Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Massive Attack's sophomore effort could never be as stunning as Blue Lines, and a slight drop in production and songwriting quality made the comparisons easy. Still, from the first two songs Protection sounds worthy of their debut. The opening title track is pure excellence, with melancholy keyboards, throbbing acid lines, and fragmented beats perfectly complementing the transcendent vocals of Tracey Thorn (an inspired choice to replace the departed Shara Nelson as their muse). Tricky, another soon-to-be-solo performer, makes his breakout on this record, with blunted performances on "Karmacoma," another highlight, as well as "Eurochild." But even though the production is just as intriguing as on Blue Lines, there's a bit lacking here -- Massive Attack doesn't summon quite the emotional power they did previously. Guest Craig Armstrong's piano work on the aimless tracks "Weather Storm" and "Heat Miser" leans uncomfortably close to Muzak, and his arrangement and conducting for "Sly" isn't much better (vocals by Nicolette save the track somewhat). Though it's still miles ahead of the growing raft of trip-hop making the rounds in the mid-'90s, Protection is rather a disappointment.
© John Bush /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Tracey Thorn, FeaturedArtist, ComposerLyricist - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer - Grant Marshall, ComposerLyricist - Massive Attack, Producer, MainArtist - Andrew Lee Isaac Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Del Naja, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Grantley Marshall, ComposerLyricist - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer - Massive Attack, Producer, MainArtist - Robert Del Naja, ComposerLyricist - Tricky, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Lee Isaac Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Norfolk, ComposerLyricist - Locke, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, Composer - Andrew Vowles, Composer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Composer, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, Composer - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer - Nicolette Okoh, Composer
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, Composer - Andrew Vowles, Composer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - James Lloyd, Composer - Craig Armstrong, Composer - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, Composer - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cedric Napoleon, Composer - The Insects, Programmer - CURTIS HARMON, Composer - Cameron Murray, Composer
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, ComposerLyricist - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer - Horace Hinds , ComposerLyricist
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tracey Thorn, ComposerLyricist - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, ComposerLyricist - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Wright, Programmer - Richard Lewis, Composer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, Composer - Andrew Vowles, Composer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jerry Dammers, Composer - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, Composer - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Bradbury, Composer - Terry Hall, Composer - The Insects, Programmer - Neville Staples, Composer - Lynval Golding, Composer - Robert Locke, Composer - William Norfolk, Composer - Roddy Radiation, Composer - Sir Horace Gentleman, Composer - Adrian Nicholas Matthews Thaws, Composer
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Grantley Marshall, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, ComposerLyricist - Nicolette Okoh, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Composer, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, Composer - Andrew Vowles, Composer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Composer, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, Composer - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JOHN DENSMORE, Composer - Jim Morrison, Composer - Ray Manzarek, Composer - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robby Krieger, Composer - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer
(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Album review
Massive Attack's sophomore effort could never be as stunning as Blue Lines, and a slight drop in production and songwriting quality made the comparisons easy. Still, from the first two songs Protection sounds worthy of their debut. The opening title track is pure excellence, with melancholy keyboards, throbbing acid lines, and fragmented beats perfectly complementing the transcendent vocals of Tracey Thorn (an inspired choice to replace the departed Shara Nelson as their muse). Tricky, another soon-to-be-solo performer, makes his breakout on this record, with blunted performances on "Karmacoma," another highlight, as well as "Eurochild." But even though the production is just as intriguing as on Blue Lines, there's a bit lacking here -- Massive Attack doesn't summon quite the emotional power they did previously. Guest Craig Armstrong's piano work on the aimless tracks "Weather Storm" and "Heat Miser" leans uncomfortably close to Muzak, and his arrangement and conducting for "Sly" isn't much better (vocals by Nicolette save the track somewhat). Though it's still miles ahead of the growing raft of trip-hop making the rounds in the mid-'90s, Protection is rather a disappointment.
© John Bush /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:48:57
- Main artists: Massive Attack
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Circa
- Genre: Electronic Trip Hop
© 1994 Virgin Records Limited ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Distinctions:
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.