I’m going to go out on a limb here: Ignore the damn hype. This isn’t “the best Tricky album since…” for the simple reason that every single Tricky album exists in its own unique place within his catalogue. So, whilst the temptation may be there for those of a certain generation to bring up the much-venerated album that begins with an M at every juncture, it’s entirely pointless because even Tricky himself acknowledges that he’s not the same person who recorded that remarkable disc. That said ‘Ununiform’ is a damn good album, one of contrasts and yet coordinated, for all that, in a way that, flows neatly across the gulf of inspiration that Tricky has traversed throughout his career.
Opening with a short, synth-heavy intro, ‘Ununiform’ sees Tricky indulging his inner Depeche Mode, wrapping Wim Janssens sinuous guitar around throbbing bass as Tricky himself whispers from the darkness. In contrast, ‘same as it ever was’ (featuring Scriptonite) is Tricky in full-blown club mode, albeit the sort of club where danger lurks in the dim corners and where dancers move as if in a ketamine-induced stupor. Entirely synthetic where ‘Obia Intro’ was comfortably organic, the two pieces are neatly juxtaposed to showcase Tricky’s own schizophrenic nature, although it is when Frncesca Belmonte’s bluesy vocal signals the arrival of ‘new stole’ that it becomes apparent that this is likely to be a very good Tricky album indeed. Sitting somewhere between the somnolent trip-hop of the mid-90s and the artier excursions of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, ‘Wait for signal’ (featuring Asia Argento) pits slow-mo beats and whispered vocals against nimble guitar elements and hazy melodies before Scriptonite returns for a pair of tracks, the first of which is the ‘it’s your day’, a dark, skittering track riven with paranoia. The first half of the album concludes with the surprisingly reflective ‘blood of my blood’, a track that sees a haunting piano melody and reverse-phased orchestral samples combine to powerful effect. Sounding, for all the world, like a Tricky remix of a Mogwai piece, it is a mesmerising piece of music that hints at an extreme vulnerability.
Bringing Mina Rose on board, the guitar-fuelled stomp of ‘dark days’ is a potential single that sits between the Kills and Depeche Mode whilst ‘the only way’ is a rare track that places Tricky centre stage, alone and stripped to the core. Whispered and heart-broken, it feels like a glimpse of the heart that Tricky has so often sought to hide through his many collaborations and is all the more special because of it. As if aware of how close to revealing himself he came Tricky once again covers himself with ‘Armor’, featuring Terra Lopez. A full-blown dance-floor killer it sounds strangely incongruous, although Leon Schurz’s nimble bass is a particular highlight, and the track passes in a heartbeat. Although Tricky has a long history of indulging grunge covers, it still comes as a surprise to hear so faithful a cover of Hole’s ‘Doll parts’ (here retitled simply ‘doll’) emerging from the speakers. Avalon Lurks does a fine job with the vocals (although she lacks Courtney’s ragged charm) but it’s hard to really see the point of offering up a cover with so few changes to distinguish it from the original. In stark contrast, the short, Russian-language, ‘bang boogie’ (featuring Smoky Mo and Scriptonite) sounds like it should be sound-tracking a film about the Russian Mafia. It lasts just over a minute, and then ‘Running wild’ sees Mina Rose return for a startlingly atmospheric piece that pairs a dusky beat and poignant vocal to grand effect. The last track is arguably the album’s biggest talking point, simply because it sees the reunion of Tricky and Martina Topley-Bird (their first track together in years), and it’s pleasing to report that the pairing more than meets expectations, Tricky’s dry-as-bones delivery instantly sweetened by Martina’s distinctive and beguilingly beautiful tones. It’s a stunningly beautiful piece of music and it segues neatly into a hidden final track that brings the album to an evocative end.
‘Ununiform’ is a fine record. Kept mercilessly pared back, it flows across Tricky’s myriad influences, never resting in one place long enough to dull the impact. The collaborations are perfectly chosen, the production ubiquitously excellent, and the result is an album that captures the failing light of the early evening and takes the listener on a journey through the night to the burgeoning dawn of Martina-collaboration ‘when we die’. Tricky has rarely let his listeners down over the years, but whilst the hyperbole has been in full-flow in reference to this album, what is unarguable is that ‘ununiform’ is Tricky’s most compelling work in some time. 8
