Massive Attack’s new album, with the working title Weather Underground, is likely to be a fairly different from the last record, 2003’s 100th Window with guests expected to include Hope Sandoval, Tom Waits, Dot Allison, TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe, Horace Andy, Mike Patton, Liz Fraser, Damon Albarn, Patti Smith and Mos Def. As we wait for that possible double album of Massive goodness, we have this coyly titled collection that delves into the tunes that have inspired and been sampled by the crew. And though this collection doesn’t seem to be endorsed by the band, it’s an intriguing compilation that comes as a timely reminder of Bristol’s finest.

While some of the more crowd pleasing choices for a compilation of Massive Attack samples are overlooked – the Mezzanine samples of 10:15 Saturday Night by The Cure (on Man Next Door) and Isaac Hayes’ Our Day Will Come (on Exchange) miss out – the collection goes for tunes from lesser known musicians such as Lowrell, Wally Badarou and Billy Cobham. These names may be unknown to the casual listener – but are quickly recognisable as the backing to some of Massive Attacks finest tracks. However this isn’t pure create digging with some big names in the mix including James Brown and Al Green and Isaac Hayes gets a go with Ike’s Mood.

The collection kicks off with Wally Badarou’s Mambo which is basically the groove of Massive Attack’s Daydreaming without the vocals. The intro of Al Green’s I’m Glad You’re Mine provides the click track of Five Man Army and after a epic roll of fizzing jazz drumming Billy Cobham’s Stratus slides into the driving bass groove that powered _ Safe from Harm _. Most of collection stands alone as a mix of seriously cool soul, though the final two tracks – veering to soft jazz and disco – prove the alchemy at play in a well lifted sample.

Among the samples are two cuts that the band have covered – William DeVaughn’s Be Thankful Fro What You’ve Got and John Holt’s Man Next Door. Their cover of Light My Fire is overlooked – possibly because Doors royalties are to expensive, possibly because the cover that closed their Protection record is one of the groups’ few serious missteps.

Like the recent compilation The Wild Bunch – Story of a Sound System, which explored the early years of the DJ crew that evolved into Massive Attack, this collection is an excellent look at the sounds that inspired not just a band but the entire ‘Bristol’ sound.