The collaboration marks the band’s first new music since 2020 and Waits’ first recording since ‘Bad As Me’.
Photo credit: Massive Attack photo by Warren Du Preez / Tom Waits photo by James Minchin III – AI-generated composite; source imagery provided by artist representation.
Massive Attack and Tom Waits have come together for a new collaborative single titled ‘Boots on the Ground’. The release arrives as a standalone track and signals the return of both acts to new material after extended periods.
The song reflects on conflict and control, focusing on themes of power and human submission. It marks Massive Attack’s first new music since 2020, while Waits returns with his first recording since his 2011 album ‘Bad As Me’.
A 12-inch vinyl edition is set to follow, featuring ‘Boots on the Ground’ on Side A. The B-side includes an exclusive Tom Waits track titled ‘The Fly’, built around his spoken-word delivery.
Speaking on the collaboration, Waits said: “One day many years ago, I accepted an invitation from Massive Attack to collaborate. Their long release delay never worried me. Today, as in all of mankind’s yesterdays, guarantees this type of song will never go out of style. Man’s folly of fiascos is a feast for the flies. Hence, the B side of Massive Attack’s upcoming 12-inch ‘The Fly’ features my appreciation for the winged nuisance.”
The vinyl release will be pressed using an eco-conscious process under the ‘EcoSonic’ format, with 180g records produced in randomly packed red, white, and blue variants.
Listen to ‘Boots on the Ground’ below and download your copy here.
