Single Review: Massive Attack - Splitting The Atom EP

Like much Massive Attack material gone before the Splitting the Atom EP takes it's time to establish itself in the mind of the listener, but if time is what it takes, time must be given, for with patience this EP reveals itself as a truly brilliant piece of work. Collating trip-hop, minimalist electro and haunting beats, this 4-track from the Bristol duo is difficult to pin point, which is exactly how they like it and that only serves to provide an even more affirming listen.

The title track features long time collaborator Horace Andy along with founding members... (...read more)
Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall and is arguably the closest the EP gets to a radio friendly single. Suggesting fragments of a sleepy Blur, Gorillaz union, the song builds around enchanting vocals and hospital bleeps.

The following Pray for Rain is the highlight. Featuring TV on the Radio front man Tunde Adebimpe on vocals, his presence is evident not only vocally but in the music too, the result is a 6 minute plus stoned out nod to an essential place of being. Tunde's vocals perfectly compliment the peaceful, soothing nature of the track, which at times brings to mind Calla or Portishead. A particularly euphoric break midway through even suggests Spanish electronic kings to be Delorean.

Bulletproof Love screams Radiohead 'Amensiac' period in its muddled vocal jibes, utilising Guy Garvey of Elbow fame, amidst a back drop of looping beats and electronics. The minimalist output is the reworking effort of Van Rivers and The Subliminal Kid. While Psyche featuring Martina Topley-Bird, an expert move to switch the tone of the vocals with her introduction, is a suitable closer in the way it deflects all that has gone before. These final two tracks, essentially remixes, are intended to appear on the forthcoming album, but not in this form.

While you may be right to expect new album LP5 shortly, be sure to spend some valuable time with this first. An excellent EP.

label: Virgin Records
release date: 5 Oct 2009
reviewer: Sam Bowcher
src: music-news.com