59. Heligoland

Heligoland by Massive Attack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very innovative, different kind of electronica album. "Pray for Rain" is the best track by far. Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the Radio has the perfect vocals for this track. The piano is brooding. The subdued, contemplative melody creates a mood that is hard to describe in words.

"Babel" features the ultra feminine voice of Martina Topley-Bird with an erratic rhythm that creates speed, yet is somehow slowed down by Martina's pulled out vocals.

Many of the songs on this album are cold in sound and somewhat melancholy. "Splitting the Atom" reminds me a little bit of the Gorillaz. It features a strangely distorted background vocal and a lead singer with a deep, smoky voice accompanied by a sidekick whose singing is simple and somewhat mournful. I have to say this track has the quality of a dirge.

"Girl I Love You" has an awesome bass line. Then all these warped electronic elements start up coupled with twinkling chimes and the exotic voice of Horace Andy. Very cool, hypnotic track. I especially love the Mid-East sounding electronics towards the end.

"Psyche" has a traveling feel to it. The music undulates dreamily. Massive Attack tends to work with singers who have an unusual, distinctive vocal quality. Martina has a voice that is simplistic, feminine, and somewhat hazy. "Flat of the Blade" dials in with droning vocals that immediately reminded me of Nine Inch Nails even though the music isn't as dark or industrial. The wandering sadness of the lead vocal conveys something very different and thought-provoking.

"Paradise Circus" has a lovely bell-like quality that shines. The whispering vocals of Hope Sandoval (lead singer of Mazzy Star) makes for an enchanting song that is gently haunting. The piano hitting that lower register and the strings filling in the rest two-thirds of the way through the track rolls out something beautifully full. Very nice.

Starting with the lyric "I wanna be clean, but I gotta get high," "Rush Minute" really hits the whole issue of addiction right on the head of the nail. "Saturday Come Slow" has a desperate beauty as it features Gorillaz and Blur front-man Damon Albarn. Good one for the forlorn, especially on Valentine's Day.

"Atlas Air" has a great rhythm. Del Naja's vocals are mysterious and create a distance that somehow retains its intimacy.

These tracks evoke emotion, but ultimately something truthful and contemplative. The quality is beyond what you'd expect to hear on a night out partying with people at a club. Check out the remix and bonus tracks too on Grooveshark.



Track listing:

1. Pray for Rain
2. Babel
3. Splitting the Atom
4. Girl I Love You
5. Psyche
6. Flat of the Blade
7. Paradise Circus
8. Rush Minute
9. Saturday Come Slow
10. Atlas Air

Deluxe Edition (bonus tracks featured on iTunes):

11. Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto Remix)
12. Fatalism (Ryuichi Sakamoto & Yukihiro Takahashi Remix)
13. Girl I Love You (She Is Danger Remix)
14. Paradise Circus (Breakage's Tight Rope Remix)
15. United Snakes (previously a B-side of "False Flags")
16. Pray For Rain (Tim Goldsworthy Remix)

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