From the opening rumblings of "Overcome" to the closing notes of "Feed Me", Tricky's debut album is undoubtedly one of the best albums of the '90s. A mix of trip-hop beats, samplings, rasping vocals by Tricky and delicate singing by Martina, the combination results in the production of 12 superb tracks. It proves to be a highly diverse album - "Black Steel" is a cover of a Public Enemy number, and is in much the same vein as the energy charged "Brand New You're Retro". This is contrasted with the 2 main slow numbers "Pumpkin" and "Suffocated Love" and the rumbling beats of "Ponderosa" and "Aftermath". "Hell Is Round the Corner" paints a bleak and gloomy picture of life and the tones of its lyrics are eminent throughout other tracks on the album; On "Suffocated Love" : 'Now I could just kill a man' "You Don't" : 'I fight evil with evil' "Abbaon Fat Tracks": 'I f*** you in the ass, just for a laugh; with the quick speed, I'll make your nose bleed'
Despite such undercurrents of darkness and misery, this is a highly accessible album and it places Tricky among the elite of truly innovative artists present at the moment.
Stand Out Track: Hell Is Round The Corner
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