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Title: Pre-Millenium Tension
Artist: Tricky
Copyright: 1996 Island Records Ltd.

  1. Vent : 3.04
  2. Christiansands : 3.52
  3. Tricky Kid : 4.10
  4. Bad Dreams : 4.12
  5. Makes Me Wanna Die : 4.01
  6. Ghetto Youth : 5.37
  7. Sex Drive : 3.48
  8. Bad Things : 5.12
  9. Lyrics of Fury : 3.20
  10. My Evil is Strong : 3.59
  11. Piano : 4.15

The first word that springs to mind about this album is dark, the second is also dark. It's only when you get to the third word that beautiful rises to the top. This is one of those very special albums that occupies that hinterland between darkness and beauty (massive attack's mezzanine is another). The best example of this juxtaposition on this album is Makes Me Wanna Die. The vocals are achingly beautiful lilting and uplifting but the song itself is a deep lament about the state of humanity. It doesn't so much make me wanna die as wanna cry.

Tricky himself is in fine asthmatic fettle for this album. You will find yourself turing the volume up just to hear what he says. This means he has your attention, completely. He will draw you in and show you his nightmares. The track Vent is particularly evil in this respect. A couple of friends of mine listened to this track on acid and were forced to run from the room before they suffocated. They spent the next hour of so playing the tunes on their mobile phones to try and forget.

A gothic friend of mind scoffed "Tricky, dark? Pah!". He was one of the ones that was forced to run from the room. This music is not depressing. It is an evil, beautiful siren song. It is a head trip that will haunt your mind late at night, lulling you to sleep even as it keeps you awake.

This is trip-hop at its very best. If you like dark music and understand that dark does not just mean depressing then you need to buy this album. You won't regret it.

Yes, Pornography by the Cure is dark but in the depressing way.
