Mezzanine

Mezzanine was recorded between 1997 and 1998 primarily at Christchurch Studios in Bristol and RAK Studios in London, with additional work at Ridge Farm Studios in Surrey. The album was produced by Massive Attack members 3D (Robert Del Naja) and Mushroom (Andrew Vowl), with Neil Davidge serving as a key engineer and co-producer who played a crucial role in shaping the album's dense, dark sonic textures. The recording process was marked by significant internal tension, particularly between 3D and Mushroom, who disagreed over the album's creative direction, with Mushroom favoring a more hip-hop oriented sound while 3D pushed toward the heavier, guitar-driven and sample-laden atmosphere that ultimately defined the record. Notable technical and creative choices included the prominent use of live guitar by Angelo Bruschini, extensive sampling (including the famous use of the Cure's "10:15 Saturday Night" on "Man Next Door"), and layered production techniques that blended trip-hop, rock, and electronic elements into a claustrophobic, atmospheric sound. The fraught production contributed to Daddy G (Grant Marshall) taking a reduced role on the album, and the internal conflicts nearly broke up the group, though the finished record, released in April 1998, is widely regarded as one of the most influential albums of the late 1990s.