Pioneering UK trip-hop outfit Massive Attack have sent fans into a whirlwind of joy and excitement in the last month, first with the news that they’d be releasing an EP of new material and then with the revelation that collective were planning a February 2010 tour of Australia ahead of the launch of their next album. While both of those things seem to still be on the cards, we might’ve counted our chickens before they hatched, as it’s been revealed that Massive Attack have been facing some creative roadblocks during the album’s recording.

Accroding to the NME, Massive Attack stalwart Robert Del Naja aka 3D recently spoke out about the band’s long awaited fifth LP, confessing that there’s still a long way to go until it’ll be ready for release.

Apparently, Del Naja and Grant Marshall (the pair driving Massive Attack these days) have recorded “about three” full records since their last studio output in 2003, only to scrap the material, leaving album number five in a “state of flux”.

“After touring an album, you have this strange void that follows it, where you feel slightly displaced, like you’ve just finished with the circus and you’ve got to find a new job,” 3D says. “You think, OK, what shall we do next. And you’ve got all these options. You don’t know where to start.”

Whilst the pair are quick to admit the hiccups in their recording process, 3D insists that they’ve been hard at work on the album. “I work really hard. I’m dividing my time between being here, painting in the garage next to my house, trying to finish the sleeve, then we’ve got rehearsals over at Bath. Average day, I work from about 11, 12, ‘til about 10 at night.”

There’s still no firm word on when we’ll see a new full length from the pair, but we’ve got our fingers crossed that we’ll hear more as the weeks pass on, so stay tuned right here for more updates!