Mezzanine (album)

Mezzanine is the title of the third full-length album from Bristol-based trip-hop innovators Massive Attack. Released in 1998, it marked the moment when the dark undercurrents which had always been present in the collective's music came to the fore.

Hailed by many critics as an artistic success, the overwhelming mood of the album is one of murky oppression; the only respites are the pretty first single "Teardrop" and the chilled-out instrumental "Exchange". Discordant rock guitars feature on several tracks, allegedly against the wishes of founder member Andrew Vowles (aka Mushroom), who left the band shortly after Mezzanine's release, citing creative differences. Mezzanine features the talents of long-time Massive Attack collaborator Horace Andy, along with guest vocalists Elizabeth Fraser and Sara Jay.

The entire album was provided on Massive Attack's website for legal download many months before it was released on CD. This is something which has yet to be replicated – a successful band releasing an album free and having it later chart highly. It was also one of the first major uses of the MP3 compression system by a commercial organisation.

Track Listing

1. "Angel" (Del Naja/Marshall/Vowles/Hinds) – 6:18
2. "Risingson" (Del Naja/Marshall/Vowles/Reed/Seeger) – 4:58
3. "Teardrop" (Del Naja/Marshall/Vowles/Fraser) – 5:29
4. "Inertia Creeps" (Del Naja/Marshall/Vowles) – 5:56
5. "Exchange" (Hilliard/Garson) – 4:11
6. "Dissolved Girl" (Del Naja/Marshall/Vowles/Sara Jay/Schwartz) – 6:07
7. "Man Next Door" (Holt/Smith/Tolhurst/Dempsey) – 5:55
8. "Black Milk" (Del Naja/Marshall/Vowles/Fraser) – 6:20
9. "Mezzanine" (Del Naja/Marshall/Vowles) – 5:54
10. "Group Four" (Del Naja/Marshall/Vowles/Fraser) – 8:13
11. "(Exchange)" (Hilliard/Garson) – 4:08

Personnel

• Massive Attack – Producer, Arrangements, Programming, Keyboards, Samples
• Neil Davidge – Producer, Arrangements, Programming, Keyboards, Samples
• Robert Del Naja – Vocals, Art Direction, Design
• Horace Andy, Elizabeth Fraser, Sara Jay, Grant Marshall – Vocals
• Angelo Bruschini – Guitars
• John Harris, Bob Locke, Winston Blisset – Bass Guitars
• Andy Gangadeen – Drums
• Dave Jenkins, Michael Timothy – Additional Keyboards
• Jan Kybert – Pro Tools
• Lee Shepherd – Engineer
• Mark "Spike" Stent – Mixing
• Jan Kybert, P-Dub – Mixing
• Tim Young
• Nick Knight – Photography
• Tom Hingston, – Art Direction, Design