Bristol-born mumbler Tricky is back with his first album in three years – and it’s arguably his best since 1996’s Pre-Millennium Tension. 

Released on his new label of the same name, False Idols sees Tricky finally setting aside the cross-genre larking which characterised his last five-odd albums. No thrash, reggae or ‘Lovecats’ covers here – instead, False Idols is a focused exercise in brooding trip-hop and low-slung soul. Even if it lacks the free-associative brilliance of his first few records, it definitely shows Tricky stumbling back onto the right track. head to NPR to listen to album. [via Pigeons And Planes]

False Idols is due on May 28. FACT TV recently sat down with Tricky, easily one of our favourite episodes to date. Head here to watch our man from the West sound off about accidentally collaborating with Zebra Katz, quarrelling with Katie Price and his bumbling cameo at Beyonce’s Glastonbury show.