Massive Attack @ O2 Academy, 29 Sep

“So many new songs,” rasps Robert “3D” Del Nadja as he takes a breather from shadowboxing smoke and whispering his way through the wealth of fresh material Massive Attack road tests tonight. From global success in the Nineties to their more recent status as underground enigmas, this second sell out Academy show is proof positive that their cult remains intact.

With a distracting deluge of socio-political sloganeering adorning their LED backdrop, we’re four songs deep before the first familiar tones seep from the speakers and Grant “Daddy G” Marshall joins 3D on the mic for Risingson. Elsewhere, former Tricky muse Martina Topley-Bird's seductive croon is on hand for Teardrop and an angry rendition of Inertia Creeps is sandwiched by flawless performances of Safe from Harm and Unfinished Sympathy by Deborah Miller, the redemptive glory of the latter undiminished with age.

Of the new music on offer, most notable is reggae veteran Horace Andy’s turn on the menacing 16 Seeter, a downbeat counterpart to the thunderous Angel. But an over-reliance on their murky, minimal, unreleased cuts – even the EP supporting this tour is yet to emerge – ultimately renders the mood lukewarm. Kudos to Massive Attack for moving forward, but this is too much progress for a restless crowd to take in one sitting. [Dave Kerr]