Massive Attack- Ritual Spirit (2016)

Massive Attack- Ritual Spirit (2016)

By: Ghost Writer

Welcome to the age of brutal bass and mad prophet voices, that seems to be the new mantra in legendary Bristol band Massive Attack new recording named Ritual Spirt, opener song Dead Editors is a powerful blast of highly rhythmical proportions with amazing MC Roots Manuva handling the vocals, the results are mind blowing and a great return to form by Massive Attack whom once again sound like they can make futuristic music far removed from our times, Dead Editors is a sonic bomb of epic proportions thanks to Manuva impressive tour de force and the MA sympathetic musical attack makes the piece and infectious one impossible to escape from it.

 

For the somber title track the duo uses the r&b vocals of Azekel, in a tune that sounds like floating over our heads using the same proven magic that has appeared on the most powerful recordings by the great Burial, it lacks the mighty attack of the previous song, but it has a more inner effect, playing with emotions in a more subtle way, but by the time MA arrives to Voodoo in my Blood things get quickly volatile once again, this time using dissonant sounds and intense propulsive percussion, displaying a tendency to create massive oceans of tension via repetitive sounds that give an almpst minimalistic feel, hypnotic at times, in another highlight of this great record.

Last track is a definite winner, reuniting Massive Attack with a long time partner of the early years, the great Tricky, Take it There is the most expected track here, with Tricky and the band quickly bonding in a menacing, and remarkable tune that immediately brings back to mind the sound of classic Massive Attack is a song that perversely ends so soon and lives the listener simply begging for more, the genius of these three guys working together again, and finding out that the magic is still there, unaffected by time or distance, it hurts not to have the chance to listen to a whole record with Tricky and these sound magicians again, we are all eager to have that magic in this dark and despaired world, our turbulent times demand it.