His 15th studio album and first full-length release under his own name in six years, Different When It’s Silent is a direct, focused record that reconnects with the distinctive sonic language that has defined Tricky’s work since his groundbreaking 1995 debut, Maxinquaye.
Following a premiere by Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 6 Music, the album’s first single, ‘Out Of Place’ arrives as a powerful closing moment for the record. Featuring longtime collaborator Marta, the track pairs Marta’s restrained vocal with Tricky’s urgent, almost punk-like delivery. The contrast between the two creates a dynamic finale that captures the album’s stripped-back intensity. Originally written for Marta’s own album, Tricky ultimately reclaimed ‘Out Of Place’ for Different When It’s Silent.
Different When It’s Silent follows a prolific period of activity. Since 2020’s Fall to Pieces, Tricky has released music under several different guises, including the collaborative project Lonely Guest, the Fifteen Days project with producer Mike Theis under the name Theis Thaws, and last year’s joint record Out The Way with Marta, all via his own label, False Idols. Yet returning to an album under his own name took on a different shape.
“In my mind it was another side project” he explains. But after hearing the material, his manager Alan McGee felt the songs clearly belonged to a Tricky record.
Recorded between Tricky’s home in France and sessions in Bristol, the album draws strongly on the musical community that shaped him. Central to its sound is the voice of Bristol singer Mitch Sanders, whose soulful falsetto runs through much of the record. Their connection reflects a shared musical background and an instinctive chemistry that carries through the performances.
Across fourteen tracks, Tricky blends skeletal blues, brooding electronics, distorted guitars and stark hip-hop rhythms into a sound that feels both stripped-back and expansive. The album moves fluidly across styles while maintaining the restless experimentation that has defined his work for more than three decades.
“I just love making music” Tricky says. “I’m grateful I’ve had the chance to live this life and keep creating.”
Tricky has announced a UK and European tour for this May and June, which includes shows at Troxy in London on 15 May, Aviva Studios in Manchester on 16 May and Beacon in Bristol on 17 May.
With Different When It’s Silent, Tricky delivers one of the most focused and powerful records of his career – a reminder that artists who build their own language never fall out of time.
