Dummy

I new the name, and had only heard Sour Times. The music is a great chill vibe, perfect background music but not necessarily the most engaging.

es un buen álbum, prefiero la primera mitad que siento q es un Radiohead con jazz, después cambia y se pone un estilo más triste más pesado, sigue bueno pero no tanto como antes

3.5 Stars

Moody and cool

Para escuchar de fondo está bueno

Too experimental for me

fine

Album #105 Portishead: Dummy This is an album which I had long been aware of due to its reverence amongst music fans; however, since I’m not too big on the whole 90s trip-hop/downtempo electronic scene, I never really felt too compelled to listen to it. My first listen was pretty much like I expected; the music never did too much to become annoying; it stayed consistent in atmosphere and overall was quite enjoyable, albeit, for my tastes, it did not appear to be anything special. I do understand the great appeal of this album; it is pretty much James Bond soundtrack meets lo-fi beats to study to, however, personally, the music that compels me the most tends to strive for more than just comfort and seeks to pull emotion out from within you. Essentially, though I enjoy ‘chill’ music, I need there to be some big climactic moments in the album; that is part of the reason I love 80s sophisti-pop so much, artists like Prefab Sprout and The Blue Nile have relaxing and beautiful melodies, but also moments of triumph and explosiveness that remind the listener that they are alive. However, sometimes these moments exist, but are not immediately apparent. I had a feeling that the subtleties of ‘Dummy’ were being lost on me, and though I enjoyed the album and likely would have rated it around a 7, I felt like I owed it another listen. The second listen was ultimately more of the same, though I do pretty well enjoy every track here; I also can’t say that any of them reach ‘peak’ status. To me, this is sort of an album that you can’t really hate, so of course it will become beloved; however, it just doesn’t quite appeal to my tastes entirely. I’m not too big on the whole trend in the 90s where they were just starting to incorporate hip-hop beats and IDM into other genres; this album is supposed to be beautiful and mysterious, but then I am interrupted with record scratches out of a Sir Mix-a-Lot song. Ultimately, the positives do vastly outweigh the negatives, and I am sure I will come to appreciate this album more, so I am still going to give it quite a favourable rating; however, I cannot help but feel that it is a touch overrated. Best Songs: Glory Box, Roads, It’s A Fire Worst Song: Pedestal Score out of 10: 7.5

Zzzzzz

Me trae muchas vibes de bjork pero a la vez tiene sonidos hiphopperos que me descolocan. No me encanta pero no me disgusta. Se nota que son britanicos

No standout tracks except maybe the first one. Mysterons was really weird and atmospheric, which I enjoyed. The entire album feels like I'm in a hospital with a dying acquaintance. Not really a fan of Beth Gibbon's voice paired with the music. It's not that she has a bad voice, but with a different singer, I think the music would hit harder. Her voice (to me) leans smoother and soulful in a way. Also, I loved the strings on Roads. A truer rating would be more like 2.5. Pretty middle of the road for my taste.

This was cool! It's fun to hear this in light of how ubiquitous this genre has become in 2025. I feel like any of these songs could be in one of those popular Youtube studying playlists. I especially liked Sour Times and Wandering Star. My only complaint is the slowness of so many of these songs. I wanted just a bit more propulsive percussion, but maybe that's the sound they were going for.

Was very 90’s. Good but a Serrano mood is needed.

Glory Box, I guess that's all we need to say on this one right? I have never really given Portishead my attention but this album has a vibe. Beth Gibbons voice is haunting and I love it.

The album was ok. Some tracks were decent, very relaxing . 2.5 stars

I had never heard of Portishead before. Definitely not the music I would usually have thrown on, but it wasn't bad. It's honestly pretty easy to listen to in the background.

Fairly pleasant, but there’s little here.

Very vibey—enjoying this more than I expected. first song was the one i liked the most

I knew Glory Box going into this. An alright record. It's a cohesive experience, just not one I would actively seek out very often.

whimsical but also church gospel? but also dark?

Vibe sex music, des rythmes sensuels, un peu à la Dido par moments, ça change

Not that bad. Replay maybe

Better than Third. There's some cool bass. My favourites were Roads and Glory Box.

I am being critical

Not a huge fan of this style of music, but it makes for good background music.

I like this these songs are pretty good but I don’t know when I would ever listen to this again

sour times fue sampleada por el chojin, amigos y amigas, amigoos y amigas. parece bastante experimental, buenos ritmos, pero un poco raruno todo, muchas canciones sampleables, no es mi estilo, pero no esta mal, 3/5

People really will say just any old thing is one of the 1001 best albums of all time, won't they?

she dummy on my head til i portis

I enjoyed each song individually as a cool background song, but 48 minutes of it straight is too much for me.

I like the lady's voice, mysterons very mysterious

I do quite like this little bit of me this is but theres just not enough going on i feel too underestimated i need 5 pads with lady gaga pink panther maybe it abit of thr raye and the amy and the breaking dishes

pretty okay

Wonderful more electronic. Top 100 Apple Music album so I have higher hopes. Beat on mysterons is really cool, bs vocals. Beat and vocals are great on sour times. This is a really well made song. Love the guitar. Simple but works so well. Great bass line. Not a fan of the beginning of strangers but it picks up as the song goes on. I like the beat a lot, vocals never really get there. It could be sweet is pretty forgettable all around. However I do appreciate the change in pace. Production on wandering star is so sick. Good songwriting too. It’s a fire is pretty good too. The production is really good, vocals leave a little to be desired. That’s a common theme. Numb is cool. Interesting sounds but they mostly work. Good writing. Roads is very 90s. Good not great song. The horns with that beat on pedestal is sick. Great song. No joy is forgettable. Glory box is really really cool. Love the guitar. Great production as always. Better songwriting in this one. Better than my expectations. A lot of really well made songs. Good to great album. 3.4 stars.

Hard to judge this fairly when I associate it with car ads. The music is fine, cool vibe but not something I would seek out. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

Solid album, liked it a lot more then I thought i was going to

Didn't enjoy this as much the second time around. I'm not a big fan of trip hop so its a little too long to keep my interest

A good album carried by brilliant vocals. An album that defined a certain era and sound, but just not a genre I enjoy all that much. The production is on the sillier side of unique, with lots of keyboard sound effects thrown in, but it all sounds sharp and crisp. A couple of big hits, but a lot of filler. Many of the songs just plod along at the same pace, with not enough of a dynamic shift to ramp up excitement. All that being said, the vocals are, once again, incredible; powerful, unique, recogniseable.

Cool sound but repetitive.

I mean I guess it was ok, I dunno

Zone out a fair bit. It's meh

I missed trip hop the first time around and I’m loving these albums as they come up

I had never heard of Portishead before and was intrigued so spent a little while on Wikipedia whilst listening to this album. I also partly listened to it whilst on a walk. Perhaps the fact I split listening to the album into two reveals quite a lot. At first, I enjoyed it, with the opening tracks as a novelty for a fresh, dynamic sound. However, it soon grew rather repetitive and I found myself not as entranced. I can definitely see why people enjoy this though, the vintage-y sound and Beth Gibbons’ unconventional voice. Rating: 3.

Au début j’étais pas trop chaud mais ça va y’a quelques sons qui peuvent être bien

Sound quality isn't honestly that great, unless my ears aren't working. Album cover goes hard and fits the vibes. Some of the sounds just sound like banging on a pot with a wooden spoon favs: It could be sweet- sexy beat, mario game vibes

Eletronic, partly trip-hop. I like the voice of the singer, though this music is not really to my taste

It is kinda dummy...

Smexy I like it

An interesting concept mixing hip hop beats with a more classic singing style. It worked for some of the songs but not for all of them.

Chill, moody, polished music with some dark depths. Worth re-listening.

This was a strange but very wonderful listen. I really enjoyed it, especially because I wore headphones for the entire album. There were so many subtle part that I felt would’ve went unheard in a car.

The music and its atmosphere is sensational, i think they nail the intent; i feel however, I am not in the headspace for the thematic it proposes, meaning it didn't land as it could've. I appreciate faster songs much more than slow ones, and while I liked it, but I wouldn't listen to it again until a long time has passed, nor would i go out of my way to do so.

massive attack vibesssss

I listened to this at work and was surprised at how productive I was. Cool blend of styles but I could see this getting a little monotonous pretty quickly. Glory box though.

Liked a lot but not sure it’s one I’ll go back to regularly

There are a few hits on this album that I love, but most of the rest of this album didn’t really do it for me.

Mid

Good album, just not my favorite trip hop lane. I usually enjoy more groove + texture heavy stuff as opposed to vocal heavy, but I get why this is so respected

Very different, was a fan of this but couldn’t listen to too much

This album was so chill, I liked it! Had a good beat going throughout and really enjoyed Glory Box!

alright

The album’s constant tension (minor-key melodies, unresolved loops, and scratchy, warped sounds) gives much of it an uneasy, almost-creepy feel. The bigger tracks ease up on the eerie atmosphere, and those are the ones I like most. As a whole, I don’t really love the album, but I respect it.

Doesn't quite sustain itself for the whole album, but I do like their sound and vibe, and some songs powerfully evoke my freshman year of college when I was discovering a ton of new music and having my mind blown open.

man white people will listen to anything

So-so

‘Cause nobody loves me, it’s true not like you do

ESTÁ MUY BUENO just not my vibe conocía un tema solo (glory box) q es la definición de sexo pero bueno el resto pasan sin pena ni gloria salvo algunas excepciones. me hace acordar a björk o a moby x momentos idk ambos igual son artistas que no calo mucho xd

Ich glaube ich bin bei dem Album ein Opfer meiner hohen Erwartungen geworden. Ich dachte Portishead sei diese Überband und ich hab mich gefreut das zu erleben. Aber irgendwie hat es nicht richtig geklickt. Die Stimmung und der Vibe haben mich nicht ganz erreicht. Glory Box ist natürlich ein großartiger Song und das kann niemand schlecht reden aber ansonsten habe ich mich sehr viel gelangweilt. Ich denke allerdings auch, dass ich nochmal wieder kommen will um es erneut zu hören und eventuell packt es mich dann. Deshalb starke 2 Punkte die ich wohlwollend zu 3 aufrunde, allein weil ich es nochmal hören will.

liked it

I’ve been tip-toeing around Portishead for a little bit and I actually just read something about how good this album is and had planned to give it a listen tomorrow (today). How convenient that I’ll get to write about it too! So, I listened to this record all morning - probably 3-4 times though. It made for some very lovely background music but that’s about the best I can say. It’s beautiful but it mostly blends together through the middle of the album. “Glory Box” is the big hit and the album ender, so it was easy to pick out when the album was about to start over. Otherwise I might not have caught it a few of the times. I feel like I’d still buy this on vinyl but how much would I actually play it? Great question.

Gave it several listens. Some of the tracks were very atmospheric and moody, really liked those. A few in the middle were not so interesting. 3.8, will definitely give it another listen.

3/5 A ambientação e instrumentação são de bom gosto, os vocais são lindos, porém toda a parte rítmica soa artificial e granulada. Talvez esse seja o ponto e não entendi.

Enjoyed

As Sam said, glory box is a fantastic song and I also really enjoyed mysterons but I found everything else in between a bit too similar, not that i disliked, there was just something

Glory box is a perfect song, but the rest don’t really come close bar roads

Прикольно, опять же песня из тт а именно фанфиков)

Solid album just not really my style of music. Had a few songs I'd like to hear again in specific environments but not something I'd add to my daily playlist. Caught myself enjoying some songs and then wanting to skip others. Sometimes it felt a little bit spooky which I liked. Could be some good music soundtracks. Saved 0/11 songs.

It was OK but too forgettable for me.

This is what I want when I listen to Portishead. Very groovy. Vocals remind me of Cowboy Junkies on several tracks AND Billy Miles.

This was a pleasant surprise . What a beautiful voice! Cool vibe.

Unenomaista meininkiä, hienoja oo-fi biittejä varmaan aikansa uusia soundeja

звучание альбома напомнило мне фильм «Вечное сияние чистого разума». Если бы у этого фильма был отдельный альбом с саундтреками, то это был бы именно он. В целом он очень в вайбе фильмов 90-х и 00х. Можно послушать этот альбом когда спокойное настроение.

A long time favourite of mine with the Trip Hop likes of Morcheeba. The etherial voice of Beth Gibbons and... And now I feel this whole album lacks a bit of rhythm, some track with a quicker tempo.

Trip hop usually isn't my thing, but I actually fuck heavily w this. Something so calm and serene about it.

This was a good background music vibe for making french toast this morning. But background music is inherently not great music. Great music demands attention.

The first two tracks give this a nice, noir opening. There were a few things beyond that I liked but a number I didn’t. I have trouble getting past the fact I don’t really like the vocals on most songs.

Me gustó la vibe, siento que lo debería escuchar con más detenimiento, pero me gustó mucho los sonidos inesperados que hay en cada canción del album dándole un tono celestial. Y esa última canción, todo hizo sentido cuando llegué ahí. 8.3

Chill electronic.

Overall Rating - 2.73/5 (5.45/10). This being definitely out of my usual musical genera, I don't have a great concept of how to rate it, but it wasn't awful, though I'm unlikely to listen to it again.

Glory Box

I liked this! Great chill ambient music but not in a way that fades into the background. Great walking music! I already really liked Glorybox and I enjoyed the rest of the songs as well I didn’t get bored of any of them.

Little too depressed techno funky for my tastes, but sounded good quality with some decent songs.

two inches to the left of something i would really enjoy but as it stands i probably wouldnt relisten

kind of cool music, didnt listen to it all

Hip hop indie me gustó

I think I only knew Glory Box from being overplayed on social media. This was okay though.

Gut

Standouts It Could Be Sweet Roads

pretty but a lil boring

funky, weird, electronic, moody. vocals match perfectly I LOVE!!

gostei, algumas músicas um pouco monocórdicas demais mas no geral foi bom

Definitely liked parts, some were great, others a little meh.

7 był dała

90s Trip-Hop classic. Love the 007-vibe of Sour Times and the groovy Magic Mountain sample on Wandering Star. The repetitive slow tempo can get tiresome.

Got good music, the instrumental is very inovative. I like the use of electro and synthe, which gives it it's unicity. I'm not a fan of the voice, to mellow for me, but I do like 2 songs : roads and glory box.

King of trip hop, ;lounge music for artsy schizos Sour times Strangers

Kinda goated, kinda weird, very long songs, had a theme and stuck to it, but I got bored

Listenable.

Maybe it was too slow, too dreary, idk but I was excited to listen to this album but didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped. Roads, Biscuit, and Glory Box were the standout tracks for me

Beth Gibbons' vocals are still sublime to this day.

Bra for bakgrunnsmusikk. Glory Box er legende

Spooky, dark, moody. A couple of songs really stuck out to me and the lead singer has a great voice. I liked Glory Box a lot!

Too trippy but good rythm

Coldplay left me well, cold

This is a very cool type of music, but nothing that really sticks to my mind. Admittedly I was pretty busy today and didn't really have time to dedicate to this album, so my feeling on it might be different if I had. But I'll file this under background music while I'm doing less important stuff. Definitely makes me want to check out more Portishead though, they remind me of some of DJ Shadow's stuff (which is unsurprising, they came up during the same wave of music).

Better than I thought it would be, the vocals get grating after awhile for me though

mysterons- 5 sour times- 5 strangers- 5 or 6 it could be sweet- 5 wandering star- 5 it's a fire- 5 numb- 5 roads- 5 pedestal- 5 biscuit- 5 or 6 glory box- 5 or 6 I think the mixing is really cool but it's too slow for me

fav: Glory Box Will revisit, I loved the vibe so much, even though I walked away with only one fav, something was so eery about it and so melodic.

good album

My first album

Electronic- singer has a nice voice. Knew the song Sour Times.

I wasn't really feeling it and then I caught the vibe on my second listen of the song "It Could Be Sweet".

I see the vision but it’s not for me

had already listened to this but i liked listening to it again! but dont think it sounds that different from their other album. the haunting vocals and production are good but get repetitive over time. they clearly have their own distinctive sound but would have liked to see a bit more experimentation.

Could be a 3.5. Overall a bit too mellow

I'm not sure this is standing up to the test of time. It sounds kinda dated to me now. I was a fan of Trip Hop, but if I'm being honest, Portishead didn't hit with me as much as something like Massive Attack. I listened to Sour Times a lot, but that was about it.

I can't say anything really hooked me, though I recognize that the production is phenomenal. Great use of samples overall, notably 'Wandering Star' which I noticed flips the same War song De La Soul uses on 'Pass The Plugs'. Not much to say about Beth Gibbons' vocals -- I found them somewhat reminiscent of Björk's singing style, which I'd usually hate but weren't much of an issue here. Still not something I'd seek out myself however. Standouts: Sour Times • Wandering Star • Roads

Groundbreaking album that, for me, has been superseded by its successors. It always grips me at the beginning but I lose interest by the end because it feels like they ran out of tricks in the first half. Still monumental.

Damn I don't know about this one. I do think it's some quality stuff, I just wasn't blown away by it. In terms of "quality" I would give it a 4... But I think I have to give it a 3 for now. Might come back and change my mind

Groovy man!!

God, but quite depressed.

It's perfectly fine. What probably sounded fresh and edgy in the 90s doesn't play as well with today's ears. Dummy stays in one gear over 11 4:00-minute (average) tracks. I'm glad I listened to it, but doubt I'll ever revisit it.

Had not heard of the term trip hop before, but that’s an apt description of this album. Successfully creates an atmospheric experience and when you zone in there are some very interesting and creative spatial effects going on. The problem is zoning in. This quickly becomes background music because there isn’t enough distinction from one song to the next, just nuanced changes. The tempo and vibe is the same for 44 minutes so it can get monotonous and the vocalist is pretty one dimensional. Still, for what it is, I like it. Just not an entire 11 track listen. A track here and there sprinkled into a chill playlist is where this lands for me.

Very good, pretty out there for 94

This grew on me. Definitely a vibe.

Even considering the electronic aspects, it was surprisingly pleasant for the most part

3.5 liked this more than I expected to

For how sad and depressing it kinda seems the songs aint bad. She can sing well and this drummer goes off sometimes.

Certainly of a time. Lots to like but not necessarily one I'll listen to over and over.

Um estilo diferente e não conhecia a banda, é interessante.

Didn't love this one - it had some nice moments, but it just felt like they were cramming as much dark, angsty stuff as possible onto one album.

I enjoyed it but kinda forgot I was listening to it. Faded into background music

This list has taught me that trip hop isn’t my thing. This wasn’t quite there but pretty close. Overall fine but didn’t do much for me.

Atmospheric and ethereal. Feels like the vocals are floating on top of the music. A more accessible version of Radiohead.

smooth

Interesting group. Lead singer Beth Gibbons has a great voice. Really liked Glorybox.

Portishead is something that you want to come across whilst listening an eclectic mix of music, but an entire albums woth is just too much of the same thing.

Really solid album.

Solid album, hints of electronica, spy movie soundtracks, hip hop beats and more. Enjoyed listening to it.

I get it but I just don’t love it

some really iconic songs and a really easy listening vibe, just a bit slow for me

Very 90s, not in a bad way but you can hear their influence on lots of things that came after. The vocals are sparse but that feels purposeful, can feel same-y after awhile but as a result is very cohesive.

Kinda nice. Smooth and relaxing music for a hip coffee shop in the 90s. Probably never going to listen to this again but was a nice change of pace.

Repetitive! Not what I thought - very mellow

I got a 007 vibe from most of these songs. I’m super torn between 3 and 4 stars, and I’m feeling generous, so 4 stars it is.

It's very the Marias; idk why, but I got that feeling. There are 11 songs; so far I'm on song 6. I wouldn't say there is a sole genre; if it were up to me, I would classify it as indie/alternative. Also, this page says it's electronic, and while I kind of agree, I would specify that it is downtempo, not fast tempo, which is why I find it similar to the Marias. Right now on song 11, AND I KNOW IT. Glory Box—I've honestly heard it multiple times in edits and stuff like that. I never knew who the artist was until now.

Joda. Helt greit. Litt i samme gata som gårsdagen, men på et litt lavere nivå.

Nice chill album for a monday. :)

Didn't care for it at first, but really got into it after a couple of tracks.

Es hat schon was, wird auf Dauer aber etwas langweilig und eintönig.

Flyttar en verkligen tillbaka till 90talet, dom rökiga kaféerna och trånga förfestbarerna, närmast inredningsmusik till den miljön där och då. Med det sagt är jag väldigt splittrad kring den här. Jag har skivan och jag tycker den är bra även om jag tycker uppföljaren är strået bättre. Det borde vara fine så, end of review... Men jag fastnar också i tanken är en skiva bara det som låter eller krävs nåt mer, nåt annat? Det här är inte min triphop, om ens triphop alls. Visst alla grundläggande element finns ju där. Men det här är triphop för en vit medelklass att dricka afternoon tea till, den har mycket lite att göra med karibiskt färgad brittisk hiphop, med klubbkulturen, med gatan. Hos min triphop ska Tricky stå och rulla en feting på baksidan av en illegal klubb som närsomhelst är föremål för en polisrazzia. Portishead känns som kulturellappropriering, fast jag vet att det inte är så. Det handlar inte om att nåt ska vara "äkta" eller inte, det handlar mer om en kontextuell fråga. Triphop är i grunden klubbmusik med rötterna i soundsystemkulturen och tar man ur den all form av det, vad blir kvar då? Ett snyggt sound utan innehåll och förankring, ja kanske ...jag vet inte? Massive Attack släppte "Protection“ samma år som “Dummy", dom låter inte helt olika, ni kan själva lyssna och avgöra vad som är bra eller inte. Jag har inga svar, på något av allt detta bara ett vankelmod och tankar som inte lämnar mig ifred. Svag trea eller stark tvåa inte ens där kan jag bestämma mig

Not my vibe

Good album with good beats and the singer has a good voice. Would listen to again.

Reminds me of the time I worked at a bike shop as a teen. Played it on repeat in the shop. Now listening on a drizzly day in Oslo. Really strong album, completely different and confident in its sound. Not something I listen to much, but I respect portishead.

later

Glorybox is one of the sexiest songs ever.

Trippy and dreamlike. Would listen again.

Better than I thought it would be, I was surprised by how many songs I was familiar with. I'm not sure I would intentionally listen to it again, but it wasn't a waste of time either.

<3

Lose the vocal, hand me a joint, and it's a 5 all day long. I know it was the 90s and all, but the singing and music don't match up. That gets on my nerves after a while and spoilt it. It's why I'm always unsure if I like trip hop or not. In theory, I suppose. Decent enough to snooze to though.

I can see this being good background music while I'm working or in the garage repairing a car.

I like some of the songs. Would be good when you’re in a mood and chilling

I had assumed this album would be similar to the Cocteau Twins I listened to previously, and in many ways it was, but I enjoyed this one much more. I feel like the songs here felt more intentional and while it also struggled to keep me fully engaged with its all-the-sameness, there were some songs I really enjoyed.

C'est sûrement des supers musiciens Rock psychédélique qui tente plein de trucs Rien de très memorable

6/10

Dark and, at times, surreal. The echoey, far-away nature of the singer gives me a lonely feeling, which goes with the lyrics most times. It’s a cool sound and it reminds me of what vaporwave tends to go for. Fart tier album cover, unfortunately.

A very chill album. You put it on and then think about ... things ...

Glory Box natürlich n bekannter Song und war mir nicht klar das der von dieser Band ist. Ich fand das Album aber generell etwas "weinerlich", also klang so wie n dutzend Klagelieder :-/

Zwischen 2 und 4 sterne alles dabei, mal gut, mal lahm

Strong 3 Was originally skeptical upon the first minute or so, but got more into it in time. Didn’t leave much of an impression beyond being a chill 90s vibe that I was cool. Fun to come across “Glory Box”, which I’ve been aware of/heard for a long time.

very weird and i liked it

Pretty good, I prefer the jazzy/soulful side of trip hop that this shows - but the scooby doo keyboards and scratching doesn't do it

This is a very smart, refined record with a restrained spy thriller quality to it. I'd love to see a Portishead themed James Bond movie. I quite like trip hop as it turns out, but I don't love it as much as others. All the singles on this record are top drawer, but the album tracks leave me feeling a little fidgety. Something about the combination of dramatic, slow moving vocals and crispy, clicky production works better in some moments than it does in others.

Moody atmospheric electro-indie. Some eastern influences on Sour Times. Hints of later trap and dream pop? Female vocals quite soulful. Scratching/samples in Wandering Star Really not a fan, but I can't fault it technically. Best track - Biscuit, Glory Box 3 stars

*Appreciate the musicianship, but it felt that it sounded the same by the end. *Sounds like a James Bond soundtrack

I like the feel of this, but it's definitely not my go to. I remember when the album came out and it didn't really excite me then either. I can appreciate the influence though.

I think like the XX, I'm out on my own from the rest of the group on this one. It might be that I never listen to music in album form and this one altogether feels especially a bit much - hard to hear with fresh ears, hard to enjoy when I'm already hating the short days and cooler weather and am just not in the mood for music to slit my wrists to.

My cousin has been trying to get me to like this band for 20 years and I still don’t really get it. It’s good fall asleep music though if you want to have a few bad dreams

Ok kinda chill but I couldn’t tell what was going on for most of it

Good but not their best

Definitely not the energy I needed today, a good album, loved the beats, but a bit snoozy in parts. Thought I would have loved this album from back to front but it just didn't really do it for me.

A lot of cool beats and seems like the predecessor to lofi. Not a huge fan of the lead singer's voice though. A few of the songs were catchy, but the album seems a bit repetitive. 6/10

Helt okej album, tycker musik är cool men inte så häftig. Vissa coola låtar men inte riktigt min smak.

Smooth production. At times, a spooky ethereal sound. Nice background electronic music. 3.5 stars, it's good but a little too chill to stand out.

Not my thing. I get (I think) why it’s on the list - first trip-hop record, influential, etc. - it’s just not anything that I really enjoy listening to.

Cool feel to the album. Songs mesh together and almost feel repetitive. Pole girl shit for sure

Glory Box is sublime, rest not so much.

Pretty good

I enjoyed listening to this. 3.5

not my style but ok listen

cool trip hop

A few absolute classics. Then some very mediocre ones. I blame mixing for most of the so so songs. Very 80s and 90s cheap drum machine sound.

nice. liked some of the songs

Some interesting grooves in this one but I’ve never really gotten into Portishead beyond some surface level enjoyment. I much prefer Beth Gibbons’ and Geoff Barrow’s more recent projects, but I appreciate where this is coming from and what a landmark album it is.

Pretty ok, has some strong moments, and a few moments where I needed to turn the volume down. Would listen to it again

Flest lögin eru rosa flott ein og sér en öll saman eru þau svo þunglyndisleg að það er erfitt að fyllast ekki örvæntingu 2-3

trip hop is almost certainly the most accessible electronic music scene of the 1990s to the rockist magazine complex that this list comes out of. no thumping beat, extremely undanceable, and a lot less immediate. as someone that falls over 90s rave music, i have my biases against that. but that doesn't extend to the music itself! this has a thick atmosphere with a lot of almost hauntological interpretations of vocal jazz. one of the best albums of the 90s? no. but still a good listen worthy of revisiting ALSO i got this on the 31st anniversary of its release. neat! deserves to be one of the 1001? yea, even if i think trip hop is overrepresented, this is among the crown jewels of it

I really enjoy the production on this, I think it is wonderfully sleazy and sluggish and any other adjective you've seen thrown at it for the last 30 years. Despite this I do not really care much for this album at all. Certainly it is worth listening to, but I don't feel like I've gained much by hearing it in its entirety for the first time. And I don't have the words to adequately explain why I don't like it, which adds to the mystique of the album I guess! I get the appeal

It is unique but not quite my jam.

This album is like going out to a quiet cafe in London on a Sunday morning after having a massive Saturday night. You’re in that terrifying phase where you know you have some sins to wash away but you don’t yet know what. Your mind is still pretty scrambled and you need a calming environment to bring you back to earth.

Pretty dang good. Great samples. Vocalist has a unique pretty voice to collaborate alongside the trippy beats. Better than I thought it would be. 6.9

not my cup of tea

3.5 stars. Downbeat chill trip hop. Nice voice that fits mood well. Standout is "Glory Box".

Sounds like a rainy day

I didn't enjoy this album, but the banger final track and the cultural significance are enough to give it a middling rating.

cool and chill

Eerie vibe, fell into the rhythm as the album progressed, though no particular highs at first. Glory Box achieves that peak, perhaps too late. Worth another listen. 3.

There's some great songs on here and the concept just needed to happen. It is a product of it's time in some ways and I'm really glad it exists. I would have gone for 4 stars and it's kind of painful to admit that I just kind of got tired of it during this listen after I was almost to the end.

Some bangers in here, and I could get into it more if I was in the right mood I think. I like the slower songs

Classic in my mind. Almost a 4 star, but it’s more of a “listen to on occasion” album rather than an “on repeat” album.

I understand lana a lot more after listening to this album, if that makes sense. I've never been a huge fan of trip hop, but credit where credit's due, this is good production which is what I assume the draw is.

First songs I have recognized this far! The singles from this album are really great and I would say have stood the test of time. The rest of the album is meh however the vocals are excellent and I know this was a unique sound they helped pioneer.

Hört sich irgendwie alle recht ähnlich an, ist nicht wirklich mein Musikgeschmack, aber man kann es sich gut anhören, viele interessante Geräusche

Pleasant but really the same song over and over again.

Don't get me wrong, Portishead is good, and Dummy is great, but it is not an album I feel like I can put on at any time. The downtempo/trip-hop grooves are moody things; perfect for nighttime or rainy day listening, but it's 9:30am, I've had coffee, I'm doing chores around the house, and I'm aching for something *more*. I really thought I could rate it higher, but the downer mood is pretty specific to certain listening environments and scenarios.

This album was alright, I loved the low key feel it had but on a 2nd listen it was kind of boring and very monotonous. Wasn't awful though.

No es mi vibe.

I found this album to quite good, especially after back-to-back 1 star albums. Beth Gibbons has a gorgeous voice, and this album was overall incredibly unique. I'm not a tremendous fan of the music style, but if I was going to listen to a "trip hop" album this is the one I would reach for. It was quite pretty and an easy listen.

It's definitely an interesting listen. Vocals are good, music is very chill, good album to listen to while working.

I've heard this album several times, because it is such a highly acclaimed and lived album. I just don't get it. It is not bad by any means, it just is so average. The overall tones is very bland and repetitive, there is very little distinction between any tracks, they all sound so very similar. It is a good album to throw on a zone out if you have some work to get done, the is nothing that will distract you and the hour will be over in no time. 6.5/10 128/1001

Only tangentially familiar with Portishead so was excited to review this one. Just another 90s Alt Masterpiece, no big deal!!! Sour Times - instantly recognizable moody vibe, Roads, Glory Box. The whole album is a vibe. Kind of a mellower Tool vibe to this band. V Good

Genre: Trip Hop An album I was thinking I’d be more of a fan of (considering the internet’s undying love for it), it’s moody, it’s certainly an album that served to be incredibly influential (read: Damon Albarn’s entire Gorillaz career), but not one I feel like I’d personally come back to again and again. Fairly mild in terms of its overall presentation for me, and perhaps a little too sad and moody. Some nice moments here and there, but altogether not my favorite. 3/5

Liked it more than I thought it would as I have it a second and third listen. Took a while to grow on my but music has a vibe to it.

First let's be fair: I really liked this album. It was great to listen and captured perfectly the vibe of the second half of the 90s. Being this one from 1994, this means that it was a cornerstone of a genre, which is remarkable. That said, was I was listening to it, I couldn't help but think that trip-hop may be the most depressing (mainstream) music of the latest years. It lacks the energy of the rock'n' roll, the rebellious spririt of rap (and variants) and you cannot even dance to it you would with the rest of pop music. This is the equivalent of a life full of Benzodiazepine. It's there, people use it a lot, but at the same time is flat and reflects that something's off. People of the late 90s didn't wanna rock like late 80s, they were sad. This led my generation (born between 85 and 90) grow with a permanent feel of apathy towards life, as our role model were digging trip-hop and boring indie rock instead of rocking out and enjoying life. I wonder how it was having Twisted Sister or Run DMC as role model instead of this "first-world issues" archetypical sound. Good album, though.

I wanted to like this more than I did. I've listened to it before and went through a phase of loving it. My biggest issue on this listen, however, was that the songs blend together a bit too much. It was tough to pick out a favorite track, not because there are too many good ones, but because none really stand out from the rest. But I suppose it would have to be between "Biscuit" and "Glory Box", with the latter taking the cake.

Album is about a 3.5

weird, made me feel uneasy. not bad though

Lot of creativity musically. The vocals were not at the same level as the music.

Sounds like this could be music for a film noir or maybe that's just the clever used Lalo Schifrin sample on a stand out track, Sour Times. The album is a mix of pop, tech-hop, indie and electronica which grows with repeated listening. Beth Gibbons voice is really good too.

A solid listen, but not quite as tremendous as the reviews were making it out to be. Found it quite dragging and dull at some moments. Enjoyable but wouldn’t listen many times again

3 estrelas

Doubtless a bit cheesy, but interesting. The album is pretty relaxed overall.

The songs sounded very similar

an interesting listen

Portishead is torn, lost, lonely, tired, emotional, and mysterious on Dummy. And it works! Slow, emo electronica behind the shadowy vocals of a female temptress. Songs are all good but get pretty similar, strong finish with the Glory Box. (3.4*s)

Have heard of Portishead but never heard Portishead before. They produce some spooky, chill shit. Beth Gibbons is soothing and works well with trip-hop electronica. I like "Wandering Star" most of all the songs. If "Glory Box" sounds familiar, I think it's another song with a sample or same beat as Beta Band's "Squares." File this one with the other trip-hop albums that made the list but it's the best one thus far in my opinion...2.56 (wandering) stars.

Nice entry from Portishead. They bring something different than what we have seen elsewhere on the list. Wasn't sure exactly how to classify this as it felt like a mix of various genres but evidently it goes by trip hop which I guess describes the vibe of the album. Some slowed down trippy beats with some diverse production and female vocals worked well so I mostly enjoyed it 2.87 stars

Portishead’s Dummy isn’t here to start the party—it’s what plays long after the lights come up and the dancefloor clears out. The Bristol trio (Beth Gibbons' ghostly vocals, Geoff Barrow’s dusty loops, and Adrian Utley’s noir guitar lines) delivered a debut that defined trip hop’s brooding aesthetic, even if the mood occasionally lapses into monotony. Still, when it hits, it haunts: “Sour Times” shuffles like spy cinema reimagined by beat junkies, while “It Could Be Sweet,” “Roads,” and “Glory Box” are slow-burn torch songs steeped in smoke and sorrow. “It’s a Fire” even hints at the polished chill Madonna would chase on Ray of Light. Dummy may be sleepy, but it knows exactly what kind of dream it wants you in.

3.0 - Ok

Super chill and i can appreciate that

6/10

Cool trip hop tracks, but I think this debut is not as good as their other two albums and suffers by comparison even if it was the one that helped pioneer this sound. Standouts: Sour Times, Glory Box

Я искренне пытался полюбить Portished, несколько раз, но нет, не взяло.

Good but don’t quite understand the hype

it was okay, had some songs i might listen to again

I’ve never listened to this one before today but down the years I’ve heard so many people rave about it. It was good, I enjoyed listening to it but at the same time it didn’t exactly blow me away. I think it’s a grower though so I will give it a few more goes. Top Track - Pedestal

Was pretty chill listening

This is the Portishead I know and don't actively hate! When the album ended, it started up again and I didn't even notice. Well done, Portishead.

Enjoyed the slow pace and background music. Did not care for her singing.

altern. rock, 1994 -> 3

i heard this several months ago and fell asleep to it. let's see if it holds my attention this time... trip hop is a hit or miss genre for me. i adore massive attack's mezzanine and enjoy most of their 90s output, along with tricky's maxinquaye. but the appeal of dummy has always eluded me. i wonder if it's the textures. i appreciate it for its ambition more than actually enjoying it.

Interesting

Mye kult og interessant, men og mye av det samma

Great at the time. Think I've moved on as a person though. Dropping a star.

A 90's album that isn't 20 minutes too long! Well done! Actually had no expectations that I would enjoy this one, but I liked it overall. Not going to be something I keep coming back to, but thought it was well done

Me gusto, muy experimental, pero para mi tiene skips

Totally forgot this existed but it pulls. Until it doesn't, and then just feels a bit monotonous.

Pretty good. I can hear the glitch Hop origins. It got a bit strange for a bit there.

3 stars Inventive and interesting. I was able to listen to it all the way through a few times although it did put me to sleep.

From this trip hop movement i always liked Tricky or Massive attack more than Portishead. This record has quite cool jazzy vibe, but as an album it is bit monotonous.

The first few songs didn’t click — the vocals felt out of place with everything else. Eventually it started to flow better, but by the end, it faded too much into the background. 3 stars.

Theremin was done best by the Beach Boys on Pet Sounds. It's use should have pretty much started and stopped right there. Sour Times is not the biggest song on this album?!? I'm shocked. This was the working soundtrack for a Zach Braff movie. Yeah, Glory Box makes sense that it's the big hit...very popular.

Mysterons 3.4 Sour Times 3.6 Strangers 3.5 It Could Be Sweet 3 Wandering Star 3.6 It's a Fire 3 Numb 2.8 Roads 2.8 Pedestal 3 Biscuit 3.1 Glory Box 3.3 Score: 3.190909091

Need to listen a bit more but this could easily become a 4. Some real head bobbers

Fun album with super great production and vocals. The main thing that holds it back for me is how similar pretty much every track is

Really good album. I like their later material better but this is still solid

As a big fan of the 90s I can say it's worth to listen. Not the biggest impression but some titles are worth it but I can't put this album as good as the Radiohead, Joy Division.

This is decent electronic, though most of the album has not been very memorable. The beats are pleasant, the vocals are nice, and there are some cool ideas in there. The better tracks are towards the end, so listening all the way through provides a nice journey. But while the album is cohesive and decent, I didn't find anything outstanding. It's worth a listen, just not repeating listens for me.

I dig the Film Noir vibes this album conjures up for me. 3.5

Pretty good vibes,amazing simger,didnt pay-attentio to the lyrics as always,a bit to repetitive

Unknown band for me. Good vocal. Reasonably good album for the genre.

There are some obvious stand out tracks on this album like sour times and glory box but it just all feels a bit middling. Nothing grabs hold of you and demands you pay attention. Its not surprising that this has led to the music being s go to soundtrack to seedier crime drama like The Vice. Enjoyable background music

Beyond “Glory Box” I was largely unfamiliar with Portishead, and this album is much the same vibe as that - not a bad thing, just not really my thing, really. It’s atmospheric and I can see its appeal, but I doubt I’ll ever think about it or listen to it again.

Sour Times and Glory Box are perfect alternative pop songs and I'll not have a bad word said against them. Despite how much I love those songs, I'd never listened to Dummy before. I'm apparently not someone who is going to really love a full album of trip hop. It just becomes a bit samey over 50 minutes. Also I listened to this in the morning before work and it's definitely an evening album. So I think this makes it a: 3/5

Good album - I chose worse time to listen to it, on the way home for a holiday weekend- way too sorrowful 3/5

It's an album I've heard before, it's a bit difficult to evaluate an album I've already heard. It has good songs, and it's a very pleasant experience. But some of the songs I have the feeling are similar to the previous ones, and it gets boring after a while. But it's a cool album, the musicality is interesting.

Debut album. Won the Mercury prize. Trip Hop. Strangers, I like this track. Nice lyrics and sound. Wandering Star is also a nice track with good lyrics. Glory Box is a lovely track. A mellow album with soft vocals throughout.

Likes it at first, but not as much on my second listen.

It sounds like Seattle looked in the early 2000s, there’s a gritty texture to the weight of the music and the vocals kind of drift above the music, sometimes scraping and other times coasting. The arrangements are interesting a little emo, full and gothic.

Alternativ rock - heller ikke my cup of tea.

Lovely music. My high school age kids first got me into this music. Interesting stuff.

My first trip hop album? Kinda like! Moody.

This album had a cool vibe, like being seduced in a martini bar by women of nefarious intent. It’s an interesting blend of Madonna’s Ray of Light (which this album pre-dated by five years) and Garbage (which this album predated by two years). Key tracks for me were It’s Fire and Mysterons. If there was a complaint, it’s that the album gets tonally one-note after a while. It’s definitely listenable when in the right mood.

Loved this then, now it sounds tinny and thin, weird

Not bad, not didn't grab me enough to really warrant 4 stars. 3.5 maybe. Could be if I listened to it more but who knows, some low down funky grooves tho

Second half was far more well put together than the first, the first track was okay and then it was whatever for the next 4 or so, definitely would give it maybe even a 5 if it wasn’t so one flip floppy on a track being good or not

Good spooky dreamy album. Recognised Sour Times (it's good), but I think I've only heard a cover of it.

Lemppari: Glory Box Vähiten lemppari: It Could Be Sweet

03/05/2025 The album is okay, but a bit slow.

Alternative rock, I guess. Slow and meandering, started off pretty cool but kinda dragged a bit afterwards.