Thirteen years after debut album "Maxinquaye" was hailed as the zeitgeist of the mid-'90s U.K. trip-hop scene, Tricky is still spinning his rugged, moody dance/rap/rock tunes on "Knowle West Boy." No exceptionally new stylistic ground is broken in the process, but all the components of a classic Tricky joint are here. "Puppy Toy" starts off as a demonic lounge act, Tricky murmuring directly into your ear until his conversationalist female duet partner takes over in the soulful, electric chorus. At the other end of the spectrum, "Council Estate" is a jittering cyber-punk number. In such moments the artist takes center stage, but he's just as happy to act as party director, making way for the dancehall toaster on "Bacative" and the cold, furious female ranter on "Veronika." "Knowle West Boy" shows that regardless of era, Tricky does his thing and does it well. —Troy Carpenter