Tricky

Less murky and apocalyptic than previous releases, Tricky's sixth album practically glows, thanks to accessible beats and melodic assistance from Costanza Francavilla. Intriguingly disjointed rhythms still dominate, though, and the vocals come flying lightning quick. Check out the whispered cover of the Cure's "Love Cats."

Tricky's stunning 1995 debut, Maxinquaye, transformed hip-hop beats with playful
psychedelia; holding together the mix were Tricky's sandpaper, slow-mo raps and the
erotic mystique of his chanteuse collaborator, Martina. After that auspicious start, Tricky's
releases became increasingly dark, inconsistent and paranoid. On his seventh album,
Vulnerable, he returns to Maxinquaye's spacily eccentric electronica -- down t... More >

Obscure Italian chanteuse finds producer of dreams ("Moody," "Search and Destroy"). (Grade - *)