Legendary American singer-songwriter Tom Waits joins British trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack on their gripping new single, ‘Boots on the Ground’. Serving as a sign of times delivered over a haunting instrumental, the song marks Massive Attack’s first release since 2020 and Waits’ first new recording in 15 years – the first since his 2011 album ‘Bad As Me’.
From championing for Palestinian rights, to endorsing a decrease in fossil fuel usage – Massive Attack have become increasingly vocal about using their social media platforms and performances to highlight ongoing global struggles in recent years. Their newest single follows this same drift in the form of a cautionary tale about power-hungry world leaders and the consequences of a rise in authoritarianism in global politics.
The track starts off with an unsettling breathy choir panned all around the stereo field, only to be interrupted by off-kilter metallic percussion accompanied by a simple, pensive piano. Tom Wait’s iconic, raspy vocal performance ties in perfectly with the overall eerie atmosphere of the track. These feelings are extended to the track’s music video, which features work by a photographer posting under the name thefinaleye. From ICE-raids to Black Lives Matter protests, the video firmly establishes the track as a work of protest music, if it wasn’t already glaringly obvious from the track’s sometimes absurdist lyrics.
When asked about 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 enigmatic UK group Massive Attack confirmed in November 2025 that they would release new music in 2026, but that no new releases would be available on Spotify.
“From next year we will release a cache of work created in the recent past. Tracks will be available physically and digitally via a new label with a Spotify exception,” the band shared.
Watch ‘Boots on the Ground’ here:
