Massive Attack's Blue Lines

Blue Lines, released in 1991 by Massive Attack, is a groundbreaking record that fused American hip-hop and soul with British underground sounds, creating trip hop and launching the career of Tricky. It invented an entirely new genre and envisioned an alternate future, sounding as otherworldly today as on its release.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 17 October 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Massive Attack, a loose-knit collective, released the iconic record "Blue Lines" in 1991. This groundbreaking masterpiece seamlessly fused American hip-hop and soul with the sounds of the British underground, creating a genre-defining sound that would shape the music landscape for years to come.

Blue Lines' impact was immediate and profound. With its marauding bass lines, angular guitars, and psychedelic effects, the album built on the Caribbean soundsystems and nascent rave scene of the 1980s, while also looking ahead to the group's signature blend of epic cinematics and lush downtempo. In the process, Massive Attack invented an entirely new genre called trip hop, which would go on to influence countless artists and shape the sound of modern music.

But Blue Lines' significance went beyond its musical innovation. The album created the sonic playbook for an emerging future: hybrid, digital, cosmopolitan, and rooted in the black and immigrant communities who animated the urban wreckage of the postindustrial city. Massive Attack envisioned an alternate future in sharp counterpoint to the glossy triumphalism of Brit Pop, offering a vision of a more diverse and inclusive world.

While Massive Attack would go on to bigger and better things, this record was both a warning shot and a definitive statement. It sounds as otherworldly today as on the day of its release, reminding us of the power of music to transcend boundaries and shape our collective consciousness. As the iconic flame logo spun on turntables the world over, Massive Attack and their spaced-out urban blues reimagined music for the 1990s and beyond, leaving an indelible mark on the history of popular culture.

Weight: 154g
Dimension: 160 x 114 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501339691