First post of 2013, and I just want to take a moment to remember the fact that 100th Window has reached its 10th anniversary this month since its initial release. So please forgive me if this post gets a bit nostalgic but I just want to share my feelings towards this album and rather or not its stands up when listening to it 10 years on. Now for some needed context…

We have another year nearly over and done with and with that we begin seeing all those end of year lists and being overcome with temporary nostalgia. So in the spirit of all that, I’ve done my own little thing of collecting together all the happenings and goings-on with Massive Attack this year and placing it all into a timeline.

Announced a few hours ago courtesy of Massive’s Facebook, we now have “Battle Box” to look forward to. What is “Battle Box”? Well, it seems to read to me as nearly a “mini-Meltdown” festival that 3D is putting together, with the ultimate aim is to “reengage with Bristol”, using the avenues of music, art and politics, all within the rather unique environment of the Old Crown Court and adjoining abandoned prison cells.

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery.In music terms, that would apply quite aptly to the cover version. Massive Attack have certainly done a number of covers of other bands songs in their time, but as for this post I will be making a top 10 list of my favourite tunes other bands/artists have made out of Massive Attack tunes.

Just saying, but it might have made more sense releasing this last year, what with it being the then 20th anniversary, but rather belatedly or not, Blue Lines will be getting released this 19th November in remastered guise.

Much like the recent Nas track, we have yet another remix by Massive Attack seemingly out of nowhere onto Soundcloud and with not an awful lot of info concerning it (frustratingly). This time out its what appears to be a cover of The XX track “Crystalised” from their 2009 self-titled album. Their new album, coincidentally (or not) is out next week.

I’m a bit late to the game here (pun intended), as by now its been reported by just about every major gaming publication on the planet but, the final tracklisting and release date for the Halo 4 soundtrack was announced yesterday.

Bombin’ was directed by documentary filmmaker Dick Fontaine and was a sequel to his earlier 1984 documentary “Beat This!”, once again taking a look at how American hip-hop culture was making its way over the pond to the UK, this time using the lens of the graffiti and tagging subcultures. The documentary offers a fascinating look at 1980′s UK hip-hop and graffiti culture and for Massive Attack fans, there is of course the appearance of 3D (at the ripe old age of 21) tagging it up with Goldie in Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

You may have heard of this little sporting event going on at the minute called the Olympics. I’m sure any Londoner would be able to fill you in on the whole thing, but I have heard one small story from it, that I thought would be nice to share with other Massive Attack fans.

They say the physical single is dying out. I suppose in this iTunes era, were music can be consumed at the click of a button, that that is probably true. And that is even more truer for bands such as Massive Attack, who for a long time now, have been a self-proclaimed “albums” band.