#416: Tricky - Maxinquaye (1995)

Zack: We had this album down as electronic, and I guess that’s sort of right. It’s a trip-hop album, which is a pretty weird subgenre that resides somewhere in the vicinity of hip-hop, electronic, psychedelic, and soul music. Honestly, I’ve never been that much of a fan. I’ve tried to get into trip-hop a few times, and the only artist that really connected with me was Flying Lotus. But Maxinquaye certainly had its moments. There were a couple of tracks on here that I legitimately just found amazing, almost on par with Never Catch Me off of You’re Dead! Others I just found repetitive and boring. But those handful of solid songs may be enough to get me into this album. It definitely is the type of album that requires a few listens to really appreciate, and now we’ll see if I can muster the energy to do that.

Favorite Tracks: Hell is Around the Corner; Overcome; Brand New You’re Retro

Emily: The only times I had heard of Tricky before listening to this album were when he (who knew it was a he?) was mentioned on a podcast Zack and I listen to called The Watch. The podcast mostly covers TV, but also delves into music and movies from time to time. The guys that host it came of age in the mid-'90s and were/are huge fans of some off-the-beaten path music (in fact, that's how they became friends back in the day). They've mentioned Tricky and Massive Attack as artists they really enjoyed back then that bridged the gap between alternative and hip-hop, and they were really excited when Tricky released new music last year. Their discussion alone wasn't enough for me to check Tricky out on my own, but now that I've listened to Maxinquaye I understand their fervor and fandom. The music was chill and rhythmic, but not so much that it faded into background noise. I also really liked the female vocalist featured throughout the album, Martina Topley-Bird, who sings with a dreamy quality that seems to float effortlessly over the music and production. This wasn't necessarily my favorite album that we've come across, but I certainly enjoyed it. Maybe I should take music recommendations from The Watch more often.

Favorite Tracks: Overcome; Black Steel; Abbaon Fat Track