The trip-hop icons talk about new music, art and constantly changing

Few artists can say their work defined a generation, yet when one thinks of the vital development of electronic music in the 1990’s, Massive Attack are one of the only groups deserving of such a title.

Not only did they change the definitions of the genre within the dance realm, ultimately creating a new culture within it, but one could argue that 3d and Daddy G’s entire outlook on music as a whole is completely unique and intriguing, honing an ability over the years to cultivate a certain atmosphere with every track that just can’t be replicated by anyone else.

What has perhaps sat at the core throughout their illustrious career is the way in which the Bristol duo draw inspiration from political contexts, yet remain true to a core style and aesthetic. Developing with each release since their formation over 25 years ago, they have constantly pushed the boundaries of what electronic music can offer, both in a creative and ideologically challenging sense while thankfully refusing to succumb to monotony, and instead taking their time between each genre-defining record to create the best possible material.

Despite it being four years since their last release (2010’s Heligoland), the last two have seen Massive Attack explore different pursuits, working with visual artist Adam Curtis to create a collaborative art show that saw them play reworked cover versions over thought-provoking video footage, a stark contrast to normal proceedings based around a political message rather than the band’s history.

We meet them at Glastonbury - a very different affair, and the first ‘Massive Attack’ show on UK soil in years, the inaugural performance in a run of festival dates around Britain this summer. The last few months have already seen the duo play to huge audiences again the world over (including a stop-off in Iceland for a festival based around the summer solstice), but one can’t deny the importance of a certain festival in Somerset, a point which Robert Del Naja (3d) attests as we sit in a tour bus on Worthy Farm one hour before Massive Attack’s headline slot on The Other Stage.

"Glastonbury is just different…", declares the frontman as we sit opposite each other behind the stage, the faint noise of Ellie Goulding finishing her set in the background. "I guess it's because we know a lot of people here, it's like a fucking home gig for us, which makes you feel a bit insecure."

The last time they played the festival was five years prior, performing in the same slot in 2008 as Jay Z controversially headlined The Pyramid Stage, and though material has been somewhat sparse since then, it becomes apparent the angle at which Massive Attack are coming from has undeniably developed over time, due in no small part to the recent collaborative work.

"It's not a greatest hits tonight!" he jokes as I ask if there’s a pressure to play a certain kind of set at shows of this magnitude. "Tonight features three pieces that no one has heard before, a version of a song that's completely different to on record, then there's some that people will actually know… I'd hate to go out and do a set that wasn't like that really."

It’s obvious that bringing something different to the floor is still vital to their ethos, a refusal to take the easy road and instead a desire to constantly push people’s expectations. "I sometimes cringe when we play our oldest songs and you just think 'oh God here we go', because you've done it all before and it just feels like going into autopilot."

We question whether this change up in setlist is perhaps a way to creatively test new material, or at least try a new sonic direction on a receptive audience, a point which sees Del Naja tease the prospect of another Massive Attack record in the works.

"To be honest there's a whole album of new material sitting in a studio at the moment which isn't finished and hasn't been played at all yet," he says off the cuff. "There's one track I’ve done with Tricky as well, but I’ve gotta play it live with him really, that's not ready for this tour yet and it would have just been a bit haphazard to throw it in."

The frontman begins to explain the thought process behind this show, and despite the fact it seemed like a swift comeback in the wake of their other activities, it has in fact been a long time in the making (well, in a visual sense at least). "I always plan the visual show long before we start rehearsals for the music…" he explains, trying to recount a timeline of events in his head "I had my first meeting last October to talk about lights etc, but we didn't have our first musical rehearsal until May, so you're talking nearly six months beforehand on just one part. The two have definitely become symbiotic now for me though, and one without the other wouldn't make sense."

The importance of creating a strong visual message to this project is unsurprising when one considers Massive Attack’s history and roots in graffiti culture, and each release from them to date has seen an equally strong graphic presence to add further dimensions to their sound. In that vein, I ask whether this mysterious new material has a visual identity yet.

"It's hard to say…" he ponders, "I think that on this record we've just been concentrating on songs and the inspirations for them. Working with Adam last year saw us hear a lot of old pop songs, which I guess made us look at things in a different way."

We discuss how this is an arguably big change up from their previous musical style, pushing that synonymous Massive Attack sound into a completely different direction. "We've always worked under a DJ-based ideology, incorporating the beats and rhythms first, so what we've been doing is just straight up songs and melodies, now whether that will fit into the history of the band, I don't know, but it's a different approach so it's interesting to see how successful that will be."

Making such a huge development so deep into a career is a no doubt risky move, yet some may say it is also a necessary one, as it stops a group falling into the trappings of uniformity, or going into the ‘autopilot’ Del Naja mentioned previously. "It's all about trying to give it a new identity yet retaining your own," he says when I question Massive Attack’s place in an era of dance music that is currently seeing a resurgence of 90’s fundamentals. "One of the things about now, is that as we're surrounded by information and mass communication, it's becoming harder to hold onto your unique identity.

"Yeah there are a lot of groups doing trip-hoppy stuff which is good! But I cant help but think that they need to hold onto their identity over the next ten years, or they’ll just feel like a passing product of the 90's. That’s why the core of what we do has never been about one voice, it's about everything constantly changing."

Developing from that statement we discuss whether coming back in a different time with a reinvigorated creative process will bring new collaborators into the fold, and if there are any new artists that would work on this current material. "There are definitely some yeah, and there are a lot of older artists that we still want to work with as well though" he explains, not naming anyone in particular but clearly running through a list in his head. "It’s never been about putting someone on top of a beat though, but instead working with an artist to bring out the best of their ability."

We ask whether he would consider working with Damon Albarn again after 2010 single ‘Saturday Come Slow’, a point which sees Del Naja praise the Blur frontman’s method of work. "I love the fact he found collaborators who would nourish the project whilst creating a story for each album. I think that's what we try to get with our album's too, a story arc."

Despite giving it some thought, it would appear the ‘story arc’ of this new material is yet to be realised. “Going to the studio is more about going to express creativity rather than think "I'm gonna make an album", so who knows what will happen really.

“To be honest four years is fuck all for us anyway, we've never been a band that puts out records quickly haha.”

Massive Attack will play Longitude Festival in Ireland on Saturday 20 July, along with a headline slot at the inaugural On Blackheath festival in London on Saturday 13 September.

For more information visit Gigwise Tickets.