Heligoland (album)

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Untitled

Heligoland is the fifth regular studio album from the collaborative British music production duo Massive Attack, named after a German archipelago of the same name. It had been officially released everywhere except North America by 8 February 2010 (US and Canada on 9 February 2010) – seven years after the release of their previous non-soundtrack, standalone studio album, 100th Window.[1] It has been certified Gold in the United Kingdom.[2]

Personnel

The record features the singing of Horace Andy plus invited vocalists: Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio, Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, Hope Sandoval of Hope Sandoval And The Warm Inventions and Mazzy Star, Guy Garvey of Elbow and Martina Topley-Bird,[3] as well as guitar playing by Adrian Utley of Portishead (on "Saturday Come Slow"), keys from Portishead collaborator John Baggott (most notably on "Atlas Air"), keys and synth bass from Damon Albarn ("Splitting the Atom" and "Flat of the Blade" respectively), guitar (various tracks) and bass ("Girl I Love You") by Neil Davidge and bass by Billy Fuller of Beak> on various tracks.

The record features drumming from the late Jerry Fuchs and regular session and touring drummer Damon Reece. Dan Brown and Stew Jackson (Robot Club) co-wrote "Paradise Circus", played guitar on and co-wrote "Saturday Come Slow", and part-programmed and engineered those tracks. Tim Goldsworthy contributed additional production (specific tracks unstated). Most tracks were mixed with Mark "Spike" Stent and then all were mastered with Tim Young at Metropolis Studios, as with previous records. Unlike previous records, there are no personal acknowledgements on the inlay. Neil Davidge co-produced all tracks with Robert Del Naja only[4] (except tracks 3, 7 and 9 where Grant Marshall was also involved), though Marshall has a co-write credit on every track. The album is dedicated to the memory of Blue Lines co-producer, Jonny Dollar.

Background

The album release was preceded on 4 October 2009 by an EP, Splitting the Atom. During its gestation, the album was often referred to in the media as "LP5" (a reference to this being their fifth studio album — excluding Danny the Dog) or "Weather Underground" (Robert Del Naja's early working title and underdog metaphor for the record).[5]

The artwork, as with every Massive Attack album since Protection, is a collaboration between Tom Hingston and Del Naja, this time based on Del Naja's paintings. Transport for London insisted the cover image featured on advertising posters displayed on the Tube be altered so as to not resemble "street art", in line with their policy to not encourage graffiti, which they were.[6]

Many other guest vocalists recorded sessions during the duo's post-100th Window era but are not featured on the album, including: Stephanie Dosen, Yolanda (Quartey of Phantom Limb - effectively Robot Club's band) and Jhelisa (Anderson, not in the studio but via supplied backing tracks - had previously studio-recorded in 2002 for, but not included on, 100th Window); and, mostly during the pre-Collected time - Mike Patton, Aku and Akwetey Orraca-Tetteh of Dragons of Zynth, Elizabeth Fraser, Terry Callier, Fredo Viola, Debbie Clare, Beth Orton and Dot Allison. Mos Def and Leslie Feist were named as artists scheduled for recording sessions back in 2004.[7] Backing tracks from Grant Marshall's side of Massive Attack's writing (mainly facilitated by and done with Robot Club) are known to have been sent to Alice Russell, and prepared for Sharon Jones,[8] Patti Smith and David Bowie during the era but collaboration did not come to fruition, nor did talks with Tom Waits or Tricky, in terms of featuring as guest vocalists on the record.[citation needed] Post-punks Mark Stewart and Keith Levene were pictured inside Del Naja's 100 Suns studio in 2009, but played no part on the album.[citation needed]

"I think it's got definitely a more organic feel,[9]" says Del Naja of Heligoland. "100th Window was very much about this amalgamation of everything joining, and eventually the process was so extreme that you couldn't tell if there was a string part if it was electronic or natural. [There were] lots of organic parts that ended up sounding very electronic. It became a whole world of different processes, and we wanted to do something a bit different because we've had that experience so we wanted to do something else."

Promotion

Six low-budget films were officially released online in promotion of Heligoland:

  • "Splitting the Atom" (Promo 1) [the bull fight video], directed by Baillie Walsh (2009)
  • "Paradise Circus" [explicit content], directed by Toby Dye (2009)
  • "Splitting the Atom" (Promo 2), directed by Edouard Salier (2009)
  • "Flat of the Blade", directed by Ewan Spencer (2009)
  • "Saturday Come Slow", directed by Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin (2010)
  • "Psyche", directed by John Downer (2010)

The seventh and final short film was Edouard Salier's interpretation of "Atlas Air" for the Atlas Air EP.[10]

Furthermore, a "United Snakes" video by UnitedVisualArtists, along with a previous alternate promo for "Psyche" [the ghosts' video] directed by Dougal Wilson were also released.

"Paradise Circus" was licensed to be the theme tune for the BBC TV drama series Luther.[11] "Paradise Circus" can also be heard in Gossip Girl [12], "Misfits" (S2, Ep4) and "9 Crimes", the fourth episode of the third season of True Blood.[13]

Release

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[14]
Drowned in Sound(6/10)[15]
The Guardian[16]
Los Angeles Times[17]
NME(6/10)[18]
Pitchfork Media(5.0/10)[19]
Rock Sound(8/10)[20]
The Skinny(4/5)[21]
Spin[22]
Uncut[23]

The Deluxe Edition of Heligoland available digitally features bonus tracks (remixes and "False Flags" B-side, "United Snakes"). There is also a deluxe vinyl edition release.[24] Heligoland Remixed (amounting to the same as the Deluxe Edition's bonus tracks, except for "United Snakes" being replaced by a second Gui Boratto dub remix) has been uploaded for listening on the duo's Facebook page. The standard edition is available in a number of different coloured covers.

Burial remix album

In late 2009, Marshall appeared to suggest in an interview with Clash Music that there would be an equivalent remix album of Heligoland by Burial, yet various comments made afterwards cast major doubt on the prospect ever being more than an idle whim in reality.[25]

In May 2010 Del Naja told Q magazine that, "It's happening, but we can't talk about it. (Burial)'s very private and paranoid about it." [26]

Atlas Air EP

Massive Attack had stated in interviews their intention to release a post-Heligoland EP in May or June 2010. The record was expected to feature unreleased leftover tracks, such as "Invade Me" and "Red Light", both featuring Martina Topley-Bird.[27]

Subsequently, Massive Attack announced plans for the limited vinyl release of 1,000 units and digital release of an Atlas Air EP on 1 November 2010, in aid of Warchild. The EP would feature an edit of the titular song; a Tim Goldsworthy remix; a Guy Garvey-penned and previously unfinished Heligoland leftover track, "Redlight", featuring Guy Garvey on vocals; and its respective remix by Warp artist, Clark.[28]

These plans were later changed so that the release date became 22 November 2010. Also, the original version of "Redlight" was later removed from the tracklisting and replaced on the EP by the Jneiro Jarel remix of Atlas Air, meaning that the EP would represent no new Massive Attack production. Plus, the remix of "Redlight" would end up featuring female vocals and not those of its songs writer, Guy Garvey, as first suggested.[29]

Track listing

Standard Edition
  1. "Pray for Rain" (vocals by Tunde Adebimpe) – 6:44
  2. "Babel" (vocals by Martina Topley-Bird) – 5:19
  3. "Splitting the Atom" (vocals by Grant Marshall, Horace Andy and Robert Del Naja) – 5:16
  4. "Girl I Love You" (vocals by Horace Andy) – 5:26
  5. "Psyche" (vocals by Martina Topley-Bird) – 3:24
  6. "Flat of the Blade" (vocals by Guy Garvey) – 5:30
  7. "Paradise Circus" (vocals by Hope Sandoval) – 4:57
  8. "Rush Minute" (vocals by Robert Del Naja) – 4:51
  9. "Saturday Come Slow" (vocals by Damon Albarn) – 3:43
  10. "Atlas Air" (vocals by Robert Del Naja) – 7:48
Deluxe Edition (bonus tracks featured on iTunes)
  1. "Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto Remix) – 8:08
  2. "Fatalism" (Ryuichi Sakamoto & Yukihiro Takahashi Remix) (vocals by Guy Garvey) – 4:54
  3. "Girl I Love You" (She Is Danger Remix) – 5:00
  4. "Paradise Circus" (Breakage's Tight Rope Remix) – 4:46
  5. "United Snakes" [previously a B-side of "False Flags"] – 9:44
  6. "Pray For Rain" (Tim Goldsworthy Remix) – 7:28
Heligoland Remixed EP
  1. "Paradise Circus" (Gui Boratto Remix) – 8:08
  2. "Pray For Rain" (Tim Goldsworthy Remix) – 7:28
  3. "Fatalism" (Ryuichi Sakamoto & Yukihiro Takahashi Remix) – 4:54
  4. "Girl I Love You" (She Is Danger Remix) – 5:00
  5. "Paradise Circus" (Breakage's Tight Rope Remix) – 4:46
  6. "Paradise Circus" (Gui Boratto Dub) – 7:48

Charts

Chart (2010) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[30] 8
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[30] 1
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[30] 2
Danish Albums Chart [31] 6
Dutch Albums Chart[30] 5
Finnish Album Chart[32] 11
French Albums Chart[33] 2
French Digital Albums Chart[33] 1
German Albums Chart [34] 4
Irish Albums Chart[35] 9
Italian Album Chart[36] 7
New Zealand Albums Chart[30] 7
Polish Albums Chart[37] 1
Spanish Albums Chart[38] 13
Swedish Albums Chart[39] 17
Swiss Albums Chart[30] 2
UK Albums Chart[40] 6
U.S. Billboard 200[41] 46

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by
Hope for Haiti Now by Various artists
 French Digital Albums Chart number-one album
14 February 2010 		Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ "Heligoland". massiveattack.com. 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  2. ^ "Heligoland Certified Award". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2010-10-19. Note: User must define search parameters, i.e. "Massive Attack".
  3. ^ "Massive Attack recruit Martina". BBC 6 Music. 2009-07-13. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
  4. ^ "Tripping Into Heligoland - Inside The Production Of Massive Attack's Latest Album". Emusician. 2009-02-19. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  5. ^ "Damon Albarn records with Massive Attack". NME Magazine. 2007-02-08. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
  6. ^ Andy Dangerfield (18 February 2010). "Street art posters latest adverts to be censored by TfL". BBC News. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  7. ^ "P Archives". forums.massiveattack.com. 2005-09-07. Retrieved 2005-09-07.
  8. ^ Phil Medley (17 March 2006). "Massive Attack: Calm and collected". London: The Independent. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  9. ^ "Interview w/ Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja re. Heligoland". suicidegirls.com. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  10. ^ "Massive Attack". massiveattack.com. Retrieved 2010-05-19. {{cite web}}: Text "Tweatre" ignored (help)
  11. ^ "BBC One Programmes - Luther, Episode 1". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  12. ^ Gossip Girl Music From "Ex-Husbands and Wives" tvfanatic.com. 2010-05-11. Retrieved on 2010-10-12.
  13. ^ True Blood 9 Crimes Songs tvfanatic.com. Retrieved on 2010-10-12.
  14. ^ Bush, John. "Review: Heligoland". Allmusic. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  15. ^ Paul Clarke (1 February 2010). "Massive Attack: Heligoland (Virgin)". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  16. ^ Petridis, Alexis (2010-02-04). "Massive Attack: Heligoland". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  17. ^ "Pop & Hiss". Los Angeles Times. 2010-02-08. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  18. ^ http://www.nme.com/reviews/massive-attack/11054
  19. ^ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13864-heligoland/
  20. ^ http://www.rocksound.tv/reviews/article/massive-attack-heligoland
  21. ^ http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/98483-massive-attack---heligoland
  22. ^ http://www.spin.com/reviews/massive-attack-heligoland-virgin
  23. ^ http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/massive_attack/reviews/13935
  24. ^ [1]
  25. ^ "Massive Attack: Two Man Army". The Skinny. 2010-02-02. "I think I might have had too many drinks the night I made that statement. I started a fire, didn't I? It was our total admiration for Burial, that's what it was; it sort of spilled into enthusiasm about him doing something for us." - Daddy G. [The Skinny - February 2010]
  26. ^ "Massive Attack". Q magazine. 2010-05-09.
  27. ^ "Massive Attack: Two Man Army". The Skinny. 2010-02-02. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
  28. ^ "Massive Attack blog on MySpace". myspace.com. 2010-11-06. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  29. ^ "Atlas Air - EP by Massive Attack - Preorder Atlas Air - EP on iTunes". 2010-11-06. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  30. ^ a b c d e f "ultratop.be – Massive Attack – Heligoland". Ultratop. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  31. ^ http://www.hitlisterne.dk/default.asp?list=a40
  32. ^ Finnish album chart - Suomen virallinen lista
  33. ^ a b "Tops : Sade décroche son premier n°1 en France depuis 18 ans !". Chartsinfrance.net. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
  34. ^ http://www.mtv.de/charts/album50
  35. ^ http://www.irma.ie/aucharts.asp#albums
  36. ^ http://www.fimi.it/classifiche_artisti.php
  37. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży – 15 February 2010". OLiS. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  38. ^ "Top 100 Álbumes. Semana 06: del 08.02.2010 al 14.02.2010" (PDF). Promusicae. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  39. ^ Swedish Albums Chart - Sverigetopplistan
  40. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/albums/
  41. ^ http://www.billboard.com/album/massive-attack/heligoland/1313595#/album/massive-attack/heligoland/1313595
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