In these bleak, troubled times, I find music can be the perfect antidote. A remedy or an escape, if you like, from the constant barrage of bad news that seems to envelope us.
One album that's become something of a release of late is the latest collection from the Bristol based hip hop collective that is Massive Attack. I don't know if there's any particular significance or meaning behind the title, '100th Window', but it's good just to have them back and - more important - sounding as forceful as ever. | "It's kinda ironic that around the release of their debut, Massive Attack were forced to shorten their name in an attempt to secure radio play because of the Gulf War..." |
I say good to have THEM back but this time round it's mostly the labour of 3D aka Robert Del Naja that fuels the collection as associate Daddy G has taken time out to raise a family.
'Window' is an expansive, atmospheric-sounding album where fat beats mingle with distinctive voices and shimmering strings. mean and moody A slow burner f'r sure but one that gets better and better with every listen. But then again I've always found that about Massive Attack, stretching all the way back to their 1991 debut 'Blue Lines'. Just to digress for a moment though, wasn't 1991 one helluva great year for albums? 'Nevermind', 'Bandwagonesque' and 'Screamadelica' being just a few that were unleashed in that eventful year. Aaah memories!
 | And then there was one...the new album is largely the work of founder member 3D aka Robert Del Naja |
Once again blending elements of rap, hip hop and reggae, the standout moments on 'Window' include the mean and moody opener 'Future Proof' as well as the two collaborations with Sinead O'Connor, 'Special Cases' and 'A Prayer For England'.
kinda ironic For me it's an album that seems to reflect the mood of the times we find ourselves in. Dark, sombre and powerfully emotional. And I guess it's kinda ironic that around the release of their debut album all those years ago, Massive Attack were forced to shorten their name to Massive in an attempt to secure radio play because of the Gulf War and the fears of paranoid programming peeps. Well, here we go again - sadly - and we've got a new Massive Attack album to immerse and lose ourselves in. Massive indeed!  listen: hear Massive Attack's "Unfinished Sympathy" from their debut album click here
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