Rocktrospectiva: Massive Attack First EP "Ritual Spirit" Turns 10

Released on 28 January 2016, "Ritual Spirit" was the first EP by British trip hop collective Massive Attack, the EP features artists such as Tricky, the Scottish hip-hop group Young Fathers, London rapper Roots Manuva and singer Azekel. The album spawned two singles "Ritual Spirit" & "Dead Editors". 

 

It was the collective first release in nearly six years, Massive Attack had returned at the time with the four-song power house EP Ritual Spirit.  The opening track "Dead Editors" was the highlight of the EP with it's ominous landscape of throbbing bass, off-kilter down tempo beats, robotic blips and bleeps and aggressive vocal performance by Roots Manuva. The usage of Manuva's rap wasn't of traditional hip-hop flow, instead the band used as an instrument to set the foreboding mood.

 

Second track was "Ritual Spirit" continued the eerie atmosphere with a minimalist beat, dreary guitar riff and beautiful falsetto vocals from Azekel that manage to added an angelic nuance, for many, the standout track on the EP was "Voodoo In My Blood" considered  the most interesting track from Massive Attack since anything from 1998's Mezzanine. The colorful artistry of a younger, critically acclaimed Scottish hip-hop The Young Father's gave their touch and much like the opening track, the vocals are used as an instrument rather than a focal point, but instead of carrying a groove, Young Father’s chants elevate the tension to the point where it feels like it’s spiraling out of control at times.

 

The closing track "Take It There" was the first song since 1994 to feature Tricky. On it’s own it was a solid track that features gritty, slightly distorted vocals from Tricky and a melancholy piano/guitar riff that flirts with R&B and classic 1990s trip-hop in a way that only the Massive Attack/Tricky combo can deliver. With all nostalgia aside.

 

Perhaps the only awful thing with this EP was the fact that it was not a full album, which was a pity cause the four songs featured here were already superior to their previous album back then "Heligoland", even thought, the record received widespread critical acclaimed from critics by stating the collective were always equally as good producers as they were curators; it's promising that, as much of their old sound as they've retained, they've kept this as well

 

Ritual Spirit Track List:  

 

1. Dead Editors

2. Ritual Spirit

3 Voodoo In My Blood

4. Take It There