Juxtapose

by

Tricky

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Tricky, who has always admitted to hating the term trip-hop, has tried to etch out his own musical niche ever since leaving the groundbreaking band Massive Attack. On Juxtapose, Tricky does not completely distance himself from that musical philosophy (lo-fi trip-hop?), but he does offer his own take on it. Tricky eschews some conventions and embraces others; the result is a record that feels as though it has a focus -- yet refuses to be in a hurry to find it. In typical fashion, Tricky weaves an assortment of lyrical styles ranging from jungle to rap to R&B. He doesn't forge much new ground lyrically, though, especially when touching upon well-worn ideas such as "keepin' it real" on " For Real" or women's sexual availability on " I Like Girls." Fortunately, he does avoid many rap/jungle axioms such as call-and-response, violence and (for the most part) boastfulness, as well as rap's straightforward, beat-oriented musical approach. Tricky effectively arranges vocals to supply the album's ebb and flow, whether rhyming/speaking with his own undiluted sexual growl of a voice or highlighting English junglist Mad Dog and female singers DNA and Kioka. The backbone of the record, however, is supplied through highly crafted yet uncomplicated pieces of music. Though Juxtapose lacks the experimental heart of DJ Spooky or Dr. Octagon, it is still compelling if not risky. By fusing atypical sounds from inconspicuous electric and acoustic guitars, strings, pianos and real drums with programmed, minimalist trip-hop beats, Tricky punctuates the overall organic texture of the record.

On three of the final four tracks, Tricky slows things down and imparts a prevailing feeling of vulnerability and sincerity as he distances himself even further from archetypical rap posturing and the candid sexuality experienced earlier on the record. By utilizing DNA and Kioka's exquisite vocals on " Call on Me" and "Wash Away," respectively, as well as unobtrusive strings united with lingering beats, Tricky offers a surprising subtlety that many artists tend to either miss altogether or, worse, turn into muddled musical sentiment. This mood is punctuated by the finale, "Luv," with a melodious piano and a discussion of love as something more than a false substitute for sex.

One of the biggest drawbacks of this record, strangely enough, is its brevity; it comes in at a scant 37 minutes (too many of those minutes are devoted to an unnecessary remix of "Hot Like a Sauna [Metal Mix]"). Juxtapose has a decidedly muted quality throughout its short life, a somewhat unexpected quality considering that DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill (a band known for big beats) is among the five producers of the record and is a co-writer for most of its more subdued second half. Overall, Tricky works hard to deftly create a low-key mood throughout the record and, by doing so, enters the next millennium with the quietest big bang possible.