Massive Attack – Heligoland

This has the honor of being the record in my collection on which I've probably spent the most - $224, after shipping via eBay. I feel somewhat foolish for spending $37 per record side; I might be a bit nuts, actually. Auction selling price aside, It's NM/NM and it's an exceptionally great sounding record. The packaging, as others have mentioned, is remarkable. This is a work of art, through and through. The depth and tightness of the bass might be something that really outshines my collection. I bought this on vinyl for Girl I Love You, Paradise Circus, Rush Minute, and Atlas Air, but I took the financial plunge on this pressing in particular for three of the four remix tracks on the third disc, which are insanely good. To me, those three tracks are “worth” at least about a third of what I paid. Especially United Snakes, which is core Del Naja/MA and should be on an album. Of course, I'm assuming the remix record will not be reissued for cost reasons. Even if it is, I'm betting it won't be repressed from Abbey Road lacquers by The Vinyl Factory. Those are my rationalizations, anyway.

Overall, a truly outstanding record. I'd feel a lot better about it if I'd spent $75-$100 less than I did, but I figured it wasn't going to get any cheaper the older it got and the more we all lost confidence in the arrival of another good-sounding reissue. If you love this record and you can find it at a better price than I did, defintely get it. I think we might be glad we did after the initial sticker shock dissipates :)

Now, the 100TH WINDOW resissue, I think I can wait for, since there wasn't anything spectacularly unique about the original pressing. Probably wouldn't kill them to finally reissue that 3xLP. Come on, Robert; don't be like Tool.

Expectations exceeded. Not only the packaging and the booklet are like an originale artwork print you'd gladly buy at a Robert Del Naja exhibition, but the vinyl sound quality made me feel the menacing sadness and melancholy of the record in ways i had never experienced before. A jewel in my collection

Incredible pressing from the packaging to the vinyl. Sounds really good.

i think the reissue is very nice for everyone who likes to own a vinyl version, but it will be not the same with this release here: Material Design of the Sleeve can't be the same, it would be too expensive. Sound Quality: Very hard to believe that the original version can be beaten. And last but not least: the 3rd Vinyl will be missing, probalby also the cd Version of it.

as others already mentioned: a highlight; probably THE highlight in massive attack's career by considering this certain vinyl edition. The artwork is absolute amazing ( i guess nowadys the VINYL FACTORY would sell exactly the same record for at least the double price, but when this record came out the price was just around 35 Euro's); as usual the sound quality is about the best money can buy. a highlight for every collection. the one and only minus: the cardboard of the cover should be thicker!!!! very easyily the gatefold cover will be tearing. Besides: From the beginning i seperated the vinyl from the masterpiece cover.

What a phenomenal record! Easily the most interesting, intelligent, addictive set of songs that this duo has put out since Mezzanine, in a deluxe package from the "Budget?-What's-that?" crew at The Vinyl Factory.

"Paradise Circus" is the obvious jewel in the crown: a catchy downtempo beat paired with the bottom of Hope Sandoval's vocal range. It's easy and cool like any Massive classic, an anthem to mellow euphoria, with a transcendent swelling of synthy melody at the end. People, this is how your music should treat you.

But the album is just filthy with great songs. "Pray for Rain," the opener, is a classic chill-out tune and sets things off right. Martina Topley-Bird marks her return to the cast with two catchy, up-tempo tracks, "Babel" and "Psyche." And if you're looking for another gem from reggae man Horace Andy, "Girl I Love You" has got you covered.

The only track that falls short is "Flat of the Blade," a weird experiment in bass and dull vocals that never really gets off the ground. Far more successful is the one-two closer: In "Saturday Come Slow," Damon Albarn of Blur fame gives us the slowest song on the album, and perhaps the most powerful. Then Robert Del Naja spends nearly eight minutes reminding you who's really behind the wheel in "Atlas Air," a gritty, perfect lesson in trip hop with a few solid minutes of unadulterated techno at the end. Heligoland is, after all, electronic music, but Massive Attack once again defies its boundaries. They're a vibrant, multidimensional act that improves with age.

Bizarrely, given the general excellent quality and detail of this vinyl production, the tracklisting on the sleeve is wrong. The sleeve lists the Additional 12" as containing Girl I Love You (She is Danger Remix), Paradise Circus Breakage's Tightrope Remix), United Snakes, Pray for Rain (Tim Goldsworthy Remix).

Like any other edition from the Vinyl Factory this is a collectors edition, as it takes the music of the artist to high level of presentation detail. Before listen to the music I was really impressed by the quality and detail of this cover, need to be seen in the flesh. The pressing of the vinyls is top... fantastic deep and fat sound, I can feel a lot of differences from the CD.
These days, in that more people buy vinyl and that limited editions grow in every style of music, it is important to detail when something stands for quality in the presentation and sound, otherwise we would all simply buy MP3.
The music itself is like any other Massive Attack... timeless and now following the line since Mezzanine, more and more music for the mind.
Heligoland is a world of sensations, something that takes your mind to different trips. If sometimes you can sing along with Robert, Martina, Horace or Hope, other times you just surf between Heaven and Hell, like with Guy, but always moving... always loosing your mind in timeless memories of a lost future.
I will not bother you with more details about the edition, but please pay attention to the third vinyl where you can find the remixes.

P.S.: Don't loose the video of Paradise Circus