Aftermath (Tricky song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- November 1993 (White label)
- 24 January 1994 (Commercial)
| "Aftermath" | |
|---|---|
_(Recording_Cover).jpeg) | |
| Single by Tricky featuring Martina Topley-Bird | |
| from the album Maxinquaye | |
| Released |
|
| Recorded | 1991–1993 |
| Genre | Trip hop |
| Length | 7:38 |
| Label |
|
| Songwriter | Adrian Thaws |
| Producers | Tricky, Mark Saunders |
"Aftermath" is the debut solo single by English musician and producer Tricky, featuring vocals by Martina Topley-Bird. Originally released as a limited white label in late 1993, it was commercially released in January 1994 as the lead single from his debut solo album, Maxinquaye (1995). The song is widely cited as a foundational track of the trip hop genre, characterized by its slow tempo, heavy use of sampling, and the contrast between Topley-Bird's melodic vocals and Tricky's raspy, whispered delivery.[1][2]
Tricky wrote "Aftermath" while he was still a collaborator with the Bristol collective Massive Attack.[3] He offered the track to the group for inclusion on their second album, Protection, but the song was rejected. They found the material too experimental, describing the demo as "too strange" and not fitting their sound.[4] Following this rejection, Tricky decided to release the song independently.[3]
The song features the debut performance of Martina Topley-Bird. Tricky met her when she was a teenager, sitting on a wall outside his house (other accounts cite a bus stop) in Bristol.[5] Discovering she could sing, he invited her to record "Aftermath" in London with co-producer Mark Saunders.[5][6] The recording session was minimalist; Saunders utilized an Akai S1000 sampler and an Atari 1040 computer to assemble the track.[7] Saunders noted that Tricky's approach to production was non-linear and experimental, often requiring the producer to "un-learn" traditional studio techniques.[7][8]
Composition
"Aftermath" is built around several prominent samples. The primary melodic hook is sampled from Marvin Gaye's "That’s the Way Love Is".[9][10] The song also features a dialogue sample from the 1982 film Blade Runner, specifically the line "Let me tell you about my mother," spoken by the character Leon Kowalski.[10]
Musically, the track features a heavy, slow-moving bassline and a dense, atmospheric soundscape described as "hauntological" and "claustrophobic."[2][11] The vocal arrangement consists of Topley-Bird's airy, melodic singing contrasted with Tricky's low, rasping whispers, which often mirror or shadow her lyrics.[12] Tricky has attributed his vocal style on the track to a lack of confidence in his singing ability at the time, which led to a more intimate, spoken-word approach.[13]
Release
After the rejection by Massive Attack, Tricky funded a limited white label press of the song (approximately 500 to 1,000 copies) in late 1993, released through his own Durban Poison imprint.[14] The underground success of the white label led to a contract with Fourth & Broadway, a subsidiary of Island Records. The single was commercially released in January 1994, featuring several remixes, including the "Hip Hop Blues" mix and the "Version" mix.[10]