Massive Attack Reveal Working Title of Upcoming Album

Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja has just witnessed an apocalyptic moment while walking down a street in his UK hometown of Bristol -- a clap of thunder over a clear sky. "I'm shielding the sun and then there's thunder. Very cool!" he exclaims to Spinner. Fitting too, considering Massive Attack's long-awaited fifth album (the trip-hop duo's last studio cut was 2003's '100th Window') sports some thunder of its own while featuring nearly everyone under the sun. Okay, that might be exaggerating it a bit on that last part, but Damon Albarn, Mazzy Star vocalist Hope Sandoval and Elbow's Guy Garvey are among the record's plethora of guest contributors.

"There's definitely a tribal feel because there's lots of drums in there," Del Naja, who also goes by the DJ name 3D, says of the new LP's sound. "The philosophy on this record has been to keep it very stark and simple, where '100th Window' was very complex and intricate. Working with so many people, it was a real challenge to try and make the record feel like a singular work. Coming from a DJ background, us making albums has little meaning but it's something we found really important. Since I was a kid, my mom use to dance me around to 'Sgt Peppers' and 'Abbey Road,' and I've had that in my head for years -- the concept of the whole album, what it means. At the same time, I'm just as insane as the next person, splitting tracks and playlisting, making mixtapes in the old DJ days. That said, the new album feels like a complete album that comes from a time and place."

With most of the tracks for the album mixed, the band is still toying with an album title, and currently, they're calling it 'False Flags.' "I shouldn't give out the working titles," Del Naja says. "Working titles tend to stick a long time. I can often spot the working titles on albums as opposed to the more philosophical titles or metaphorical titles."

Originally the name of a track the band released in 2006 about France's labour riots, which Del Naja compares to UK riots in the 80s, 'False Flags' appeals to the duo because of its universal meaning. "I think it's very reflective of things that are happening now," he says. "Flags are meant to represent a nation and nations are made up of many different parts. No flag can ever really truly do that."

Other working titles the band is considering include 'Red Light,' the name of the track featuring Garvey. In addition to that song, Del Naja also revealed some details about the other collaborations included on the new album. While a snippet of Albarn's contribution can be heard on two tracks of Massive Attack's forthcoming EP 'Splitting the Atom,' the record includes another track featuring the Blur and Gorillaz frontman called 'Saturday Come Slow.' British singer Martina Topley-Bird also lends her talents on 'Babel,' which Del Naja says is "Like the tower, like the plague."

So what else should you know? Producers for the album, apart from the Massive Attack duo and Albarn, include Neil Davidge, who helmed the duo's 1998 album 'Mezzanine,' and LCD Soundsystem contributor Tim Goldsworthy. If this isn't enough to hold you over until late February/early March, when the album should see the light of day, check out a live preview of 'Red Light' from Massive Attack's current UK tour.