Mezzanine

by Massive Attack

Type: Album
Released: 20 April 1998
Label: Virgin, Circa
Country: United Kingdom
Length: 1:03:36
Community rating: 4.44/5 from 164 ratings

Artists on this release: Robert Del Naja, Andrew Vowles, Grant Marshall

Album Notes & Community Reviews

'Mezzanine' represents a significant shift from Massive Attack's prior work, establishing a darker, claustrophobic atmosphere influenced by post-punk, industrial, and dub music. Born from a creatively tense recording process that marked producer Neil Davidge's first collaboration with the group and Andrew Vowles' last, its sound is defined by heavy bass, distorted guitars, and layered samples, complemented by evocative guest vocals from Elizabeth Fraser and Horace Andy. The album's paranoid and melancholic themes solidified it as the group's most commercially successful release and a landmark of the trip-hop genre.

Genres

Descriptors: downtempo, bassy, submerged, menacing, industrial

Tracklist

Angel (6:19)
Risingson (4:58)
Teardrop (5:30)
Inertia Creeps (5:57)
Exchange (4:11)
Dissolved Girl (6:06)
Man Next Door (5:56)
Black Milk (6:21)
Mezzanine (5:56)
Group Four (8:12)
(Exchange) (4:11)

Credits

Robert Del Naja - arrangements, vocals, programming, keyboards, samples, art direction, design
Grant Marshall - arrangements, vocals, programming, keyboards, samples
Andrew Vowles - arrangements, programming, keyboards, samples
Neil Davidge - arrangements, programming, keyboards, samples, production
Horace Andy - vocals
Elizabeth Fraser - vocals
Sara Jay Hawley - vocals
Angelo Bruschini - guitars
Jon Harris - bass guitars
Bob Locke - bass guitars
Winston Blissett - bass guitars
Andy Gangadeen - drums
Dave Jenkins - additional keyboards
Michael Timothy - additional keyboards
Massive Attack - production
Jan Kybert - pro tools, mixing assistance
Lee Shepherd - engineering
Mark "Spike" Stent - mixing
P-Dub - mixing assistance
Tim Young - editing
Nick Knight - photography
Tom Hingston - art direction, design