Massive Attack Collected CD

Massive Attack was always the most creative and exploratory group of the trip-hop movement, and, at their best, made some of the most evocative electronica-influenced pop of the 1990s. Though all of the band's albums are worth considering individually, COLLECTED is a highly effective one-stop primer, drawing equally from BLUE LINES, PROTECTION, MEZZANINE, and 100TH WINDOW (and adding one previously unreleased track). The band's mix of glacial, heavy-lidded grooves, sliding electronic textures, jazzy highlights, and nocturnal atmospheres topped off by a rotating cast of male and female vocalists is here in all its glory, making COLLECTED a great place to sample Massive Attack's stunning catalogue.

COLLECTED is the first Massive Attack best-of anthology, and as such is a welcome addition to their catalogue. In fact, COLLECTED does a more than effective job of supporting the general belief that Massive Attack were not only one of the most groundbreaking groups of the 1990s, but that their influence has been pervasive, in electronica, R&B, and pop, in the years since.

M.A.'s albums BLUE LINES, PROTECTION, MEZZANINE, and 100th WINDOW are equally represented across 13 tracks, giving a cross-section of the group's sweeping, claustrophobic, noir-ish trip-hop. The set excludes soundtrack work and 12-inch releases, but it does include a previously unreleased track entitled "Live With Me," an enticement for long-time fans who already own the studio releases. Unlike a lot of trip-hop, Massive Attack's still sounds fresh and inventive, making the collection an excellent, and much needed, release.

Audio Mixers: Nellee Hooper; Massive Attack; Johnny Dollar ; Jeremy Allom; Mark "Spike" Stent; Neil Davidge.

Audio Remasterers: Tim Young ; Mike Marsh.

Photographer: David "Sparky" Hughes.

Arrangers: Massive Attack; Neil Davidge; Robert "3D" del Naja.

Massive Attack: Daddy G. Marshall, Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles.

Personnel: Massive Attack (vocals); Elizabeth Fraser, Grant Marshall, Horace Andy, Robert "3D" del Naja, Shara Nelson, Sinéad O'Connor, Terry Callier, Tracey Thorn, Tricky (vocals).

Additional personnel: Nicolette (vocals); Sinéad O'Connor, Terry Callier, Tracey Thorn.

Rolling Stone (p.71) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Slowing hip-hop's funk down to a crawl, delivering dyspeptic raps in raspy whispers and texturing their tracks with the crepuscular film of heavy dub....[They] defined the trip-hop sound."
Uncut (p.116) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "COLLECTED is an impressive reminder of just how innovative and intensely beautiful Massive Attack have been throughout their 15-year journey."