Photo credit: Boston Lynn Schultz

Famed trip-hop innovator Tricky released the first single off of his 13th album, Ununiform, this morning. The song, titled, “When We Die,” is slow-paced, atmospheric, and very much a return to classic Tricky style, even bringing back a classic collaborator. Singing on the track is Martina Topley-Bird, who was featured on Tricky’s first album, Maxinquaye. “When We Die,” is the first song they’ve collaborated on in 15 years. With Tricky’s penchant for dark subject matter and sound, it’s no surprise the first single off of Ununiform deals with death. “If you don’t accept death you don’t really accept life” says Tricky.

The announcement came this morning, via press release, alongside more information on his forthcoming album. Ununiform, as the name suggests, is a record that shows the English producer reflecting on his dynamic and unorthodox life. The album is a result of the artist spending the last three years living a ‘clean, reflective and positive’ life in Berlin. According to the press release, Ununiform will be a concept album of sorts, and will show Tricky “confront his legacy, history, family – even death itself. And in all of this, he finds the strangest, least familiar thing – peace.”

As is typical with Tricky’s experimental sound, there will be a great variety of artists featured on the album. This includes Francesca Belmonte, Asia Argento, and singer Mina Rose, who will be joining his touring group later this year. Tricky has not been shy about his love of Russian hip-hop, and will feature a couple of Russian rappers on the record, including Scriptonite. While this is Tricky’s 13th studio album, it will be his first as an entirely independent and already-accomplished artist. Without the stressors of money and attention, it has provided him a new, calmer outlook. “I’ve got nothing to prove now, and I’m comfortable with referencing myself.”

Ununiform will be available September 22nd.

1. Obia Intro
2. Same As It Ever Was (feat. Scriptonite)
3. New Stole (feat. Francesca Belmonte)
4. Wait For Signal (feat. Asia Argento)
5. It’s Your Day (feat. Scriptonite)
6. Blood Of My Blood (feat. Scriptonite)
7. Dark Days (feat. Mina Rose)
8. The Only Way
9. Armor (feat. Terra Lopez)
10. Doll (feat. Avalon Lurks)
11. Bang Boogie (feat. Smoky Mo)
12. Running Wild (feat. Mina Rose)
13. When We Die (feat. Martina Topley-Bird)