Sunday 10 January 2010

Album Review: Heligoland by Massive Attack


Yes thats right everyone ones favorite downtempo electronic outfit are back. The Bristol duo haven't made an album since 2003 so much could be expected from it. As per usual it's a small album of 10 songs and as per usual has some brilliant vocalists; Horace Andy, Hope Sandoval and Martina Topley-Bird. The vocalists although being so different create a weird sense of continuity throughout the album. But anyway onto the individual songs of which I'll give a score out of 5.

Saturday Come Slow - Acoustic with bass describes it best with roaming lyrics. Solemn but very epic it is hard to describe in influence but it is Massive Attack through and through. 4/5

Rush Minute - Similar to the song above, light and ominous with dark tones. Genre wise hard to define, is it Rock, Leftfield, Downtempo or just plain Electronica. 3/5

Flat of The Blade - Weird but a nice sample. Needs a remix, it seems a bit confused. 2/5

Girl I Love You - Very 90's prodigy-esque. Really nice lyrics. Perfect soundtrack music, can imagine hearing it in a Danny Boyle film. 4.5/5

Splitting The Atom - Really enjoyed this. Weird but nice sampling, plus Horace Andy sounds brilliant. 4/5

Babel - Surreal again, starts off slow but builds and builds. Martina sounds brilliant as ususal, reminds me Zero7. 3.5/5

Pray For Rain - Nice beat but pretty dark. Tunde Adebimpe has a nice voice but it's not very enjoyble. 2.5/5

Psyche - Martina at her best, beautiful song. It's simply done with an ongoing melody that descends into darker wisps. 4.5/5

Paradise Circus - The best, really. Nice Lyrics with nice Piano. Going to be their breakthrough single probably due partly to it's catchiness and even when it loses the piano it keeps the magic. 5/5, deservedly.

Atlas Air - Some very nice sounds, but it's too long. 2/5

Overall Score - 4/5

With weak points and strong points it gets a very good score but really for effort it deserves a full score. The album has such a nice flow and continuity that it is in many ways a masterpiece. Reminds me a bit of Booka Shade's last album; Not about making club tunes but making great music. It truly deliver good music not just good Dance music. Please buy it because It's too valuable to give away for free.



1 comment:

  1. This is why you don't review leaks. You didn't even listen to the album in the correct order and most of these tracks are ripped from inferior-quality radio recordings. And yet you feel Heligoland, as you heard it, has a nice flow and continuity? Try again.

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