Massive Attack
Falconer Salen, Falkoner Alle 9, 2000 Frederiksberg; Mon 20:00; 330kr; 7015 6565

There is only one Massive Attack. While countless acts have tried to emulate, draw upon and even copy, no-one has managed to combine minimalist electro, rock and dub the way they do. They set the standard. After another hiatus Massive Attack are back, ready to deliver a 21st Century revamp of a sound only they can produce.

Hailing from Bristol, Massive Attack began in the late ‘80s as the brain child of Mushroom (Andy Vowles), Daddy G (Grant Marshall) and 3D (Robert Del Naja). Unlike their contempories, the three set out to make slow and spaced music from the start, resisting the temptation to release upbeat dance tracks at a time when techno was booming. Their music reflects their desire to seek originality and their ephereal sound was born out of their dislike for what they saw in the mainstream.

Although talented in their own right, Massive Attack have the ability to attract some of the world's most gifted singers, and it has been their collaboration with an ever changing line-up that has kept their music fresh. Although staples like reggae legend Horace Andy continue to appear on studio tracks and occasionally live, Massive Attack has worked with a host of singers and producers, each adding their own flavour to the mix. Mike Paton, Beth Orton as well as Damon Albarn of Blur fame, have all worked with the group over the years, adding to an impressive catalogue of artists that continues to grow.

In 1998 Massive Attack released Mezzanine, an album that has become a classic, as timeless as it is original. Perhaps their most successful release, the album cemented the group as one of the leaders of the electro scene, even coining a new term 'trip hop' that became the generic label under which bands like Portishead would operate. Songs from the album were used in a host of films, and the band was subsequently involved in writing the soundtracks for a number of Hollywood blockbusters.

Not long after the release of Mezzanine, creative differences saw Mushroom (Andy Vowles) leave the group. Although the split was reported to be amiable, the group's press machine went to work, culminating in a highly publicised webcast in 2000, taken by many as a desperate attempt to reassure fans that all was in order.

In Feb 2003 the band released 100th Window, their fourth studio albumn. While not as well received as Mezzanine, the album did sell over a million copies, prompting a world tour so elaborate it nearly sent the group broke. Less accessible that their prevous album, 100th Window demonstrated the band's commitment to pushing boundries, with the often discordant sound proving that the group has no desire to become commercial.

Rumours of the band's fifth album have been circulating for some time. Perhaps due to their soundtrack work, the band does not release as many albums as they could. This remains a contentious issue with some fans and the media, earning them often vocal criticism. Considering some groups release as many as two a year, four albums in 20 years or so does seem to reflect, at best, a lack of focus.

Although the release date of their long awaited new album remains a mystery, this current tour may suggest it's on the horizon. There's no telling what direction the band's going to take, but what is certain is it won't be like anything that you've heard before. Expect to see some world class musicians playing songs that have defined the ‘90s and perhaps hear some new material that might end up defining right here and now.