Massive Attack - Mezzanine

About Mezzanine by Massive Attack Album

Mezzanine is the third studio album by English electronic music group Massive Attack, released on 20 April 1998 by Circa and Virgin Records. Produced by Massive Attack and Neil Davidge, it saw the duo expanding their trip hop sound to electronica stylings, with diverse influences from new wave, rock, hip hop, and dub music. Mezzanine topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand, becoming the group's most commercially successful album to date. It spawned four singles: Risingson, Teardrop, Angel, and Inertia Creeps. Background The production of Mezzanine was a stressful process. With tensions arising within the group, it almost split the band. They disagreed about the musical direction for the new material. Robert Del Naja first started making samples from new wave records, from the likes of Wire and Gang of Four: it was the music he'd listened to in his early teens. Del Naja wanted Massive Attack to make an album having an atmosphere of edginess and paranoia present in the music of the late 1970s. Grant Marshall, also a new wave fan himself, supported this idea, as he wanted to get away from the "urban soul" of their previous work, Protection, but Andrew Vowles was sceptical. The sessions continued with Vowles and Marshall working on bass and drum loops, while Del Naja carried on experimenting from new wave records. However, during the recording, the group decided to release a new track, Superpredators sampling extensively a Siouxsie and the Banshees' song called Metal Postcard, for the movie soundtrack of The Jackal; the track would be included on the Japanese version of Mezzanine. The album was initially meant to be released in December 1997, but was delayed by four months, with Del Naja spending most of the time in the studio "making tracks, tearing them apart, fucking them up, panicking, then starting again." The album's working title was Damaged Goods, which was the name of the Gang of Four's 1978 debut single. Composition Mezzanine has been described as featuring trip hop and electronica, with a "dark claustrophobia" coupled with a melancholy. Musically, the album is a major departure from the jazzy and laidback sound of the first two albums, Blue Lines and Protection, invoking the dark undercurrents which had always been present in the collective's music. The album's textured and deep tone relies heavily on abstract and ambient sounds, as demonstrated in the song Angel among others. Similar to their previous albums, several songs use one or more samples, ranging from Isaac Hayes to The Cure. In 1998, Manfred Mann sued Massive Attack for unauthorised use of a sample of the song Tribute from Manfred Mann's Earth Band's eponymous 1972 album, used on Black Milk. The song has subsequently appeared as Black Melt on later releases and at live performances, with the sample removed. Later digital editions of Mezzanine have retained the original song, with Mann being added to the songwriting credits. Mezzanine marked the parting of band member Vowles, due to creative conflicts. Reggae artist Horace Andy also performed several spots on the album. Reception Mezzanine entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on 4 September 1998 and then double platinum on 22 July 2013. However, it failed to share the same success in North America, peaking at number 60 on the Billboard 200 and number 51 on the Canadian Albums Chart. The album received significant critical acclaim, which praised the collective's new sound. Rolling Stone's Barney Hoskyns, although praising the album, pointed to its flaws: "Sometimes rhythm and texture are explored at the expense of memorable tunes, and the absence of the bizarre Tricky only highlights the flat, monotonous rapping of the group's 3-D." Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave the album a two-star honorable mention rating and selected Risingson and Man Next Door as highlights. John Bush of AllMusic also had positive words for the album's song Inertia Creeps, saying it could well be the highlight, another feature for just the core threesome. With eerie atmospherics, fuzz-tone guitars, and a wealth of effects, the song could well be the best production from the best team of producers the electronic world had ever seen." Years after the album was released, it was placed on several best-of lists in the UK and the United States. In 2000, Q magazine placed Mezzanine at number 15 on its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. In 2003, the album was ranked number 412 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2013, it was placed at 215 on NME's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. As of 2010, sales in the United States have exceeded 560,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. An instrumental cover version of the song Dissolved Girl was written by composer Ramin Djawadi for Westworld season 3, who previously worked with Neil Davidge for Clash of the Titans 2010 film soundtrack. Mezzanine DNA On the 20th anniversary of Mezzanine's release, the record was encoded into synthetic DNA—a first for an album. The project was in collaboration with TurboBeads Labs in Switzerland; the digital audio of the album was stored in the form of genetic information. The audio was then compressed using Opus, coded in DNA molecules—with 920,000 short DNA strands containing all the data—and then poured into 5,000 tiny glass beads. 20th anniversary reissue The album was remastered and reissued for its 20th anniversary. The 2CD anniversary edition was released on 23 August 2019, and comes with a bonus disc of previously unreleased dub mixes by the Mad Professor, which were originally intended to be released on a Mezzanine remix album. A triple-LP vinyl version was also slated to be released; initially delayed from its proposed release date, the 3LP version was eventually canceled altogether. In lieu of the vinyl reissue, the Mad Professor remixes were released as a pink-coloured 12" vinyl single entitled Massive Attack v Mad Professor Part II (Mezzanine Remix Tapes '98) on 20 September 2019. The Mad Professor remixes include Metal Banshee (an unreleased dub version of Superpredators, which was a reworked cover of Metal Postcard originally by Siouxsie and the Banshees), and Wire, a track recorded for the soundtrack to the film Welcome to Sarajevo.

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Mezzanine (Massive Attack) Album Songs

NoSong TitleTime
1.Angel 6:19
2.Risingson 4:58
3.Teardrop 5:30
4.Inertia Creeps 5:57
5.Exchange 4:11
6.Dissolved Girl 6:06
7.Man Next Door 5:56
8.Black Milk 6:21
9.Mezzanine 5:56
10.Group Four 8:12
11.(Exchange) 4:10

Massive Attack - Mezzanine Album Comments

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Mezzanine [Massive Attack] Album Reviews

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- I've been around for 25 years, nothing has come close

I remember my old man showing me this on vinyl in 98. Nothing has compared to this since in my humble opinion, from the starting bass work on "Angel" to the mind numbing sounds of "Risingson". Come about "Teardrop" mellow but also very direct sound. To the very sexually charged "Inertia Creeps". "Exchange""Dissolved Girl""Man Next Door""Mezzanine"Group Four" and "(Exchange)" round out Massive Attack's Magnus Opus. However, in my humble opinion "Black Milk" is their masterpiece, I have never in my entire life listened to a song that has made me feel so vulnerable, bliss, torn, and at peace with myself all at once. If you have never heard this album, I beg that you give it a whirl. You will not regret it.

- Love this album

Original sound

- Never gets old.

I can listen to this entire album anytime, anywhere. One of the best.

- All time favorite album

Never gets old, especially Teardrop.

- Perfection

Bought this when it first came out. And now I'm reviewing it 20 years later. It's a MASTERPIECE ~ all the way through. This album will take you on a beautiful journey ..

- Brilliant

Amazing songs

- Goosebumps

This whole album but especially "Teardrop" wish more artists were like them.

- 🖤🖤🖤

1.dissolved girl 2.angel 3.teardrop 🖤🖤🖤

- Incredible

A truly iconic album in the realm of trip-hop. Massive Attack outdid themselves with this one.

- The quintessential Trip-Hop

The genre was relatively short lived and most of the groundbreaking was done by groups like Portishead and Massive Attack. THIS album, in my opinion, is the pinnacle. It's funky, and creepy, and heavy, and dark and still manages to be great lovemaking music.

- BEST MASSIVE ATTACK ALBUM YET

As of September 12, 2015, "Mezzanine" is still, by far, the best Massive Atack album. They're yet to top it with something greater.

- "Angel" is pure Transcedence

It appears my original review, from a few years back, has been deleted. So now I get to reiterate, once again, what a masterpiece this album was and still is. There are only a handful of songs in ones life that listening to is a transcending experience. The song "Angel", back in 1998, was that for me. I could easily write a thousand more words on just that one song. (Probably why my original review was deleted!)

- Still one of the best

Still one of the best electronic albums of all time. Never gets old.

- Check this out

If you like "Teardrops" go on YouTube and look up "Golden Teardrops"

- 20 years later...

I bought this in HS after reading a review about it in my local newspaper. The description of it sounded like something I would be into. It turns out it was pretty awesome and I enjoyed it throughout college. Such a cool album for its day!

- Desert island disc...

To those that remember. This would have been one for sure. A beautiful album. Near perfect. A rarity of gigantic proportions. Probably will be a timeless album referred to, spoken of, and talked about. Maybe the most important of its genre. Many late nights with this in the background.

- Masterpiece!

By far their best album and completely timeless

- Carlos Pasillas prison break

This is a good song it was also on prison break

- Oh 😥

Sad

- Dark, Seedy, Seductive.

Maybe the greatest trip hop album ever. One of my favorite albums. I’d recommend buying this one, see for yourself. It’s perfect.

- unreal

this 18 year old album is the greatest creation on earth. ethereal, otherworldly, untouchable. there is nothing out there that even grazes the mastery of mezzanine.

- Great

Awesome such great beats! Very interesting. I love the intermission between the verses in "teardrop" I love some more instruments and beat sounding in music not just singing. It's so great:) Best electronic songs ever. Favorite definitely teardrop. Thanks for this great music.

- Spooky

Like a darker, more isolated version of The Fat Of The Land. I love it

- Classic

Wears well

- Great album, but ...

AURORA crushes on her cover of "Teardrop" might I even say it is better than the limp original version?

- Yup

Unbelievable production. Only recently discovered this album and I was amazed to find that its almost 17 years old. “Angel” doesn’t get nearly the respect it deserves. One of the best openings to an album I’ve ever heard.

- Epic

This album when it was released, blew my mind when I first listened to it. It still is probably their best to date. A must have for dub, trip hop, electronic aficionados.

- ❤️

Лучший альбом

- A true classic!

This album MUST have alpha waves in it because it always puts me in a state. Nothing else has come close in almost 20 years.

- Massive attacks Ok Computer

This is when they went from one of the best trip hop acts to one true musical innovators. Sorry for the metaphor, but this really is their Ok Computer, great album that starts to get out of the genre. Too bad we never got to see MA's Kid A but this is still the definitive album of the 90's in my mind. Worth a listen even if you're not a fan of electronica or trip hop. The texture, the layering and building of this album is perfect. So airy and yet so claustrophobic at times. Innovative lyrics speak of troubled relationships and personality flaws. Guitars soar and drums pound, while synthesizers and effects sparkle in the background, this is truly a masterpiece

- Songs that capture emotional landscapes

This entire album is filled with songs that you have probably heard in movies, television and even online advertisements. The collaborations are terrific to help fill your ears with beats and vocals you crave. I love how even though this album was written years ago, you will notice that songs like "teardrop" have been used as opening theme songs to at least two shows. I recommend everyone to at least sample each song from this album. Sure, stream the music on Apple Music or any such service. But definitely go ahead and buy this masterpiece of an album and use at will. Also it rewards this genius to create more works just as brilliant.

- Apprehensive Skeptic

I first fell madly in love with this LP in '02 or '03. I'll hear Teardrop on a TV or movie score today and it sounds like it just came out from some underground band. It STAYS relevant and contemporary. This music type is such an oddity to most that I have known, but that's a reason I love it. Anti-mainstream, yet so contemporary, entrancing and melodic. This will ALWAYS be in my music collection!

- #HouseMD

The only reason I know about this band is because of Teardrop. Teardrop was the TV show House, M.D.'s theme song. This album is good! I'm glad I found it, thanks to House. ☺️

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Mezzanine Wiki

A mezzanine (; or in Italian, a mezzanino) is an intermediate floor in a building which is partly open to the double-height ceilinged floor below, or which does not extend over the whole floorspace of the building, a loft with non-sloped walls. However, the term is often used loosely for the floor above the ground floor, especially where a very high-ceilinged original ground floor has been split horizontally into two floors. Mezzanines may serve a wide variety of functions. Industrial mezzanines, such as those used in warehouses, may be temporary or semi-permanent structures. In Royal Italian architecture, mezzanino also means a chamber created by partitioning that does not go up all the way to the arch vaulting or ceiling; these were historically common in Italy and France, for example in the palaces for the nobility at the Quirinal Palace.

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