convinced Mark Saunders to produce and recorded an album in his London house. The music is described as groove-oriented, downbeat, ambient and hazy with genres of trip hop , electronic, experimental and post rock. The lyrics have themes of cultural decline, dysfunctional sexual relationships, fears of intimacy and recreational drug use. Yeah, OK, I mostly heard the sex and drug parts. Commercially, the album hit #3 in the UK and is credited as a significant influence on electronica, underground hip hop and British hip hop. "Overcome" starts off with a haunting, ominous synth. Downbeat for sure. Random pounding noises. Martina comes in whispering. It's seductive in a hazy sort of way. Sex and violence. "Ponderosa" has a mechanical nose beat. A variety of noises. We finally hear Tricky in the background. Martina going on about drugs. Hey, a Public Enemy cover in "Black Steel." This is more rockin' with a guitar and breaks up the downbeat. Tricky takes the lead in "Hell is Round the Corner." He talks in a sinister way. This is chill and ambient. Dusty record sounds in the background...always a plus for me. His personal struggles with drugs. The first single "Aftermath " continues the chill. Synths - soft and loud. Good use of Marvin Faye and LLCool J samples. This sounds like the aftermath after sex. The album is ambient, downbeat and industrial. Of couse, trip hop. I thought the vocal style, mixing it with Martina and Tricky, was unique and interesting. They do a great job of effectively creating a haunting, eerie and paranoid atmosphere. I see the influences on ambient and trip hop. It kind of did get repetitive for me but overall a very good album.
The dark and alluring flip of Massive Attack's sheeny-shiny take on trip hop. I love the lo-fi, minimalist looping of this album - simple and effective - and the male x female vocals work so well together. The production is not polished but it's perfect. 'Hell Is Round The Corner' is probably my favourite on this listen, but I love this all as an album. Well, save 'Black Steel' which I find awkward and not a patch on the original. This and that cover lose a star, sadly. I SOOOOO wish this album had a better cover.
This is a sex album, and thats not a bad thing. 4/5
naislaiska ääni hyvä... harvoin onnistuu semmonen. Bro is gonna shit pant when creating a small opening with one's li drops naisääni too on the fact.. first song album dropping... huono puoli siinä että joku ukko rupee jotain vittu turpa kiinni anna eukolle tilaa hyi vittu sillä on paska ääni Pitää niaskeho semmone voi olla hiaseva välillä muta pitää sielläkin taphtua asioita make out musiikkia kun tämä on...Mieshurmuri.. ai hän on itse artisti joka tuotti tämän noh ei mahdollista vitonen vaikka haluaisi hyihyhihyihiyi Juna objectivisms... incredible.. Naishurmuri meikällä takana 2 albumia.. ei taida hehheh olla tämä parempi kuin heh naissooloalbumi..
solide album. moody
Enjoyed! Fun find not in my usual style.
Well centered on my trip hop taste. Interesting that he mixed himself down so low, letting the vocalists have the spotlight.
Trippy
This album was great. It's hot, fun, twisted, and great beats and rhythms. I've never heard of Maxinquaye or whoever makes up Tricky, but I'm an instant fan. Wild journeys through, sex, pain, loss, drugs and everything before, after and in-between give this album thematic depth. Tricky creates a dark and brooding atmosphere that captivates the listener from start to finish. The album is filled with layers of intricate production, incorporating samples from various genres, from hip-hop to reggae, and combining them with innovative beats and textures. The songs seamlessly flow into one another, creating a cohesive and immersive listening experience. Good stuff here!
I see alot of Portishead and massive Attack, this is my kinda jam The album above (Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room by Dwight Yoakam) was incorrectly reviewed as this when it should have been a 2
I only found Maxinquaye particularly likeable in small doses: The beginnings of the first two tracks were pleasure highlights. The rest of the record gets under your skin, though. It's a very unsettling evocation, and if Strugglin' overdoes its conceit the conceit is in service of every other track.
Very Massive Attack-ish but that's expected when it's Tricky. Dreamy Trip-Hop that sometimes lack the punch that Massive Attack has.
Dark and moody, but a vibe. Favorite tracks: Black Steel; Hell Is Round the Corner; Aftermath; Brand New You’re Retro. 4/5.
juomakulttuurivittuilu, sivaripetturihärnäily, huumehörhöilevä.... pois alta ne nopeasti... ihmisinä nämä artistit varmaan NIIN VITTUMAISIA!!! VITTU VARMAAN NIIN PERSEESTÄ LUULTAVASTI!!!!!! mutta vitun hyvää musiikkia... niin junamusiikkia... ei voinu huomiseen odotta!! piti tänää kuunnella stna.... naislaiska ääni hyvä... harvoin onnistuu semmonen. huono puoli siinä että joku ukko rupee jotain vittu turpa kiinni anna eukolle tilaa hyi vittu sillä on paska ääni ai hän on itse artisti joka tuotti tämän noh ei mahdollista vitonen vaikka haluaisi hyihyhihyihiyi aftermath
I enjoyed the moody vocals and easy beats. Definitely liked the first half better than the finish.
It rocks and rhymes that’s right on time.
too trippy not tricky
I had high expectations of this album, but this was mostly based on a few really good songs that I kept playing. Listening again to the album as a whole, my impression is that the first 5 tracks and the final track are very good, but the rest of the songs feel less compelling. In short, a very good triphop album, but definitely not my favourite, for which Portishead and Massive Attack would have to battle it out.
Quite good triphop album with great use of samples. What a coincidence (or not?) that both Portishead and Tricky made a song based on Isaac Hayes' Ike's Rap II.
Starts strong, fades a little in the middle and bounces back for a good finish. Cool and eerie.
Trip hop is such an interesting and important bit of music history. This, just behind Dummy, is right up there with the best of it
Complex, needs another listen. A lot going on and a lot to like. Even when it feels distracted, it keeps the dark/dreamy vibe. Initial impression was unsure but it really grew on me.
Album starts out with two really great songs. From there it slows down a little bit, but overall I enjoy listening to it. Would probably give it a 3.5 but I’ll round up to 4
Not as good as Massive Attack, but still very solid 7/10
Nog een albumpje in hetzelfde genre, het geluidsbeeld is wat minder strak maar dat mag de pret niet drukken. Ook dit luistert lekker weg, creatief gedaan allemaal, ik moet dit soort muziek toch wat vaker gaan luisteren.
Dit is gewoon een lekker album. Met een paar wegzakkers, maar vooral een paar flinke positieve uitschieters. Het lastige is dat je bij een groot deel van het album een artiest kent die het nog beter heeft gedaan, zelfs bij die uitschieters. Ik luister net iets liever naar Karmacoma van Massive Attack dan naar Overcome (Ik weet het, sorry Tricky). Ik luister net iets liever naar Glory Box van Portishead dan naar Hell is around the Corner. Als er zo duidelijk een niveau hoger is, moet het aantal sterren tot 4 beperkt worden. Lager kan trouwens niet als je Public Enemy zo vet neer kan zetten als in Black Steel. Heel anders, maar met net zo veel kracht.
Fijn genre, dat triphop. Maar ik blijf het gewoon ongelooflijk vinden dat mezzanine niet in de 1001-lijst staat. Nota bene het beste triphop album aller tijden, by far. Waanzin.
With only a couple examples under my belt by now, I think I like trip hop generally, while also finding it distractingly british sometimes
A lot of layers here. Hard to describe. Impressive even if I don't really understand it. Worth a listen. I can see why it got such high ratings upon its release.
Un disco demasiado texturizado y encapado que está falto de letras y una buena mezcla. Pero la experiencia sonora es muy buena, el ambiente que propone es visible y la variedad de generos tocados e incursionados en los beats es mayormente acertada 8/10
Very cool sound. Was not familiar with trip-hop.
Ik kende het nog niet, blijkbaar noemen ze het 'Trip-hop', hoewel er behalve hip-hop heel veel anders in terugkomt, blues, rock, dance achtige dingen. Daardoor blijft het leuk en interessant, soms upbeat en soms chill, soms een beat en soms een gitaar. De lyrics heb ik weinig van meegekregen omdat de zang wat onduidelijk was, maar het klonk over het algemeen wel erg lekker. 4 sterren.
Definitely a nighttime album. I’d put this on with some wine and a dark room. 4/5 80/100
Sometimes languid, sometimes up tempo, sometimes sensual. One of the best trip hop albums ever made
Love the sound of traditional percussion on “Ponderosa”, blends really well & glued everything together. Black Steel is one of my favorites from the album, with the breakdown halfway through the track. Brand New Retro laid the foundation to Ye’s sound as an artist.
And I thought Massive Attack's "Protection" was wild lol. Basically pushing trip hop to its limits. Most of the time it's good and surprising. But I've got to admit to it sounds like a trip hop parody in some places. Perhaps he took himself seriously, after all he wanted to prove a point: that he has some nice ideas for Massive Attack's trip hop sound, even if he doesn't know how to properly sample.
Easy listen.
Didn't know what to expect. Never heard of Tricky. I liked the vibe. Sexy, groovy, a bit dark.
An excellent album that sets a mood that is dark and sinister and moody and creepy. I do love the slow burn but I also wish there were more songs at the pace of the wonderful Black Steel. But it doesn't detract from an overall superb album.
4.5
This is something I can imagine myself listening to.
quite interesting, nice vibe, surprised I've never heard it before
I liked it, some songs stood out a lot more than others but overall it was a good mix and a good album.
Excellent stuff here, four stars at least.
Not my favorite Tricky but still pretty good.
great
favourite song: black steel least favourite song: aftermath honourable mentions to hell is a round the corner and suffocated love fantastic album kept my attention throughout and was really interesting
Surprised myself, I really lined this.
Delightfully eclectic and well produced. In the Massive Attack ballpark without coming across as just a vanity- or side-project. Probably more reminiscent of Recoil’s Bloodlines.
Cracking album, dark brooding trip-hop, full of 90s swagger.
Pretty good TBH
Très cool. Pas surprennant qu’il soit on/off dans Massive attack. Un peu plate de reprendre le sample de Portishead par contre. Je vais y revenir.
Première écoute de cet album. Agréablement surpris. La première chanson est fantastique. La majorité des grooves sont vraiment intéressantes, par contre l'utilisation du même sample qu'utiliser de façon principale comme Portishead l'a fait un an auparavant n'est pas une superbe idée. Ça manque d'originalité, surtout qu'il fonctionne tellement bien dans Glory Box. Je vais sûrement y revenir.
Know this one well
Portia head for being British
Good - similar to his work with Massive Attack.
I like PJ Harvey, Bjork, and Portishead, and these felt adjacent. The lyrics are a little deeper though.
sexy vocals - genre-defining. perhaps multiple genres. talented songwriter with a unique vision and lyrics that have something to say. does something absolutely post-modern before anyone was ready.
One of the best house albums
greatttt
It's like a funkier discount Mezzanine
Intrigante. Mi piace molto, magari non è un capolavoro, ma è molto interessante.
Chill weird creepy in a good way
Great album. I have never heard any track beyond their hit. I really enjoyed it. Great for a road trip.
Great album
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Overcome, Black steel, Hell is around the corner
Trip-hop suavecín, casi ambiental. Venga, un 4.
Compelling album - I like the dark atmospheres and subject matter contrasted with the lightness of Topley-Bird's vocals.
Pretty iconic trip-hop. Intersesting to hear "Hell Is Round the Corner" which uses the same sample of Portishead's track Glory Box. According to quick googling Portishead played a rough demo to Tricky in a car and then he went and sampled Isaac Hayes' 'Ike's Rap II' as well. I would have thought there was more cohesion between them but it sounds sort of contentious, but I think we all know who came out ahead. Overall some nice grooves but I believe I prefer Massive Attack as a whole.
sOlid, a unique approach to trip-hop
Bbgbb
pretty cool album, shows still alot of the massive attack style but with more lyrical input
7/10. This was kinda cool
Ganske fett. Endelig et nytt album eg kommer til å høre mer på :D Likte spesielt "hell is round the corner".
Hard to make heads or tails of this album. I really liked the seedy atmosphere of some of the slower more ambient tracks but it felt long and I was getting bored in the beginning. Very interesting album either way
I know it well...This plus Massive Attack plus Portishead make the Holy trinity of Bristol Trip hop. A mixture of seductive beats and (mostly) nervy rap and soul Tricky, to his credit, is happy to drop into the background on some tracks. Its heady, intoxicating stuff. Solid 4
Interesting timing as I see Pitchfork just released a retrospective review of this over the weekend. Never heard of this artist or album, but I quite enjoyed it. It's electronic music, but rather than dance-y it's a bit dark and mysterious. Even still, the grooves are pretty catchy. I dig it. Favorite tracks: Overcome, Brand New You're Retro, Suffocated Love, Strugglin. Album art: No idea what I'm looking at here, like four pieces of wood? Not sure, but it's a cool textured look. 4/5
Good trip hop
Love triphop. Amazing beats and aphmosphere. Tricky feels a bit less creative compared to massive attack and portishead.
Tricky takes a different approach to rap (at least in my listening experience with that genre), and I really like his style. There's a really cool layering of dissonance, which adds texture and an edge to the music, and smoothness in how it all comes together. Not at all easy to pull off, and it's impressive. I'm glad this project introduced me to this album. It's genuinely interesting work and I'll come back to it for more listens.
You remember the last time you pulled an all-nighter for a project you had six months to do, hadn't done any prep or written anything down because it was all in your head, but were also convinced you could create something incredible with a looming deadline and a few cups of strong coffee? We've all been there, but most of us create something on par with an album by The Mother's of Invention. But this is proof, there are talented people who can translate all the static in their heads into amazing work. Tricky is one of those people. Though this was ambitious production and relic of the independent 90's, it was a nice surprise. Maxinquaye is filled with intertwined beats, miscellaneous samples played forwards and backwards and disparate vocals. Basically everything that when combined should be crap. But for the mid 90's, this was impressive, listenable and good.
Amazing
For some reason, I gave Massive Attack and Portishead a lot more attention than Tricky when I dug into trip-hop. Didn't remember much of this. But it's a strong album that has aged well. Tricky has good sound design and great brooding atmosphere to many of the tracks. Martina's vocals are a stunningly good fit. Should really check out her own solo material sometime. Overall, this is peak downtempo. 4*
Quand j'ai lancé j'avais la flemme de ouf mais trop bien
Great Album!!!
I like how this album moves and grooves. The percussion is consistently good throughout. Black Steel mixes in some really cool fuzzy guitar work. The guitar on that tune is credited to FTV. Hummm, that clarifies. The flute is a peculiar instrument. It pops its head up on select albums from time to time, hangs around for one song and then returns to hibernation. Its cameo on Aftermath is quite good.
8'5
Pretty all over the map, but mostly a chill vibe. Added.
Genre: Trip Hop 4/5 Tricky, one of the members of Massive Attack, a group who stands as a forerunner of the Trip Hop genre, left the band to pursue his own musical endeavor, feeling unfulfilled as the member of a group. What transpired is a moody, spacey, raunchy album, full of beautifully sampled soundscapes and hushed, sexy lyrics. While Tricky himself has declared that this is not Trip Hop, this album essentially is the entire genre in an album. From the slower, sexier Aftermath to the heavier, MJ-sampling Brand New You’re Retro, this album is an essential listen. The Gorillaz would certainly not exist without this 90s knockout. Great album.
sensual, cru, carnal um pouco de industrial e punk e prog ¿?
Good sound, better than I expected.
that was real good!
Some interesting sounds and beats. The music and lyrics depict seemingly real life scenarios of inner city youth alienation and narcotics etc. I enjoyed the moods created on tracks like Pumpkin, which have a spooky rather unsettling feel. Not bad and probably an album that could grow on me.
A couple of years ago, a few of us started an Album Club, (spun out of our lazy Book Club). One of us would pick an album for the month, we'd listen to it at least 3 times, then meet up at the pub to discuss (and get drunk). Our first album was Maxinquaye. When the evening of our pub meet came around, the suggestion came up that we should listen to the album in the pub, but how could we do that? Luckily, one of us had some kind of industrial-sized multi-headphone-splitter (and I mean industrial - with no degrading in audio quality), this worked a treat... but you should have seen the look on the landlord's face when he saw several blokes sat around with headphones on, bopping away to Tricky. It was a great album to kick off our Album Club with, (which has now kind of merged with this daily 1001 group).
Tricky is a legend, but personally it would always choose a record from Massive Attack's catalog over his solo work.
Nice one, I really like trip hop, this is just as good as massive Attack
Am glad I revisited this. There are tracks on here that I remember well and fondly, specifically Hell Is around the Corner and Aftermath. Pretty sure those are ones I got off of Napster that I put in chill out mix CDs as I don’t believe I had this album in full.
A fantastic unique album - love it
Sexy and truly dark sounding, a perfect blend of skill and atmosphere
It's got that Portishead and Massive Attack sound that I love. I feel like I will end up liking this album more and more with time.
An eerie listen. Once you've got into the first couple of tracks you'll be settled for the rest of the album. 7/10
Wasn’t very familiar with this album but it was great to have on for ambiance during the day!
I could say that sounds more like Massive Attack than Massive Attack itself I really hear 'trip' in this trip hop album.
Really cool trip hop. I was going to say it gave me big vibes of Massive Attack, until I read the wikipedia article and saw he was a member lol. Great record!
I liked this more than I expected. Very atmospheric & moody.
Tricky wears his influences well to concoct a strange brew of blissed out beats, moody strings, mumbled raps and stunning vocals from Martina Topley Bird. I slept on this album the first time round and now recognise it as a classic. Few artists can sound so confident in their sonic experimentation but so paranoid in their lyrical content. Rewards repeated listens.
More inexplicable rights BS from Google as a third of the songs from this aren't available in the album playlist on YT Music, yet I could watch them on YouTube on the official channel. So left with annoyingly switching between the platforms to listen to the full album in order. It would be easier to find some rip of the full album someone has undoubtedly uploaded to YouTube which just as inexplicably stays up unmolested, except this somehow obscurely feels like playing into Google's hands. Anyway, aside from the rigamarole I liked this a lot.
Never really got past Portishead with Triphop. A bit more abrasive than that and this style does sounds a little dated now but I enjoyed it
Love it, and trip hop isn't usually my thing.
Smokey underwater trip-hop. I like Massive Attack more, but this is still a great listen. Fave track - "Black Steel" is absolutely badass. "Suffocated Love" really stood out to me this time around, too!
Several familiar tracks that I've heard covers of before (at least I believe this was the original and not vice versa). Good chill album.
its good, but it's lacking something. you can't help but feel the input of 3D and Daddy-G would have made this an absolute belter of an album.
Норм трип-хоп. Сначала не врубаешься, а к середине всё идет как по маслу.
Way more.musical than Run DMC. Not very melodic though - interesting line between noise and melody, with random noise thrown in. Vocals: classic singing from the woman - rap scratchy voice from tricky. Interesting proto rap?
Tricky is severely under appreciated
Liked this, very cool
Kinda weird but I really liked it
Tom waitsachtig. Cool
Smooth and unique instrumentation. It's no [sic] "Portishead", but it's still pretty great.
4/5. Bueno, pero no me encantó. Disco como para ponerlo de fondo.
Great to listen to while high. Would look into other music in this genre.
Still sounds fresh nearly 30 years later. Inventive and powerful, great drum rhythms and use of samples throughout and the vocal combination work so well, playful and sinister. A fantastic album.
Appreciated this far more than I did in the mid 90s - a brilliant album and will send me back down the tricky rabbit hole
Best tracks: Ponderosa
Probably a 3.5er tbf
Massive Attack mit ein bisschen weniger Massive Attack, insbesondere vielleicht ohne deren Tiefe, dafür aber mehr Bock auf Prolligkeit und Sex. Why not?! 3,8
Hadn't listened to this in about 20 years. Still fantastic. Sinister.
I think this is trip hop? Nice, mood driven.
Haunting 90s soul RnB, with some breakbeat. Sweet.
Trip hop good
Yeh. Nice. Bit of trip hop. I got really into trip hop like 11 years ago but then I got out of it again. Great.
Yeah this is a good one mate
I enjoy this album. I always get excited to listen to it. Although, I listened to it during the day, and it is better at night
Yep liked this quite a bit - not as good as Massive Attack or Portishead but still great Bristol music
Seminal trip hop album but a bit dull at times
Finally, an album from the golden age of trip-hop. This album pales in comparison to Mezzanine by Massive Attack, but in isolation it has a lot to recommend it. The music is relaxed, but complex. The vocals blend in well, standing in front without obscuring the music. 4/5
A bit of Portishead lite. It’s a decent ‘Trip Hop’ sound, and I recognised more than I expected (Hell is Around the Corner) but probably not much that will stick in my mind.
This one was tricky! Didn't love it but didn't hate it. The electronica always ruins good music for me.
6/10 - alright beats for the background, can see the massive attack influences
not for me...
A few good songs on here but it just doesn't do much for me. Guess I'm not a trip hop guy.
I’m not sure how an overproduced ‘House’ album can feel raw but this does. Tricky uses sounds and styles not common in the EDM world. Here, it works. Martina Topley-Bird’s voice is the showcase, though, a beautiful juxtaposition to the urban beats being thrown down. Key tracks for me were the nebulous Pumpkin and its successor Aftermath, both of this seemed to be a continued movement in Teicky’s techno-opus. I had to listen to this album twice as the first time it was turned off but a less than impressed roommate. The second time I listened with headphones and I thank them for the correction. It was definitely a different and preferred experience.
Random thoughts: * Trip hop scene was wild in the 1990s. So much coming out during this time. * This sounds grimy and and dark. Really captures a certain vibe and sticks with it throughout. * Weird that Tricky wanted to break away from Massive Attack because he wasn't musically represented and then he basically handed over the reigns to other vocalists. This is very much in the same vein as Massive Attack. * Overall, this is dramatic and dark music. I need to go back and listen with headphones on. * I want to come back and revisit all of the 90s trip hop scene from this list. In the right mood this can be great music.
I used to be really into trip hop, and yet somehow I never got _that_ into Tricky. I think it's because I like the combo of down-tempo with symphonic/other instruments AND with a strong/emotional vocalist, and Tricky himself talks more than he sings. And maybe also because his material is a little too dark (e.g. Abbaon Fat Track). Maybe I like him more as a producer? I kind of knew "Hell is Around the Corner" (because he sampled Portishead) and also "Black Steel". I didn't really know the rest.
Good chill music. Didn’t blow me away, but I did enjoy it. 3/5
Tricky's mother.
This was pretty interesting and I dug it.
Flits between cool and boring. Grab a nightcap and groove to it until you fall asleep on the settee
Oomph! Sexy! Makes me almost want to try guys! Almost…
Love me some trip hop, and this one delivered! Unfortunately it wore on just a bit too long for my tastes, but there was some really great stuff in here nonetheless. 7/10!
Interesting album. Loved a lot of the first half, with Overcome, Black Steel, and Aftermath being my faves. Was kinda cool hearing Hell Is Round The Corner use the same sample as Portishead’s Glory Box after hearing Dummy last year from the album generator. It’s hard to not compare the two albums considering they came out within a year of each other and do a lot of similar things. I do unfortunately think this one kind of fell off a cliff after Aftermath. I also think Portishead did it better. And I gave Dummy a 4. So this would probably get a 3.5.
Dark, hypnotic, moody...... The first few songs actually blew me away, but it seems like they couldn't keep the gas going all the way through! The back half dragged on a bit too long by comparison. Standouts: Overcome • Black Steel • Aftermath
Hard to avoid bias when ive had 4 trip hop albums recently. This was the best one, but I still think its a boring genre.
A great album even though triphop wasn’t really my thing. Enjoyable to revisit some of these songs
A uniquely 90’s record that tries to make the most of the seemingly bleak world it was born out of. “Ponderosa” was the first track that caught my attention, it’s probably the brightest and most melodic of the bunch. “Black Steel” is a great protest/struggle song that took a sharp punk turn for its chorus. Is this a Public Enemy cover? That would make a lot of sense. Another aspect about this album is how overtly intimate it is. Sometimes, it’s done well, like on “Suffocated Love”. A sing about how two people at their wits end view love, how one uses intimacy as a means to an end, and the other hopes marriage will lift them out of their struggles for good. Then there’s tracks like “Abbaon Fat Tracks” which just have some lines that are so out of left field that they end up being distracting. The last song I liked was “You Dont”, mostly for its instrumental. Let’s give this a firm 3/5. It lives a bit in the shadow of Massive Attack / Portishead, but still holds a specific, unique space
Starts great then meanders quite a bit before ending on a high note.
Bristol distilled into an album, it's very atmospheric and moody andcool. I don't think i'm chucking it that often, but it was nice to listen to.
Pretty chill album. Was better than I was expecting.
Would I listen again: maybe? It was fine. Pretty neutral about this
Groovy. Kind of background music-y.
Interesting sound
Can’t my put my finger on what this genre is… R&B/Chill Hip Hop? Solid 2.5
Thoughts before listening: Probably the quintessential trip hop record, possibly along with Massive Attack. At least thats what I recall from seeing this album show up on nearly every best of the 90s lists I have ever seen. I have, however, never actually listened to this before. Probably going to be some down tempo techno-y sounds with rapping...something like that. Review: I'm old enough to remember when this was considered the future of music. Downtempo, trippy techno beats with smoky r&b/hip hop vocals that are often at a whisper level. There is no way I would have been into this at the time it was gaining popularity, but I can appreciate it now. There are some good songs here, especially when they move away from the formula a bit with a song like "Black Steel" that adopts more of an alt-rock approach. 3-stars
Reminded me a lot of Massive Attack and even more of Portishead due to the female singer. This feeling was reinforced when “Hell Is Round the Corner” played, which uses the same sample as Glory Box — what a sample that is, though. Overall, I thought it was an okay album, but it lacked any standout songs that really grabbed my attention. Settling on a 3.
Only 8 of the 12 tracks were accessible on Apple Music
Tricky – Maxinquaye (1995) This album started off strong, but in the midst of it, the project became disjointed. It honestly felt like I was listening to three completely separate albums under one name. However, "Overcome" and "Black Steel" dragged this album up to a passing grade. I really liked the vocal work on "Overcome" and the intense production style on "Black Steel." The main takeaway here is that his girlfriend (Martina Topley-Bird) absolutely cooked on her parts. If it wasn't for the presence of those two massive standout tracks, the total lack of cohesion would have made this a 2. Because they saved it, I am compelled to give it a 3/5.
Que temazo que es "Black steel". No sabía quien era el artista detras de "Hells is round the corner".
Had never heard of Tricky before - enjoyed the listen, pretty dark/trippy/chill throughout. Pretty solid overall but no real interest in exploring other albums. 3
No se si me gusta demasiado el triphop, pero la verdad es que ha sido un buen álbum
At its best in its similarity to Portishead (not sure of the cause-and-effect of the influence between these artists/this genre, but Dummy came out one year before this, whatever that's worth).
Det är rätt smånajs men inte mer. Förstår om man får feeling av detta, önskar jag kunde digga det mer. Hade gjort livet roligare. Men thats life.
The connection to Massive Attack is is evident from the get go. I generally like Massive Attack and I generally liked this thing. With that said, I'd give this four stars, but Abbaon Fat Track just crosses a line for me. So three stars it is.
Obscure, mysterious, an album hinting at hidden depths that turn out to be shallow surfaces reflecting back at each other. Haunted dub production - deconstructed samples reworked into ambient fodder. A deep bass rumbles at a slow ambling pace leaving loads of space for the echoes to scatter and skitter across the high end. The middle is dj scratching, diva vocals, mumbled raps, and snaping snares that punctuated the trippy tipsy stoned blur.
3.5 vibey but kinda weird. Did not catch me