Forgotten Treasure: Tricky “Aftermath” (1995)
I’ve always been a big fan of the whole british early to mid-90’s movement called Trip-Hop. It had a really big impact on me because as a hip-hop kid it was really the bridge into a whole new world of music with acts like Portishead, Massive Attack, releases on Mo’Wax, Ninja Tune, etc… One of the albums that is definitely slept on of that period is Tricky’s first record called Maxinquaye.
Expanding on the sonic template of fellow Bristolians Massive Attack, and featuring then-girlfriend Martina Topley-Bird on vocals, Maxinquaye is a dark, mysterious album featuring a combination of hip-hop, soul, dub, rock and electronica.
Here are my three favorite tracks from the record…
Tricky - Aftermath Tricky - Hell Is Around The Corner Tricky - PonderosaLove that Ponderosa track: “I drink til’ i’m drunk and I smoke til’ i’m senseless”
2 Comments
I never thought of Maxinquaye as being slept-on. It’s usually listed aside Blue Lines (or Mezzanine) and Dummy as one of the landmark albums of the mid-to-late ’90s Bristol trip hop era. And for good reason. It was so good that Tricky never made another album that as good, from front to back.
I get what you’re saying and you’re right… it’s totally aknowledged as one of the top 5 trip-hop records by critics and people who are in their 30’s and +… but ask anyone into “good” music these days and they know Massive Attack and Portishead but not necessarily Tricky…
but granted like you said, thats also because he only made one really good record. But you’re right.