Massive Attack V. Mad Professor – Massive Attack V. Mad Professor Part II (Mezzanine Remix Tapes '98)

Sides E & F of what was to be a 3LP box set 20th anniversary reissue of Mezzanine, with heat sensitive cover like the singles box from 98. I had it on preorder for a year before it was announced that it was scrapped because 'art elements could not be found'. Seems pretty astonishing that the whole project just died as a result; but it does seem that the band are all but retired these days. Shame.

These are supposedly previously unreleased dub mixes, but "Inertia creeps (floating on dubwise)" is actually "Back/she comes", which appeared on the "Inertia Creeps" single and the "Singles 90/98" boxed set. The dub of "Group Four (security forces dub)" is very similar to the "(Mad Professor remix)" included on the "Angel" single – the main difference is that on this version all of Elizabeth Fraser's vocal is gone.

The rest are all tracks for which a Mad Professor remix was already available. I'd hoped that there would be dub mixes of "Dissolved girl", "Man next door", "Black milk", and "Mezzanine". They would have made this a more worthwhile standalone.

I received and listened to it yesterday.... and it includes a download code from "The Sound Of Vinyl" for both this album and Mezzanine (the tags for the album says "Mezzanine [ Second Remastering ]").
Beautiful cover art, beautiful transparent and heavy pink vinyl. The hype sticker is on the shrinkwrap, so it IS defintely removable.
For the sound there were no surface noises, no "non fill", no clicks or pops of any sort, but...
There is something strange with the global sounding of this LP, is it the mastering ? Is it the way Mad Professor wanted the remixes to sound like ? All the songs seems to have mad bass where they need to have and you hear also wery well his famous dub synths, but the rest of the instruments feels... flat, muffled, too much in the background to give real dynamism to the music of each song. I had to listen Mezzanine just right after that to be sure that my brain/ears/sound system has not been hacked or were not malfunctioning !
And let's face it : Mad Professor is nos as well inspired by Mezzanine as he obviously was by Protection - and these versions, like someone said before, were not the ones chosen at the time.
So I'm a little bit disappointed because I expected a real Mezzanine third LP and it's more or less a compilation of more or less inspired remixes made by Mad Professor.
On a positive note :
- the artwork of the sleeve and the transparent pink vinyl are really nice ;
- this LP is an easy way to have a version of "Superpredators" on vinyl if you don't have the original single-sided white label or the whole singles 11 LP collection ;
- Exchange feels like a real reggae/dub song and is a real breath of fresh air ;
- Risingson and Group Four could have been better but are worth the listen ;
- Wire is a previously unreleased song used in a movie soundtrack and was originally sung by Sara Jay with a different instrumental (she posted it on YouTube) so you can say it's new material (kind of) ;
- and last but not least this whole LP is still an interesting piece of Massive Attack's musical history for all MA fans.
So i maybe will listen to it just after listening to Mezzanine in a way to make it feel longer, but i will certainly not listen to it as a standalone record...
That's why i gave it three stars !
Finally, a little note about the downloaded version of the LP from "The Sound of Vinyl" : it's in .wav format of course, but the tracks are not exactly in the same order and don't have exactly the same name as in the LP, as listed below :
1 - Metal Banshee (Mad Prof Mix 1)
2 - Angel (Angel Dust)
3 - Risingson (Setting Sun Dub 2)
4 - Teardrop (Mazaruni Dub 1)
5 - Inertia Creeps (Floating On Dubwise)
6 - Exchange (Mountain Steppers Dub)
7 - Untitled* (Leaping Dub)
8 - Group Four (Security Forces Dub)
(*It is actually written "Unititled" instead of "Untitled".)
Tracks durations and versions are the same, by the way.

Just wanted to add my 2 Cents,, after reading the comments and it seems there are Various Versions, my version is as Logged on this page but i seen comments on a gatefold version?, also one that comes with a CD?, someone mentioned Audio quality was poor?, the pink vinyl version i have has no back ground noise or any audio distortions, maybe the Version that comes with Free CD has poor Audio? I would urge those with Gatefold Versions to make another Submission or Variant as this one is not gate fold nor has a CD it comes with a Download card inside the jacket from The Sound of Vinyl, it is pink and as photo's show it is just a Jacket with Pink Record and download card, anyone with a different version please submit it for Votes as i can honestly say this sounds perfect but i do know how it feels to get a variant copy that sounds bad,, too many people ripping off artists music but this Version is great and with the Japanese writing on the sticker made me think it was a Japanese press but it was pressed in the Netherlands EU By Virgin EMI,, if those with different copies could make their submission it will help those looking to buy this Version and not receive a poor audio copy, Peace 2020

Extremely disappointed with my copy which I had to return. Lots of surface noise on every track. Plus very flat sound. Bass is missing compared to CD and almost no dynamics.

Remix by mad prof on every single : the best
Remix by mad prof on this album : the one that were not chosen at that time
Other songs : remix of songs that were never released, even those remix

The last past years, make me really think that massive attack doesn't consider his fan as it should be.
The "heat sensitive cover" for the Mezzanine remastered, who care? apart some hipsters.. and finally they are not able to put this out....
The remix from Burial, Limited to 1000 hand-numbered, make that most of true music lover cannot have the chance to listen it on vinyl..
In 2016, three EP, we have "Dear Friend" with the same title on both side... come on guys!!!!
The single Paradise Circus... only on cd...
And i can go on and on and on......

oh, i forgot.... Mezzanine in DNA spray.... no comment..

Massive Attack = Massive Business Attack

Surpringsing to me. Thought the cover is gatefold cause of the preview pics. Okay the first is also single covered. Somehow it's strange that I haven't opned it now cause of all that talk I read. No good songs or even available, no good quality, coloured vinyl .. 180 gram or not? Limited? How many?? As collector I'll keep it anyway. ettr open it cause sometimes a quality check is essential. What things get sold 'sealed' 'and therefore 'mint'. Only to sell a maybe bad disc more expensive cause 'sealed' is kinda quality stamp. I open the stuff carefully and take a look. Not to listen to it but check if everythings fine with the pressing, coloured,180gram, downloadcode and gimmicks like inner sheets stickers, posters, cards, CD, etc. inside? That's in my opinion better than buy saled stuff which is maybe not what it should be..
Is that now a 180 ram , coloured, limited (how many) good soundig viyl, or what is it? And is that downloadecode inside? Maybe someone help out i case I don't open it. Somehow it looks a bit like they need money. Why put noe out '98 stuff in a hip outfit? Sounds relaxed, listened to it - but not the vinyl.

Wow. So the 20th anniversary deluxe 3 disc vinyl box set w/coffee table book boils down to this (as evidenced by the fact that this disk is labeled side E and side F). At least it’s something…

After a bit of comparison it seems to me that the only tune on this album that has been previously released is Inertia Creeps (Floating On Dubwise) which is identical to Back/She Comes. While all other versions are similar to those that exist on Singles 90/98 they are indeed alternate dubs. I still do agree with CtheB that I would love to have seen dubs of the rest of the songs from the original album especially Mezzanine as that's my favorite track from it. Here's to hoping some Mad Professor versions surface!

My copy didn’t include a download code. Anyone else? Also, is that front sticker removable?