Synopsis

Tricky appears in a stark, shadow-filled setting, surrounded by fragmented close-ups, restless movement, and brief glimpses of Martina Topley-Bird. The video avoids a conventional storyline, instead creating a tense visual counterpart to the song's claustrophobic atmosphere. Faces, bodies, and spaces seem to shift between intimacy and menace, while the low-key lighting and disjointed editing reinforce the track's uneasy blend of hip-hop, dub, and soul. The result is more an atmospheric performance piece than a narrative-driven promo.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Hell Is Round the Corner" was released in 1995 as a single from Tricky's debut album, *Maxinquaye*.

• The track is built around a prominent sample from Isaac Hayes' "Ike's Rap II," the same source later used by Portishead for "Glory Box." The shared sample became one of the most recognizable links between two key Bristol trip-hop acts.

• Tricky reworked lyrics from the song for "Eurochild," which appeared on Massive Attack's 1994 album *Protection*. The overlap reflects his close creative relationship with the group before his solo career.

• The song was also included on *The Hell E.P.*, a 1995 release pairing Tricky with Gravediggaz. The EP reached No. 12 on the UK singles chart.

• Martina Topley-Bird was central to the sound and visual identity of the *Maxinquaye* period, although "Hell Is Round the Corner" is primarily presented as a Tricky performance.

• The video's restrained, shadowy presentation fits the wider visual campaign around *Maxinquaye*, which frequently played with gender roles, concealment, and the boundary between Tricky and Topley-Bird.