Massive Attack Score 'Halo 4' and Scarlett Johanssen

OK, so it's not "technically" Massive Attack, but two of the pioneering British electronic act's primary players are staging unorthodox comebacks.

Producer and co-songwriter Neil Davidge has been hired to score the upcoming videogame Halo 4, the first entry in the epic Xbox sci-fi series not made by Bungie. Martin O'Donnell was the acclaimed composer behind all the previous Halo game music, but the reins have been picked up by Davidge who worked with the franchise's new studio, 343 Industries, to raise the scoring stakes.

Davidge hired a 16-person male tenor/bass choir and a 10 female Bulgarian vocalists as well as a full 50-piece orchestra to help realize his Hollywood blockbuster-sized vision. Oh, and then he did much of the recording at Abbey Road. Of course.

As a passionate Halo fan, I'm incredibly honoured and thrilled to have the opportunity to compose the score for Halo 4," said Davidge in a release. "Music has always been at the heart of what makes Halo so captivating and iconic. With Halo 4, we want to build upon the franchise's amazing legacy and create a score that captures the awe and wonder of the Halo universe, and reinforces the deeper and more emotionally impactful journey Master Chief will embark on.

Davidge's Massive Attack colleague 3D has his own new music news, too, and its an even more unexpected collaboration. As part of the soundtrack to Everardo Valerio Gout's Spanish-language film Days Of Grace, 3D has teamed up with movie star and sometime-singer Scarlett Johansson for a dark, disturbing cover of George Gershwin's "Summertime" with an additional assist from former DFA Records producer Tim Goldsworthy.

It may not be the 'spontaneous' series of Massive Attack EPs that Robert Del Naja promised us back in 2010, but we'll take any attack.