Today, Tricky releases Different When It’s Silent, his critically acclaimed 15th studio album and first full-length release under his own name in six years, out now via his own label, False Idols. Recorded between his home in France and sessions in Bristol, the album reconnects with the distinctive sonic language that has defined Tricky’s work since his groundbreaking debut, Maxinquaye.
Across the album’s fourteen tracks, Tricky moves fluidly between skeletal blues, distorted guitars, stark hip-hop rhythms and electronics. The record, described by Pitchfork as “the Tricky sound canonized” and Uncut as “one of Tricky’s finest”, is a collision of reflection and restless experimentation, reconnecting Tricky with the sound and instinct that made him one of the most distinctive voices in modern music.
Despite the gap between albums, Tricky has remained prolific. In the years since 2020’s Fall To Pieces, he has released music under several guises: the collaborative project Lonely Guest, the album Fifteen Days with producer Mike Theis under the name Theis Thaws, and 2025’s Out The Way with longtime collaborator Marta Złakowska, all released through his own label, False Idols. Returning to an album under his own name initially wasn’t the plan. “In my mind it was another side project”, Tricky says of the material. But after hearing the songs, his manager Alan McGee was convinced otherwise. “Mate, this is a Tricky album. This is the best thing since Maxinquaye.”
The album arrives alongside focus track “Piano”, a heartfelt standout that sees Bristol vocalist Mitch Sanders, who features prominently on the album, take centre stage. Driven by a melancholic piano melody, the track features Sanders’ powerful vocal, embedded in a stunning wash of reverb, opening a new window of introspection to Different When It’s Silent through its emotional vulnerability and striking intimacy.
Each track released in the run-up to the album has revealed a different aspect of the album’s character, from the raw emotional pull of “Out Of Place” (featuring Marta Złakowska) which was A-Listed at BBC Radio 6 Music, to the hypnotic electronic haze of “Because I Don’t Know”. With its driving guitar riff and interplay between Sanders’ melodic vocal and Tricky’s darker presence, “I’m Yours”, adds another layer to a record that continually shifts between light and shadow.
Following UK and European tours which saw Tricky play to packed crowds, he continues with dates this summer, before embarking on his first North American tour since 2018, beginning September 18th at Riot Fest. Tickets are available from all venues and on the Tricky website. All dates below.
August
23rd – Brecon Beacons, UK – Green Man Festival
29th – Bristol, UK – Forwards Festival
September
2nd – Vilnius, Lithuania – Kably’s
3rd – Riga, Latvia – Spelet Concert Hall
4th – Narva, Estonia – Station Narva Festival
18th – Chicago, IL – Riot Fest
20th – Dallas, TX – Trees
21st – Austin, TX – Mohawk
23rd – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
24th – Los Angeles, CA – The Bellwether
28th – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
29th – Vancouver, B.C – Hollywood Theatre
30th – Seattle,WA – Neumos
October
2nd – Salt Lake City, UT – Commonwealth
4th – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
6th – Minneapolis, MN – FIne Line
8th – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
9th – Montreal, QC – Le Studio TD
11th – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
12th – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
13th – Washington, D.C – Lincoln Theatre
15th – Atlanta, GA.- The Loft at Center Stage
16th – Miami, FL – III Points Festival
November
28th – Santiago, Chile – Fauna Primavera
