Tricky ‎– Maxinquaye

Definitly one of the highlights of the whole "trip-hop" movement. So, laidback Bristol beats + Tricky's trademark voice & a whole LOAD of samples, both cleared & uncleared.
A small selection : the most uptempo track "Black Steel" is a cover of Public Enemy, "Pumpkin" uses a little piece of Smashing Pumkins & Tricky exploits the same Isaac Hayes-sample that made Portishead famous. And in "Brand New You’re Retro" he even borrows a groove from no lesser than Micheal Jackson.
About the lyrics, they are as much a patchwork as the music is. Tricky carries around a scrap-book so he can write down every cool line that comes to mind & than later on he picks those he'd like to use. That's why nearly every song has several catch-phrases that stick inside your brain for weeks.
In my opinion this is great music to make love to, especially the slowburning decadence that makes up "Suffocated Love" or "Overcome".
Tricky made a lot of great music after this album aswell but he never quite managed to produce a whole album of this quality...

Rather than a shameless display of laziness, this album seethes with languor, which seems to be its very essence. The juxtaposition of Tricky & Topley-Bird's vocals is a treat throughout the album; the beats are throbbingly sensual, and the lyrics often have a hint of menace to them.
Tricky's debut is in my opinion, his best, and probably the best place to start for those new to his music.

Tricky's cockiness and excessive self-consciousness on MAXINQUAYE completely distracts the listener... and the music suffers. His reuse of some of his Massive Attack material and his lazy, tired uninteresting looping of dull programmed beats make this an inessential album.