Massive Attack share new music for the first time in over a decade
‘Boots on the Ground’ featuring Tom Waits marks their first release since 2016's ‘Ritual Spirit’
Legendary trip hop group Massive Attack have shared new music for the first time in over a decade, following 2016’s ‘Ritual Spirit’.
Revealed on April 16, Massive Attack have linked up with US singer-songwriter Tom Waits on a brand new track titled ‘Boots on the Ground’, alongside a powerful music video.
‘Boots on the Ground’ lands via Play It Again Sam, and will remain off of streaming giant Spotify as part of their protest against CEO Daniel Ek’s investment in AI military technology.
The track also marks Tom Waits’ first new recording since 2011, with additional vocals from his son, Casey, and comes alongside an exclusive, vinyl-only extra track from Waits named ‘The Fly’.
Read this next: Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja calls protest arrest “total madness”
‘Boots on the Ground’ is accompanied by a politically-charged music video from US photo artist thefinaleye, featuring a series of pictures taken in the fallout of the largest public protests in American history amid ICE raid oppositions.
“It’s a career honour to collaborate with an artist of the magnitude, originality and integrity of Tom, but this track is arriving in an atmosphere of chaos,” Massive Attack say.
“Across the western hemisphere, state authoritarianism and the militarisation of police forces are fusing again with neo-fascist politics. Seen within the American emergency, at home and overseas, this track contains pulses of callous impulse and abandoned mind.”
Read this next: Watch a film with Massive Attack talking about climate change
‘Boots on the Ground’ is Massive Attack’s first music release in over 10 years following 2016’s ‘Ritual Spirit’. In 2020, they dropped a collection of music videos on YouTube, though the music is unavailable on streaming services.
Speaking on the new track, Tom Waits says: "One day many years ago, I accepted an invitation from Massive Attack to collaborate. Way back then, we sent them ‘Boots on the Ground’.”
“Their long release delay never worried me. Today, as in all of mankind's yesterdays, guarantees this song will never go out of style. Man's fiasco folly is a feast for the flies.”
Listen to ‘Boots on the Ground’ here, and watch the video below.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on X
