It is 31 years since the release of ‘Maxinquaye’, Tricky’s debut album. Although it was bunched as part of the trip-hop wave, there was something more elemental, almost brutal about the record that made it distinct. ‘Different When It’s Silent’ is his first solo album in six years, although in the intervening years he has deliberately been keeping himself busy on side projects where he could concentrate on music rather than promotion, a period of activity that has been a response to the death of his daughter in 2019. The new album’s intense drama lends it the biggest immediate impression since ‘Maxinquaye’. By a fortunate climatic coincidence, it is released amid a heatwave which reflects the sweltering, stifling mood conjured on ‘Different When It’s Silent.’ While its title hints at how silence can create a great sense of simmering discontent, the record bristles with a maximalist, unfiltered range of sounds.
One aspect that differentiates this new release from previous offerings is that it is the first Tricky album to feature predominantly male vocals which come from Mitch Sanders. What a voice he has – a soulful, near falsetto, hinting at vulnerability but also toughness. In its range and phrasing, it is reminiscent of Craig Wedren’s whose voice made Shudder To Think unlike any other pop-tinged hardcore band. ‘I Still See Me There’ proves a fine introduction to Sanders’ aching vocals, set against crawling guitar. As he sings angelically, Tricky is mumbling menacingly in the background. This blue skies and tarmac contrast is an incredibly effective means of adding tension to a song that immediately shows its emotions with an opening line “makes me wanna die” which references a title from his third album, 1996’s ‘Pre-Millenium Tension.’
‘Be Still in the Pain’ is a particular standout. Against brooding beats, Bristolian rapper Red Run Rambo sketches life’s trials while also manifesting supreme self-belief (“I’m so high I don’t even need a drink / I’m the God on your earth I don’t care what you think.”) On the chorus, Sanders returns to the fold, cutting through with the line “I try to love you fools” over looped electronics. The emotion is palpable. Understandably given its background, mental agony is a theme running through the album with Sanders pleading “can you feel my pain? / do you feel the same?” at the beginning of the beat-ladened ‘Because I Don’t Know’.
A theme of proximity and connection runs through the record. On ‘So Cold’, the emotional payoff comes in the lines “when you’re close / I love you the most” while the Sanders penned ‘Paris Maybe’ has him confessing, “for a moment I forgot who I was when you touched my face.”
There is an impressive musical range to the album. ‘I’m Yours’ employs crunching guitars in its chorus against more intricate verses. That loud / quiet dynamic works especially well on ‘I Tried’ which travels between full-out rock and a broodingly restrained bassline. Against minimal organ whirrs, ‘Cannon Fodder’ features a quietly soulful vocal, punctuated by bursts of guitar noise. There is a drum ‘n’ bass like production to ‘So Cold’ while the contrast between Sanders’ soulful croon and Tricky’s mutterings adds to its impact.
As ‘Different When It’s Silent’ heads deeper into its second half, the variety of instrumentation expands. Violin and cello appear on ‘Marinade, a cover of the Dope Lemon song with new lyrics courtesy of Tricky including dark images of bombs dropping from a plane. ‘Radana’ features the rapper of that name setting out the money-based code of the street, all leavened with sweet interjections from Sanders. The fade out to ‘Piano’ which foregrounds that instrument features opera singing. Beginning with hummed gospel style vocals, ‘Frontier Town’ sees Christian Pattemore of the Forgotten Pharaohs taking the lead on a song adorned with resounding beats. A less is more number, ‘Hengrove Blues’ features Sanders at his most understated, backed by acoustic guitar and Tricky’s murmurings.
The album’s culmination is ‘Out of Place’ on which Tricky shares vocals with Marta Zlakowski. The contrast between his harsh delivery and her mellow tones heightens the tension and there is especial poignancy to his line, “I sing for my daughter.” With flashes of operatics together with electronics and beats, it makes for a fittingly urgent conclusion.
In the best possible way, ‘Different When It’s Silent’ is an archetypal Tricky album, full of sonic adventure and an underlying sense of tension. It is also an exceptionally good one with 14 tight, concise tracks and Sanders’ gorgeous voice giving it a whole new dimension. While undoubtedly a cathartic act for Tricky, it makes for a compelling listen.
Tricky: Different When It’s Silent – Out 17 July 2026 (False Idols)
– I’m Yours (feat. Mitch Sanders) [Official Video]
I was editor of the long-running fanzine, Plane Truth, and have subsequently written for a number of publications. While the zine was known for championing the most angular independent sounds, performing in recent years with a community samba percussion band helped to broaden my tastes so that in 2021 I am far more likely to be celebrating an eclectic mix of sounds and enthusing about Made Kuti, Anthony Joseph, Little Simz and the Soul Jazz Cuban compilations as well as Pom Poko and Richard Dawson.
