Dummy

Day 6 of Albums you must hear before you die.. I was initially disappointed because I looked at the name of the album and it says “Dummy” by Portishead... I thought, damn, what in the hell is a Portishead first and secondly, I thought, I wish it had been something I’m more familiar with. I look at the genre and it’s titled trip-hop, and although I don’t typically like the idea of “genres” when I listed I understood. Man... As soon as I clicked the play button on the first song, I was taken on a beautiful, sexy, smokey, spooky and one of the most sonically pleasing trips that I have ever been on.. Without tripping on acid, of course. (I’ve Never taken acid before by the way, I just could never find any). All jokes aside, this is one of those things that when I first start listening to it and start to let it sink in, I automatically want to know who in the hell produced this!? It’s AMAZING! It’s like 80’s and early 90’s hip-hop/boom bap music had a baby in a film with James Bond played by Isaac Hayes, directed by Martin Scorsese. It’s a cinematic experience that gives you chills. It’s also SO hip-hop that I almost expected Nasir or Andre 3000 to start spitting witty lyrics at certain parts of the songs. They are all crafted so well! All the samples, sound effects, record scratching, the soundtrack to this trip-hop era is so damned satisfying. The arrangements in these songs are so superbly laid out and even though the girl that seems like she’s singing in an old jazz club filled with cigarette smoke with the sweetest voice, that when certain hooks and bridges come in and out that you can only focus on the sounds. Dummy is so well produced, engineered, performed and presented on a platter of gold. Better yet, platinum. Actually four times platinum. Winner of some of the most prestigious awards in music. There’s a saying, you only need two turntables and a microphone, and that is TRUE! But.. If you’re in 1994 in England with access to so many great rhythm and blues albums and jazz records to dig through in the crates, and then be able to use the technology of the time to sample them, and THEN have the obscenely talented singer Beth Gibbons on that side of the fore mentioned microphone, crooning to the notes played from the weeping guitar of Adrian Utley.. Really, it’s a perfect blend of music that makes this album my favorite of them so far at day 6. It caught me by surprise.. Now to give you my favorite songs. I never wanted to skip a single song on all three listens that I had today. If you don’t like this album from the very start it’s not for you. Don’t like the first song? Listen to the very last one, Glory Box. It’s my favorite song and it samples black 007 Isaac Hayes (RIP KING) Now if you don’t like THAT song, we can’t be friends. CANNOT. I also like Mysterons, Numb.. Shit I like them all! I need someone to shame me for not knowing about this group for all these years!! Come at me bro! Last but not least, that producer that I wanted to know so much about, but still don’t because I just learned of Portishead (still a dumb name) yesterday, well, his name is Geoff Barrow, the DJ that you hear creating all these amazing backing tracks for this album that Beth could lyrically mold with her voice like creative hands molding wet clay. I don’t know shit about either of them as people and I want to keep it what way. I prefer the mystique I get from this record. What’s magic without mystery? Music is magic. I’m still excited to gush over some of the great music that I already know so well, after this album, a record that will stay in my rotation from here on out. I’m more excited for the rest of the 1001 albums to hear before you die that I don’t know at all. ✌️

Cities have this ever present dull roar. After having always lived in the country or the suburbs, I remember my first few nights living in an apartment in the city. Getting used to that roar took some time. The city is a living thing. So many people and vehicles and things going on. And yet among it all its easy to feel isolated and alienated from it. People people everywhere, but no one to connect to. This album has an ever present bass and sub bass component. That dull roar*. On top of it, the mid range and high end are very sparsely populated. Anything that lives in that space is delicate and vulnerable. The vocalist isn't singing along to chords. There is no accompaniment. The vocals stand completely on their own. And it really sells the feeling of loneliness, the kind of loneliness borne of a desire to make new connections, and the creeping doubt as to whether that's even possible anymore. The sense conveyed is that I used to have relationships, and I used to understand my surroundings, and it used to be so easy to make friends. The nostalgic elements to the music sell this too. The dirty vinyl sounds, the cimbalom, the theramin, all evoke the past. While the delicate vocals represent the present. Why can't it be easy like it used to be? I'm surrounded by all these people. Is something wrong with me? Or is something wrong with everything else? How can it feel, this wrong From this moment How can it feel, this wrong 'Cause a child, roses light Tried to reveal, what I could feel I can't understand myself Anymore 'Cause, I'm still feelin' lonely Feelin' so unholy Who am I, what and why 'Cause all I have left is my memories of yesterday Oh these sour times 'Cause nobody loves me, it's true Not like you do I don't believe its sad or mournful. This isn't a funeral. It hasn't given up. Not yet. There's just this desire for something, and the question as to whether its even a valid desire anymore. "Did you really want?" On the path toward alienation, but not quite there yet. "Give me a reason to love you." Prove my desires are worth having. Please. Because I've about given up on them. * I just wanted to point out how much the bass of Wandering Star sounds just like distant air brakes from a truck, something you'd hear lying in your bed in the city, but I have no idea how to fit it in.

There's not much else out there that sounds like Portishead. I come back to this album all of the time and never seem to get tired of it. Plus, how is it possible that Portishead was never used for a Bond movie??

I’ve tried a few times over the years to understand what makes this such a beloved record and it just won’t click. In fact, it seems like every time I give this record a shot, I end up liking it less than I did the previous time I heard it. Its a very monotone record to me, with songs that don’t do much to differentiate themselves from each other. This one’s just not for me.

This album is SO good! This is the first album I got to the end and immediately started listening from the beginning again. I’ve never actually listened to Portishead, so this is a revelation. Her voice, the ambience, the emotion, it’s all so good. Favourite track: “It’s a Fire.”

Classic alert! They have a pretty unique sound as a band, only problem I have with them is they never really stray from this sound. IMO this is the only portishead album you really need to listen to, the others all sound the same but worse

J'ai appris grâce à cet album que je n'aimais pas du tout le trip-hop, ce genre musical ayant émergé au début des années 1990, dans la région de Bristol. Pourtant, vous savez probablement que lors d'une kermesse s'étant tenue dans mon école primaire en 2005, j'avais représenté la ville de Bristol à la toute fin du passage de ma classe avec deux amis moins talentueux. Nous étions le clou du spectacle. À la fin du numéro, j'étais censé déchirer mon T-Shirt noir préalablement découpé et maladroitement scotché à cet effet et le lancer dans la foule. Seulement au moment où la musique s'arrêta, le T-Shirt ne se déchira pas malgré mes nombreuses tentatives. Je dus l'enlever de la façon la plus standard qui soit, avant de le jeter dans une foule qui criait au scandale. Depuis ce jour, je hais la ville de Bristol ainsi que la plupart des courants musicaux qui y ont émergé.

a masterpiece. easily in my top ten albums of all time i listen to this album as uch as any other album i can think of.

Great album. Beth Gibbon's voice is sublime.

Wandering Star is the first song by Portishead I listened to and the song that hooked me. Listening to this album took me back and reminded me what I was so into their sound.

Can't recall too many households in the late 90s that didn't have a copy of this album in them. I mean, there's a reason why Glory Box was a smash. Whole album is so classy. Impeccable production. Beth Gibbons (whom I confused with Beth Orton) being a total weapon also helps.

I love trip hop, and this is the grandaddy of all trip hop albums. Great vocals, even better sampling and sound design, just a masterpiece.

This has always been the defining trip hop album to me, though I may be slightly biased, because the 1st streaming service I ever listened to in the 90s had a chill channel that may as well have been called the Portishead channel. The production is elegant and creative (some of the samples are way out there), they never stray too far from their moody, haunting sound, but the song writing is great so they don’t need to, and I never tire of Beth Gibbon's voice.

Dark, moody, understated. Lovingly arranged, wonderful restrain. Just enough negative space to allow songs to breathe. This album has outsized influence on 90s downbeat sound. If there's one criticism it's that incorporating the scratching record sounds definitely dates the record.

Bad

Wow, talk about being stuck under a rock. I’ve seen this album several times, usually on lists of best/popular albums. And I don’t know why but I never really looked into this album and that was a major mistake this album is great, it’s haunting and beautiful. The instrumentation is wonderful and of its time but in a pleasant way. Honestly I go on and on about this album. Go give it a listen.

God if this album had been out 10 years earlier when me and my mates were smoking quite a lot I’d of never got out of the house!! It’s so chilled and chilling I can just drift off while it plays away in the background. Love the tunes, love the voice, it’s dark but light at the same time, I think?! Anyway a pearl amongst swine!

Their second album is better, but this is the one that seemed to haunt everywhere for a while in the mid-90's, and distinguished its aesthetic so strikingly that it felt almost its own cliché on arrival. These songs manage to be delicate and juggernaut at the same time. They knew what to do with this aesthetic: the songs are strong. The only song on the album that drops below the bar is It's A Fire. Analogue production, digital quality control! I am startled by how far Glory Box's popularity on Spotify outstrips the rest of the album. The guitar riff is stunning, channeling Cream-era Clapton after a few pints of brandy. I remember Tricky moaning about how Dummy was basically his song Aftermath, and that was it. I both hear what he's saying - Aftermath is stellar - and think he's very, very wrong. The aesthetics are different, and whereas Tricky went for linear, minimalist stretches which flaunted his digital lifts, Portishead were more obviously analogue, defacing their vinyls and using weirdo, UFO instrumentation, and had time for more formal song structures - robots versus cyborgs. Returning to this album, I rate it above Massive Attack's efforts, and think it might be the zenith of that Bristolian spree. Will wait for Maxinquaye to appear on the list, as I haven't heard that in decades.

This is what music is supposed to be. Beautifully composed, edited and sung. I can see how this was the springboard for trip-hop and I thoroughly enjoyed the sampling. Overall, this is nearly a perfect album.

is it pronounced "portis head" or "porti-shed"?

No. 240/1001 Mysterons 3/5 Sour Times 3/5 Strangers 3/5 It Could Be Sweet 3/5 Wandering Star 2/5 It's A Fire 4/5 Numb 2/5 Roads 3/5 Pedestal 2/5 Biscuit 3/5 Glory Box 3/5 Average: 2,82 Kinda felt neutral about this.

Not as good as the later album but still impressive.

Always loved Portishead's sound. Laid back interesting trip hop sound with melancholic lyrics and Beth Gibbons's voice drawing you in. Haven't listened in full in a long time so thanks for the opportunity.

Enjoyed listening to this for mainly nostalgic reasons. Reminded me of good times in the 90s after leaving university. Coincidentally was listening to the new Beth Gibbons album the day before this came up. Very relaxing and laid back grooves.

Excellent. Atmospheric. Delicate voice.

01) Mysterons - 9,0 02) Sour Times - 10,0 03) Strangers - 9,0 04) It Could Be Sweet - 9,0 05) Wandering Star - 10,0 06) It's a Fire - 9,0 07) Numb - 9,0 08) Roads - 9,0 09) Pedestal - 9,0 10) Biscuit - 9,0 11) Glory Box - 10,0 TOTAL: 9,27 (93/100) Current ranking: 19/371 I knew the singles, but I never heard the rest of the album. And the rest of the album is the reason why this is one of the most praised albums of the nineties. Apart from "Glory Box", which is one of my favorite songs of all time, I would like to single out "Wandering Star" and "Sour Times" as highlights of this excellent album.

Mysterious, cinematic, unsettling, cool, strong, oppresive, delicate, original, light, dark, beautiful, enigmatic, surprising, edgy, sad, fragile, desolate, inventive, hypnotic, absorbing, elegant, uncomfortable, seductive, intimate, unique.

Every song's a beauty.

Another favorite from my time as a music biz hanger-on in the early '90s. Go! Discs goes trendy; I attended the "world premiere" of the associated (and pointless) To Kill A Dead Man at the Prince Charles Cinema, oh so glamorous! One of the first of its kind, still sounds fresh and arresting, don't blame this for the subsequent trip-hop tedium. Made any spotty, nervous student oik feel instantly sophisticated. Great voice, clever samples including the first (?) use of the soon-to-be-ubiquitous Isaac Hayes motif on the fabulous Glory Box. Mysterons, Sour Times, Roads, not a dud here even if some tracks are less instantly memorable Nostalgic 5*

My initial thoughts are, "It's Dummy by Portishead, of course it's an automatic five, are you crazy?" But then I started to think a little (and I haven't pressed play yet). Outside the singles 'Numb', 'Sour Times' and of course 'Glory Box' is anything about the rest of the album memorable at all? Are the good songs that good, that it doesn't even matter about the rest? We shall see... 'Mysterons' is such a good opening song, sets the mood immediately. Not much to add about 'Sour Times', great song. I love the throbbing, pulsating drive of the bass and the trippy backwards snare in this song, 'Strangers' is definitely one to remember. 'It Could Be Sweet' is the first song I'm not a fan of on the album, the beat in particular feels off with the rest of the instrumentation and sampling on the track. It's not bad by any means, but doesn't do it for me. 'Wandering Star' picks things back up with a great beat and bass line and some good turntable work. Nice organy opening, I don't really remember this song at all. Hmm, a bit nondescript this one sadly, and I'm rather cold for 'It's On Fire'. Dark and brooding and what a fucking bass line, 'Numb' is fantastic. The processing on the drums creates a great atmosphere too. This song is like heartbreak and despair and sadness distilled and compressed into a single outpouring of grief. The guitar swells and then the orchestra are just perfect. 'Roads' is a fantastic song, probably my favourite on the album. Another great bass line in 'Pedestal' and trumpet solo! (Sounds like a trumpet to me!) The organ sounds good in 'Biscuit' and some more sub-bass is always good. The scratching and slowed down vocal sample sounds great with the organ over the top. 'Glory Box' is a very good song. Debut album, hugely influential, the best song wasn't even a single. 5 / 5 stars.

liked it. pornographic vibes

Solid album

Fairly good

I hate trip hop - but really like Portishead. Great vocals, non-repetitive beats and an ethereal vibe.

Really enjoyed this album

I vibe with it! Good beats, chill songs. Favorite track: "Wandering Star."

Like someone put 90's hip-hop and alt-rock into a blender. The gloomy mood makes it perfect rainy day music but the record scratches and samples keep the music from becoming too downbeat or melancholy. It’s a cool, druggy vibe. Favorite tracks: “Sour Times” (one of those songs I didn’t even know that I knew until it came on), “It Could Be Sweet” (that bass line!) and “Wandering Star” (love the record scratches and background layers).

This music time warped me to my college days where my best friend was super into Bjork and this band. Nostalgia aside, they're still not for me.

главный вопрос: откуда в трип-хопе ХОП? трип вполне понимаю

Fantastic background music with the occasional ear-catcher track, or at least part. Glory Box also really stands out to me. Not a fan of electronica, but this one is a 3.5/5

Eerie and dreamy and totally cool, but also static, almost posing. It could do with some tunefulness. It’s all moods, with little flow and next to no harmony. Trip-hop is not aging all that well; here, the over-reliance on the same little scratchy sound-effect speaks to a passing (now long past) moment of coolness; these songs are equally transitory, if still cool, which lands them somewhere between triviality and ephemerality. 3

The bells on Sour Times sounds like the Taskmaster TV show. And is also a cool groove! It's A Fire is another groove. Glory Box is a nice closer, though I personally feel this album as a whole is lacking.

I want to like this but there’s not enough variation in tempo throughout the album. I could listen to maybe one of these songs at a time but a whole album is just boring, no matter how well the beats are constructed. 5/10

Like the voice and the music is not my style but not offensive then after 10 minutes my ears got bored and stopped listening as every track sounded the same.

There are moments of pure perfection in this album. You can tell every beat, note and grainy crackle has been thought about. Underneath it all are some great tunes, delivered into something which at the time was both familiar but fresh and new.

Tremendo, fantástico, me encanta. El sonido en general me parece estupendo

A true modern classic; still sounds as fresh as it did three decades ago, unlike many trip-hop projects of the time. Not a bad cut on this album. Timeless and oozing with cool.

Five fuckin stars. Perfect album. Sheesh.

I have NO idea what this is supposed to be. Lounge? Alternative coffee house? (before that was a thing?) I don't know. What I do know is that for some reason that I still to this day cannot fathom, I love love love this! It is so ... weird? Different? Again, I don't know? But it is just as profoundly effective as it was the day I bought the album when it came out. I think, I mean maybe, that it dares be so different, it challenges the listener to defy genre expectations, as if you can have them here. Portishead is like one of those secret fascinations I have. I don't know why I find this so compelling, I don't even honestly STILL know what I am exactly listening to? But there it is and here we are!

It's quite an achievement to have your first album be the gold standard for an entire genre. I think Massive Attack might have actually put out the first trip hop album but this is definitely the one that everyone knows. It's such a great record and still holds up today. My favorites off of this album are probably Glory Box, Roads, and Biscuit but all the songs are great, really. I'm not usually one for electronic music but there's something about this that just works so well - the vibe, the way the songs are structured, it's electronic but not annoyingly so. And the vocals are amazing. I have always loved this album and am very happy to see it included on this list. 5/5

Shining example of trip hop. Portishead is one of the great discoveries I have made doing this project.

Feels like molten sunshine. Or honey. Or heroin.

5 stars. No notes.

Interesting

Amazing album, trip hop OGs

Classic moody 90s at their best. What a year for music.

One of the most essential records of my formative years! And an amazing show to boot!

the atmosphere on this record is v easy to describe but my emotional response to it has always been a lot trickier. im sure theres Something...surely to the stinging swell i feel every time i reach Roads. which perhaps hits so hard because the rest of the album seems to come at u w/ such carefully hidden intentions. maybe the record is less about The Night and more about The Stranger u meet in the night, who could change ur whole life, tho to what end its hard to tell. both directions seem v compelling and supported by the aesthetic of the record in different vibrant ways. lil bit the coolest album ever

Soundtrack to my late teens. Still sounds as good today.

Such a unique sounding album. While I don't think the vibe works some of the time - I feel like there are songs where the vocals just don't really match the instrumental, which makes for a goofy sound - when it does work, it's one of the greatest songs ever. Sour Times, Roads, and Glory Box are all perfect songs for me. The lows on the album are pretty mediocre (but still interesting), but the highs are higher than almost anything else we've heard on this list so far

Хоча Portishead і не вигадали трип-хоп як такий, але вони точно зробили його таким, яким ми його зараз знаємо: трохи тривожним, трохи сумним, ну і до біса атмосферним. Гурт виник на тлі сірої британської дійсності 90-х — Бет Гіббонс і Джефф Барроу буквально познайомились на програмі для безробітних, що «покривала» для Бет її виступи в барах. Це безумовно вплинуло на стиль гурту, та зробило Dummy буквально просякнутим «нуарним духом». Їхній звабливий, але в той самий час, трохи «зловісний» саунд поєднує у собі суміш ламаних бітів із блюзовими інтонаціями та елементами джазу, який ніби як, грають десь у прокуреному барі. Однак, головними героями, тут звісно ж виступають різноманітний вокал Бет, що ніби «вмирає» у кожному треку, та діджейська технічність Барроу. Але що мені також сподобалась - так це surf рокова гітара, що поєднується зі скретчами та звучить ніби крізь марення. Коли слухав цей альбом багато років тому, якось не звертав на це увагу - дуже стильно, навіть у наш час. Та і загалом, не дивлячись на доволі солідний вік цієї роботи - не на секунду не здається, що слухаєш щось з минулого століття. Такі шедевральні речі можна порахувати на пальцях - один із моїх найулюбленіших альбомів ever, хоч я і не часто до нього повертаюсь.

Very good vocals. Would listen again

Massive Attack meets Bjork

look. i love theremins. i fucking love theremins. and i love beth gibbons' vocals. and what can i say? i love the 90s. i'm a slut for millennial nostalgia. the creepiness of this album had me right away. it sounded x-files inspired, and i think they had at least one song featured on buffy, and i got into it immediately. and it keeps up the creepy experimentality to great success the whole time. the sampling, the synth fucking, all of it works together for a really fantastic and weird album. overall, the vibe is incredible and this is an album that will i absolutely be listening to again in the future. 5/5 90s goth kids are either parents to goth kids or still goth kids now

So good. So sampled on every rap record in the last 15 years. I love portishead, they will always get a 5. “We want to make spy music with hip hop beats” yeah you did it.

Slow trippy

Smooth, chill, sensual. This one is a constant fav.

Probably my favorite album start to finish of all time. Only other possible favorites would be Miles Davis kind of blue which we've already heard And I'm also quite fond of 311's music but I doubt it'll be on this list.

A superficial listen might make you think this is a cosy album. It is not. It is dark, it is unsettling, it is an album you put on and lay on the floor in darkness, wallowing in regret. That is part of Dummy's power, it lures you in under false pretenses and forces you to feel. For me it is a timeless album, never "of its time" because it envokes feelings that are universal and leaves gaps in its alluring grooves for the listener to fill in, wherever or whenever they may be.

Wonderfully weird, silky smooth John Barry / hip-hop influenced Lady In The Radiator songs full of killer hooks and BBC Drama.

Hello high school me!

A classic

Very good, very chill

Albumi #201, 15.04.2025 Portisheadin debyyttialbumi julkaistiin elokuussa 1994. Albumi on trip hopin kulmakivi.

Absolute stand-out classic. Beth Gibbons's haunting vocals will live with me forever. Sounds as fresh now as it did 1994.

An easy 5 stars, what an album

Atmospheric, noir-ish soundscapes and tortured vocals accompanied by what became characterised as trip-hop beats. For me who loves music and sound design as textures this was a great album.

kielen päällä on jotaiin mitä hittoa nyt on kielen päällä kattokaas jotain on... nyt niin kielen päällä mitäs hitsiä piti sanoa kntota... öö... tota... tota... oottakaa ny pikik hetki, anteeksi kaikki.. anteeksi kaikki otaetass otetaas pikku henkkari.. sis hengitystauko.. sis hngitäkkää .. AAA tää piti sanoa: Albumi sai kriitikoiden suosiota ja voitti vuoden 1995 Mercury Music Prize -palkinnon. Sitä pidetään usein trip hop -genren popularisoijana, ja se mainitaan usein 1990-luvun parhaiden albumien luetteloissa. tai jotain tuollaista emt. its a fire

Quality album really liked it Some emotionally provoking moments and an overall nice sound feel. Keep triphop Alive 2025

Sour Times Strangers Numb Roads Glory Box

great album discovery, mellow but powerful listen

Another classic - but that I still listen to

Day 3: awesome and a potential five star for me. really really loved the production and Beth gibbons voice is immaculate. this album has been on my radar before — I’m glad 3 days into this challenge I’ve been exposed to it (4.5)

One of my favorites since I was a teenager. Such a sexy album, love the vibe.

Incredible

I still remember hearing this album for the first time in middle school. Life changing.

This is a masterpiece.

Portishead has a new fan cuz this was amazing. This is my second electronica album and I enjoyed it a lot more than the first one. This had jazz, pop and hip hop beats involved which I loved. The lead singers voice is mesmerising the way she flows on each track mix d with the mixing of the beats made the perfect songs to listen to. Some favourites include Pedestal, Numb and Glory Box. Once again an amazing album I will find my way back too it 9.7

1001 ALBUMS- # 22 You won’t be ‘Dummy’ for falling in love with this sensually brooding masterpiece! The debut release from Portishead is an astounding listening experience that feels hauntingly cool and enchantingly moody, with slow beat blues cinematically adjacent to a James Bond score or a film noir soundtrack. Beth Gibbons’ vulnerable mellifluous vocals to the lush ominous backing arrangements of rhythmic hazy jazz beats, subtle drum cymbals and turntable looping distortion with meticulous placement of instrumentation around echoing bass textures, offer a captivating yet disorienting emotional soundscape. The innovative production technique to record actual vinyl needle crackling (sampling their very own music!) adds a warmth to the atmospheric dissonance, however no less mysteriously chilling as Gibbons’ lyrical themes of loneliness and despair double down on. 🎧 Classic Track: Glory Box 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: It’s A Fire 🎧 Personal Favorite: Mysterons A creative landmark of the 90’s Trip Hop movement and one that earned the group a very well deserved Mercury Prize award in ‘95 against some very stiff competition! This album was my gateway to becoming a big fan of Portishead (although their even darker follow-up second release might actually be my favorite) and by extension Beth Gibbons brilliant solo release ‘Lives Outgrown’. It also helped warm me to more eclectic sub genres (experimental jazz, electronic, hip hop, ambient) broadening my appreciation for these musical styles. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Sultry inviting 💿 A must add to your vinyl collection! Spin this seductive record on a stormy evening with candles lit and let the desolate ethereal textures encompass your soul. What a stunner 🔥⚡️ Click the Thumbs Up icon below if you enjoyed my take on the album :)

Vocals are exceptional. Love the eccentricity of the synths and instrumentals. The organ in the back of Its a Fire is a welcome surprise. Sampling Isaac Hayes on Glory Box was very nicely done.

This hit hard. Hadn't heard of Portishead before and I'm not very familiar with whatever genre they are but I was impressed. Vocals are great and the beats/instrumentation are powerful and groovy. Easy 5

awwww yeah it's time to be a depressed teenager again. I always liked how Portishead took trip hop more in a rock direction, despite not really being a rock band at all. All of the other players in the genre were more focused on electronic styles and Portishead's insistence on guitars and drums (in addition to all the electronic stuff) always endeared me to them. It gave a bit of life to the music which is decidedly sad and mopey, but in a good way. If they never put out another album after this it would be enough, it's got everything I like about this era and genre of music - great singing, complex sampling, live instrumentation, and most importantly a groove. There are are couple of songs that I think aren't up to the insanely high bar the rest of the album sets (It Could Be Sweet, It's a Fire) but this is nearly a no-skip for me. Favorites are Roads, Sour Times, Mysterons, and Wandering Star but really I like all of it.

Love it. Musically really hits me in the feels. The almost eerie backing to the leads haunting ghostly vocals creates an experience I want to linger in. Glorybox is such a good song. 5 stars. I'm adding the other Portishead albums on the "to listen" pile and investigating Trip-Hop.

One of the most steady, impactful, and enjoyable albums of the 1990’s, Dummy is a sublime sonic trip through the subconscious folds of your mind and spirit. Close your eyes and this is music that truly sends you somewhere else entirely. This album still holds up and then some. Songs like Glory Box and Roads get a lot of credit, rightfully so, but Wandering Star is one of the true gems on here for me (that bass!). A transformative ear-worm. 9+/10

Always mind blowingly good.

All the elements come together so perfectly: the haunting vocals, the minimal guitar work and the turntablism/samples/production all so deftly done so that none of them dominate. Even the name of the album and the cover art fit perfectly! Omg I love this album so much. It's a vibe to get lost in and for me it is the definition of trip hop that all other records get compared to. Probably one of my most listened to albums of recent years. Absolutely unhesitatingly five out of five.

awesome

A Rare example of a no skip album. Even to this day the beats sound so fresh.

An atmosphere that cannot be denied.

What a record. It's one of the first that I heard — per Last.fm stats, at age 15, logging my first listen in the month I started high school — that felt truly revelatory, realizing that music can do *this*. Spectacular, unmatched atmosphere. I tried to get into some other trip hop records after hearing it but it's so head and shoulders above the competition that you end up just wanting to put Dummy on again. Glory Box is a legitimate contender for best song of the '90s, and a singular, deeply weird achievement. Like, it's Bjork's Joga, and it's that. Even songs that I might think of as B-side cuts (It Could Be Sweet, It's a Fire) are leagues better than anything Massive Attack has ever conceived. I prefer Third, which is a top-five album of the 2000s, but this is obviously also a masterpiece.