Even in the slightly more mental health enlightened times of now, the idea that grief is the most non-linear of processes seems to be one that isn’t acknowledged anywhere near frequently enough. Adrian Thaws last album as Tricky was 2020’s Fall To Pieces, a work released in the aftermath of his daughter Mazy’s tragic death; understandably dark, it spoke to music as a salvation from the numbness of despair.
Since then he’s kept up a busy schedule, releasing work from the collaborative project Lonely Guest, the Fifteen Days partnership with producer Mike Theis under the alias Theis Thaws and co-working on Out The Way with long-time creative foil Marta. When his manager Alan McGee (Yes, that Alan McGee) heard a batch of songs written with no specific home in mind the industry veteran was unequivocal; this was the next Tricky album.
McGee also reckoned it was his best since 1995’s Maxinquaye, and whilst that might be slight hyperbole, it’s a record full of ideas that are complemented by the enigmatic voice of fellow Bristolian Mitch Sanders. We learn also that loss is never far from the surface, as on Out of Place Thaws declares “I sing for my daughter”, but equally there’s an exhilarating creative pan here, with strings, piano, opera references and much, much more used to keep the listener guessing. Sanders own track Paris Maybe is a noir pop highlight, but it’s the fuzzy rock of Because I Don’t Know that’s most resonant. Grief cannot be measured or cured, so for now, Tricky continues to set it’s spectre against some fine music.
You can read a full review here.
The Voice Of Unreason 