For two nights this week in the Olympia, deep mechanical rattles slithered about in the lower frequencies, displaced by monolithic bass rumbles and soaring vocals.

With glorious turns by singers Horace Andy (above) and Martina Topley Bird, Massive Attack gave us a stark reminder of why they are still one of the most important British bands, and demonstrated that politics and music can still be a potent mix. Roll on album number five.

Words: Laurence Mackin. Photograph: Rob Hearne