Massive Attack will return early next year with Heligoland, their fifth studio album.

Despite keeping busy on the release front with a greatest hits collection and a number of film scores, it was six years ago that we welcomed a new Massive Attack studio LP to the world. After working on 2003's 100th Window largely by himself, Robert "3D" Del Naja is reunited with Grant "Daddy G" Marshall on Heligoland, with the usual slate of high-profile guest vocalists including Damon Albarn, Hope Sandoval, Martina Topley-Bird, Guy Garvey and Tunde Adebimpe this time around, in addition to long-term collaborator Horace Andy who has appeared on every Massive Attack album to date. Albarn also contributes bass to "Flat of the Blade" and keyboards on "Splitting the Atom" while Adrian Utley of Portishead plays guitar on "Saturday Come Slow." Tim Goldsworthy of DFA fame, meanwhile, is also reported to have been involved behind the boards on selected cuts.

Both original tracks from the Splitting the Atom EP, which was released back in September, make the grade, and the remixed numbers "Bulletproof Love" and "Psyche" (re-rubbed by Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid and Flash Treatment, respectively) appear in their original form.

The band have also announced selected tour dates in Newport, Brighton and London for early next, with a percentage of the ticket money being donated to the Hoping Foundation.

Tracklist
01. Pray for Rain feat. Tunde Adebimpe
02. Babel feat. Martina Topley-Bird
03. Splitting the Atom feat. Robert del Naja/Grant Marshall/Horace Andy
04. Girl I Love You feat. Horace Andy
05. Psyche feat. Martina Topley-Bird
06. Flat of the Blade feat. Guy Garvey
07. Paradise Circus feat. Hope Sandoval
08. Rush Minute feat. Robert del Naja
09. Saturday Come Slow feat. Damon Albarn
10. Atlas Air feat. Robert del Naja

Virgin Records will release Massive Attack's Heligoland in February 2010. 8 Comments