Monday's Long Song

 

Spring 1998: Modern Talking are celebrating their comeback, Celine Dion has been at the top of the German singles charts for months with My Heart Will Go On. Light-heartedness and sentimentalism are on the agenda. Back then, I came across a song that, with its creeping slow-motion beats and ominous electronics, was completely different to what most of the mainstream had to offer. It was joined by a strange voice that sang ‘love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you ...’ after around a minute and a half. This was followed by a heavy electric guitar. Emotional abysses opened up. I had never heard anything so dark. This song was Angel from Massive Attack's third album. While the predecessors Blue Lines and Protection were already in a class of their own, Massive Attack have created a monument to themselves with Mezzanine. With reggae legend Horace Andy on vocals Angel became the trademark of their sound and still a song that shaped this years sound.

Massive Attack - Angel

Blue Lines

 

This week 30 years ago Massive Attack released their debut album Blue Lines, an album that prepared the floor for trip hop and the so named Bristol sound. For me it was a manifestation how today's club sound should sound like. Formed by members of Bristol party collective Wild Bunch they created a never heard before mixture of electronic music, dub, reggae, hip hop and 70's soul mostly in a downtempo mood. I recommended this record to many people that year but less could see the beauty in the vocals by Shara Nelson, Tony Bryan and Horace Andy. Blue Lines accompanied me during the last decades and even Mezzanine might be better I will always come back to their superb debut.

Massive Attack -  Five Man Army

Massive Attack - Safe From Harm

Massive Attack - Be Thankful For What You've Got

Talk The Talk

It seems like there is in France a reggae/dub-scene to be explored. A few years ago French producer Martin Nathan released Brain Damage with the album Walk the Walk a compilation with legendary Horace Andy, Ras Michael and others. In tradition of legendary reggae records the released these days a dub version of this album called Talk the Talk. Each dub version develops with a lor of echoes, reverberations, surprises and great mastering. Probably the best dub-reggae album released during the last years.

Problems

Let us start this short working week with a little roots reggae from Horace Andy. Born in 1952 in Jamaica he worked there together with great producers like King Tubby. In early 80s he settled down in London to live as a musician. I first recognized him as a guest singer of the first record from Massive Attack. Remarkable is his voice on Five Man Army. He also joined Massive Attack on several tours. Later he collaborated with Mad Professor. This are tracks I won't miss - so enjoy and have a good week people.

Horace Andy - Problems

Massive Attack - Five Man Army