Tricky | False Idols [Album Review]

Saying that your new album is better than the one that made you a poster boy for an entire genre of hip, new music is a bold statement, and one that leaves long times fans skeptical even before hearing the product. When 1995's Maxinquaye came out, not only did it bring 'trip-hop' into the household vernacular, it wasn't uncommon for the former Massive Attack alumni (known to his mum as Adrian Thawes) to grace the cover of major publication with the word JESUS under his name. The skepticism continues when the long time fan realizes the rumours about working with honey-dripped vocalist Martina Topley-Bird aren't a reality. But none of this matters. What matters is this is Tricky's first really good record since the nineties. It's obvious that he's not trying to be a member of the Domino Records crew, not trying to appeal to hip-hoppers or pop radio. He's not getting too lost in a marijuana coma to make anything musical. This is just a great record, with the asthmatic, frog voice you want to hear, some new female voices (Francesca Belmonte and Fifi Rong), and an update to the Nellee Hooper sound we love so much, without going annoyingly dark and paranoid, or unnaturally positive. While this isn't better than Maxinquaye, it is good and belongs in the same sentence and hopefully the same setlist.