Tricky

• Genre: Trip-Hop
• Hometown: Bristol

About

Both as a solo artist and an early member of Massive Attack, this Bristolian legend is a pioneer of the Trip-Hop genre. Psychologically complex and socially sensitive, Tricky's individual style set a blueprint for hip-hop innovators and electronica trend-setters alike. Tortuous melodies and downtrodden vocals wallow in stagnant pools of contaminated synths as beats crack like turn-of-the-century windows made of imperfect glass. Providing a dingy lens by which one can peer into the depths of the urban soul, Tricky's sample-heavy soundscapes magnify qualities of corruption and debauchery that color the human experience.

- Melissa Piazza