Dummy

I've loved this album for years, unique, gritty, genre-defining

Good not great for me. I really liked the overall sound of this album, but it got kinda boring by the end of it.

A rare 4 star All-timer? While I say that I love this album, it seems that I love the first several tracks. All of the tracks are good, but I rarely make it to the last few songs because I am ready to move on before I get there. Still, aces though.

V I B E

Love this album. Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere.

Masterpiece!

Heck yeah I know this one. Great sound, album that hasn't aged. Timeless. Definite 4

I loved this album when it came out but got sick of it as it seemed to get played out in every cafe in the world alongside sub par Cafe Del Mar compilations. Ok so that shouldn't diminish how amazing the album is and I wish I could time travel back to 1994 to hear it for the first time.

Worth another listen. But basically not my kind of thing.

From a pure musical point of view this is a great album but Beth Gibbon’s vocals elevate it to another level

It was alright

Interesting style, but rather dull.

OK but not a favourite

👍👍

Meh

Fun and familiar

Love it!

Never heard Portishead, and I was definitely surprised once I hit play. Positives: Great voice! Relaxing music, but also a bit melancholy. The mixing is great and the soundscapes used are very immersive. Negatives: Each song is a bit too similar. Especially with the drumbeats. I listened to about half the album then skimmed through the rest because I got extremely bored. I can't listen to this album as a whole, but the music itself is pretty good. Final score: 3 stars- Decent music, unfortunately not entertaining enough as a collective. Might listen to individual songs again.

Very good

Beautiful trip-hop

On paper I should really like this. Hip hop beats mixed with electronic and ambient. This should be my number one album from that description, but it's just not hitting. Maybe it's the vocals. Yeah, those are really bringing it down. And the dark and creepy edge the music has is unsettling, and not enjoyable.

Every song's a beauty.

very dark and mysterious

One of my favs- solid the whole way through

While I respect the astute production, it seems despite all the intricate production the songs aren't all that memorable as individuals tracks. The lyrics and vocal performance seem disjointed from the instrumentals completely, and perhaps that is the point artistically, but who knows? I am brought back to memories of brooding people in booths puffing away on clove cigarettes while high on Molly. Personally, of the Bristol sound, I am a bigger fan of Massive Attack's soundscape. Being an adult in 90s, when this album came out, every decade or so I have tried to get into Portishead and their album DUMMY, in particular, but never quite managed to feel anything from their album. If you have also come away with this feeling, I recommend instead, the far lesser known British band of the time, 12 Rounds "My Big Hero" which creates grooves that support the vocals rather than feeling like an endless come down room at a rave. They are also more fearless about exploring other genres. Atticus Ross, a founding member of 12 Rounds with his wife Claudia Sarne, would eventually become the second permanent member of Nine Inch Nails. Perhaps this would have been more interesting as an instrumental only album. I sometimes feel the intent of this album was meant for DJs and not for individuals to listen to as an album. Over the years people have told me they get Bond-esque vibes from this album, but I just don't hear it. This lacks the big bold vocal and instrumental arrangements of the best Bond tracks like "Goldfinger", "You Only Live Twice", "Nobody Does It Better", and "Goldeneye", all tracks released prior to this album. And quite frankly Gibbons doesn't feel like she has the pipes for that kind of performance. If you did not grow up in the 90s and wonder why there were so many rock/electronica albums in the 90s, it was because recording and mixing electronica became far more affordable, with advances of personal computers and the rise of the Internet in the 90s, than it had been prior to the boom in audio DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations), such as Digidesign Pro Tools.

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

The second album I encountered here at 1001 ATHBYD. The first one being "Third" was good but I like this better. Intriguing songs ...

I loved it since I knew it. One of my favourites.

Yeah

Never heard before. think, I'm not missing a lot.

Meh. Quality is fine. Just not that interesting. Low 3

It was good, need to listen in doses. Her voice...

When in the mood, I can listen to this endlessly.

Kinda like if Cranberries and a Baz Luhrmann had a baby

Dummy indeed. Hard pass.

3/10

The album is a bit one note moodwise and the album art is probably the ugliest in the whole book. But Roads is one of my favourite tracks ever and the album still has a moody mysterious allure.

Nasowas. Die erste Scheibe bei meiner Reise durch die 1001 Alben, die bei mir zu Hause als CD im Schrank steht. Daher kenne ich sie natürlich und bin dadurch befangen. Ach Scheiss drauf, einfach ein cooles Debut.

fantastic record - brings me back to my high school years.

So smooth and gentle! A mood unto itself.

Fjortishövve.

Chill album, wonderful to sit back and close your eyes.

Absolutely phenomenal album. Puts me in a very specific head space which, when I want to be in it, hits the spot like nothing else.

Chilly electronics

NOBODY LOVES ME LIKE LIKE YOU DO

way too much cymbal/etc. in the drums for me

This is really, really good! I'm about 1/2 way through the album and just groovin' with it. and another one goes on my rotation!

No me gusta que las bases tengan un sonido uniforme durante toda la canción, pero me parece interesante que toda la melodía la aporte la voz (una buena voz, por cierto). Me resulta algo cansino el album, pero no me desagrada.

So fucking good. Especially the first and last song. I want to rate it better, but I just didn't connect as much to it as I thought I would. But it's so good.

listened to again effortlessly cool, darkly cinematic

Even though this came out several years before I went to college, I listened to this album in college, so it takes me back to those days.

Either a 2 or a 4. Never a 3.

natürlich Glory Box! Und der Rest klingt halt sehr ähnlich nur nicht ganz so gut.

One thing I've learnt thanks to this project, is my love for 90s trip hop and electronic music. I have such a nostalgia for this era, and the fantastic atmosphere these genres create in my head. You can heat the influence this album had on one of my favourite video game composers, Darren Kirby, especially his work on Transistor. Another reviewer compared this album to a city and it's a perfect comparison, a quiet loneliness floating over a busy and dirty foundation. For me it's a winter album, sad and cold, but sometimes thinking of spring. 28/01/24

Oh fuck this is good. Mysterions makes me feel like I’m underwater. I could see this being my favorite song. Album has a shoegaze feel to it. Mixed with early synth pop. I am always on my toes, not sure what will happen next. Vocals incredible. Roads is amazing, feels like the moment you walk out of a warm event hall into the cool rain outside with the echoes growing distant behind you. Glory box is beauty. Awesome album.

One of my favorite albums ever. Maybe a couple weak points, but completely forgivable by the rest

Another meh album. This sounded a bit like Fiona Apple, but not as good.

Stumbled on this the long way around. It quickly went to the top of my modern music ists.

An amazing album and one of the best triphop albums

Mysterons grabbed my attention immediately with the haunted beats and vocals, and I immediately recognized Sour Times and really enjoyed it. Their sound is different and works for extremely well when they’re at their best. I didn’t find Dummy to be consistent all the way thru, there were lulls, at some points was straight up annoying like on It Could be Sweet but overall it was an interesting listen with some really creative tracks with chill vibes. 3 stars

I love a good triphop album and this album is so good. The music and the vocals work so well together it gives the album an almost ethereal sound. Love it.

😂 Ich han fasch chli Angst das review z schriebe well ich weiss gwüss lüüt werded da Album richtig gern ha. Für mich isches okay aber lose würdis jetzt nid unbedingt. Viellicht isch de Songtext mega deep woni jetzt nid so ahgluegt han aber rein vo de Songs resonateds nid so mit mir. Am ehnste viellicht no Glory Box, Sour Times und evt Strangers aber alles andere isch mir irgendwie zu slow oder zu gentle? Glory Box isch würklich no recht nice aber de rest vom album digg ich jetzt nidso. Weiss nid. 3.5/5 für mich (Glaub ohni Glory Box hets es 3geh).

AHHHH 5 ich musses nedmal lose eif 5 fertig danke ade merci. Ich bi mit dem ufgwachse und es isch eif soo guet?? There‘s nothing like it 1A. Ahh sour times isch so guet the way she sings ‚ nobody loves me‘ gooosebuuuumps! It could be sweet isch definitiv mit Abstand de schwächscht track, cha gar nütt meh sege, aber de rest sind so bangers dasses eig chasch ignoriere. S cha halt niemer perfekt sii oder Roads- riese banger. Eif soooo schön??? Portishesd schaffts eifach soviel emotione id lieder z packe ich liebs Glory Box isch SO ES STRONGS LIED zum s Album demit eif abschlüsse isch INSANEE

mysterons. schono juan vibe das ganze, mega moody s drum sample isch huere cool. und theremin sehr uuuh mysteriuoous aber uf e gueti art. Sour times. ich lieb gitarre mit tremolo. seeehr coole song. hackbrett au geil, appezell time. Strangers. boh sie singt suuuper ha zerst denkt s seg es sample vode nina simone oder so. aber s het samples? sehr cool. It Could be Sweet. dasch jetz sehr sehr moody und orchestral hits findi selte mega cool. aber sie singt trotzdem sehr guet. wandering star. bass luut drums viel hall es isch alles sehr blau (trurig) und dunkel irgendwie. sie hend gitarre ufgnoh und denn uf vinyl presst zum denn chöne scratche. da goht schono hard. find zwor scratches selte cool. It's a Fire. orgle schön. het mi huere inezoche de song. geilo. roads. seehr schön kenni glaub? huere schön. Pedestal. findi chli sehr uuuh ich trurig uuuh moody aber immerno schöni melodie. guetzli. lieb s wurli/rhodes. ok de vocal choppng shit gfallt mer scho nöd meeega Glory Box. oh shit ich kenn das. WOHER. ou yes isch das geil. mega soul. ah isaac hayes sample. aber wo han ich das ghört? huuuere geile song.

fuck also das schwankt starch zwüscheme 4i und 5i. kei ahnig was trip hop isch aber die wunderschöni stimm, paart mite warme beats und sehr reduzierte gitarre, synthi oder sogar strings isch eifach nur insane. iwie isches sehr melancholischi, mengisch fast mysteriösi, aber au unglaublich schöni musig. ((ich wett am nick drake es 5i geh, es tutmer leid nick)) mysterons und roads hend für mich speziell ussegstoche FUCK S SOLO VO GLORY BOX I guess ich muss mal chli trip hop lose?

Not horrible but definitely not for me. Don't like electronics and don't care for the vocals.

Dummy is everything. The tremolo of the opening chords on Roads alone is enough to give me frisson, and when Beth's "Oh..." comes in, I just melt into a puddle of weepy nostalgia. It's perfect.

An odd mixture of cheesy movie soundtrack themes with James Bond-type vocals.

I'd forgotten how much I enjoy Portishead. Impressive, atmospheric, amazing vocals.

Yuck!

Very cool to listen to, relevant lyrics, nice and easy listening

Really cool and chill and funky

Just not really a Portishead fan, don't think I ever will be, whole album is just meh

I didn't think I was familiar with this band, but I did recognize Sour Times. Moody, female vocals, soft and spooky melodies.

I love Portishead though I feel the famous debut is the weakest of the 3 albums. Moody electronica with a torch singer.

Amazing album. Everything is perfect, the singing, the production, the samples, the James Bond esque guitar. It sounds like a dark smokey dingy club in the best way possible. I will never get tired of this album.

This is a pretty solid album. Had not listened to it for awhile.

Ultimately not for me. It was a little like listening to enya w heavier drums/synth-y beats. I think they’re doing what they’re doing well! I would put this album on if I was trying to host a sexy vibe-y cocktail party, or something like that.

I felt like i was the coolest kid at y2k

If it was just music, it might be listenable. Don’t care for the lyrics, not my style.

Kinda weird and unique. Makes me think of a movie album.

I really liked the mood of this album. The singers voice really brought the melancholy feel and mood of this album to the forefront. While fairly simple and not too varying in style, the album was easy to listen to and culminated in Glory Box. I can see myself coming back to this album if I'm in the right mood.

Never heard of them before, and this album didn't disappoint. I listened to it twice in a row and the second time I enjoyed it even more. Might be my favorite new find from the list so far!

Real nice, for some reason I always imagined this is what Bjork should have sounded like.

Pretty boring. The songs are not very distinguishable from each other. 2/5 Won’t listen again

Definitely 90's club music

not a fan

Solid work and a good entry into trip hop type production

Ta guapo

J'aime bien Sour Time, sinon j'ai pas détesté mais j'ai pas accroché. La dernière chanson impossible de l'apprécier elle est trop teintée par la pub Nina ricci 2.5

Je connaissais que Glory Box. Je comprends pourquoi, c'est la seule bien...

Le mood qu'il faut pour cet album c'est un mood de soirée, donc comme j'ai écouté le matin... Mais j'ai quand même bien profité, ça faisait longtemps que je l'avais pas écouté. Glory Box ; talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it J'aime trop la chanson, et j'avais oublié que Olivia Colman l'avait chantée aussi ! Que demande le peuple ??

Viel los, auch mal überraschend. Musik und Gesang toll. Macht mit Kopfhörern echt Spaß.

This is why we do this. So good. 5

I’m sorry, but listening to the vocalist, Nadja from What We Do In the Shadows came to mind, and then I couldn’t get that out. I remember the release of Glory Box and their performance on TOTP was a massive thing (because they were from the sameish county as it from), but honestly I didn’t and still don’t get the hype. Trip-Hop? Dance act? I don’t even know what it is but I know it’s up its own arse.

Fantastic Album! Trip Hop Finest.

3,5

Oh man, this is great music. It's spooky and captivating to be considered art but it's also chilled enough to be lounge or dinner party music, like a James Bond theme or something. Every track is a bit different but they also have a collective consistency, which is quite an achievement. Beth Gibbons vocals are awesome, sounding sexy and vulnerable at the same time. And I love the occasional sound effects / samples. Magnificent.

This album changed everything for me, it let me undertstand that there was more to music than gutairs and sent me down the helter skelter of rave culture and electronic music. Ill never forget hearing it on the radio and thinking what the hell is this, never heard anything like it. It's aged well and sounds current, the whispery parnoid vocals and dystopic sounds make it so atmospheric.

Deservedly iconic, everything music should be - innovative and evocative and sounds great!

My teenage daughter has been hating on Portishead lately, but I just can't bring myself to dislike it, it has so many happy memories tied up with it. I love the melancholy, the mash up of old and new, the vocals and drum and bass playing together. Glorious!

Sexy music.

Discazo

Maybe I played it at the wrong time of day. Maybe I played it when I wasn't high. Maybe I should have played it when I wanted to go to sleep or be depressed. Jagged Pill was more upbeat.

Music brought my spirits down.

I feel like robots are trying to hypnotize me. Nice atmospherics...But do computer generated tones qualify music? Regardless, you have to be exceedingly generous to call these songs. Sophomoric tonal riffing in place of melodic structure; and lyrics that come across like High School poetry.

I've never listened to Portishead. From their name I thought they would be like Tool. However this album is very Massive Attacks and I absolutely loved it. I live the kind of ethereal sound. Because it felt like a complete album the individual songs didn't stand out as much on first pass but I really liked the album as a whole.

War OK

Boring and repetitive. Way too brooding and moody. That being said, it was ok and wasn't overly annoying.

8/10

Love this album, so moody!

Amazing album. Loved it.

Pretty Boring

My second listen (popped up on a friend’s list the other day and he was already a fan, so….)….not sure I’m getting all of it; I see the appeal, but it’s not what I’d reach for ordinarily…definitively British, and I like the melodies and approach, but for me something is missing and I don’t know what

I had forgotten how good this album is. It's something we used to listen to while getting mellow. It holds up even when not under the influence.

this is not usually the type of music that is in my wheelhouse. and also today I am road tripping, so I think this album did not land for me twice over. I don't think it was bad, but I found it to be a little dull, and it does not make for good road trip music. not my thing!

Great album. Hypnotic and different music that gave a new breath to the musical scene

Day5 - not my cup of tea. Sour Times and Glory Box are good but the rest no thanks

Never heard of this artist, but her music has an almost sound to Sade’s music. Loved it.

Didn’t care for the vocals, music was good. 2/5

Didn’t care for it. All the tracks sounded the same

in my wheelhouse.

I didn’t think I had ever heard of Portishead but the 2nd track was definitely familiar. I enjoyed the whole Album.

This is an absolute STUNNING album. Each song has some interesting layer to it and Beth Gibbons has such A haunting voice

Wowww. An amazing, experimental, and unique body of work by Portishead. The artistry of this band is very creative while still very much being listenable and vibey. Best track is Roads.

Wow! How did I miss this? I was already out of the retail music industry when this came out in 1994. I’ve got Glory Box on repeat now. Moody, beat driven tunes some more accessible than others. I’m glad it came up in my feed!

Very psychedelic

Low to Mid-tempo. Cool beats to sample. Sounds very 90s

Not the kind of music I would often listen to, but this album rewards a close and relaxed listen. Being tonally dark, 'Dummy' utilizes deep lyrics and cabaret vocal delivery and is full of jazzy samples, funky scratches and catchy melodic hooks. The highlight of the for me is Glory's Box, complete with cinematic strings and Hendrix-y guitar bends. A solid debut album and an interesting listen for electronica fans.

Very chill. Almost lounge-style music. For some reason I had always assumed they were metal. Pleasantly surprised.

Too dark for my preference

Finally an album I'm not familiar with. I've heard some Portished before including Roads from this one but the rest of the album was new to me. I liked it, certainly more than a lot of trip hop I've heard. Will probably be coming back to it in the future

Good background music

Dummy. the debut album from Portishead, changed the trip-hop landscape. It was more atmospheric than many of trip-hop albums of the time, setting a stage for evolution of the genre. The lead off track, Mysterons, is a prime example. Sci-fi sounds, mingle with Beth Gibbons' torch song vocal delivery to create something as akin to ambient as it is to trip-hop. The rest of the album is just as inventive.

had some good beats/scracthes

Good background music

Very lovely. If I still worked in an office and played music on a speaker, this would be added to the rotation. It was enjoyable but not so distracting that I couldn’t work while listening. I recognized Sour Times (probably because Joe has played it at home).

Quite a good album from the early days of trip-hop. Consistently good songs from start to finish.

I’ve heard this before but never enjoyed it as much as this time.

Not at all what I expected! Very moody, atmospheric sound with poetic lyrics and themes, driven by understated sound. Very enjoyable and would listen to again with more intent.

Worth a listen, definitely different vibe and really interesting possibly early sample based music. Stuck a very niche chord in my brain, but overall, a good experience.

Smoky and mysterious vibe since it came out. Always enjoyed.

Very nearly a 5!!

THE BEST

I loved this. Very cool and unique. It’s own universe. Dope.

It’s really great!!

Down tempo funky. Great vocals

Very Good

Not the genre of music that I gravitate toward, but it was listenable.

Not my preference but ight

Not for me. I have never really been able to get into Portishead, and this album does not change that. I can hear the atmosphere and the mood they are creating, and I understand why it was so influential, but as a listening experience it feels very samey to me. The production is dark and cinematic, and Beth Gibbons’ voice is distinctive and haunting, but the overall tone rarely shifts. After a few tracks it all blends together and I find my attention drifting. I can appreciate the craft and the impact it had in the mid nineties, but it simply is not an album I connect with. Favourite track: None that truly stood out for me Least favourite: The overall sound becomes repetitive Album artwork: A cool, moody cover that fits the music perfectly

Mer 2000-talspop än väntat.

Listened Before? Y Depending on your view, this may be one of the best albums of the 90s. It's really solid. For me, it drips with nostalgia as well. Love her voice and the style. This one will stay in my library. Added to Library? Y Songs added to Playlist: Sour Times, Glory Box

One of my all time favorites to have on. I love the contrast between the rhythmic soundscapes and the haunting vocals.

Cool sounding album Really liked the female vocalist Eerie, psychedelic vibe Only managed to listen to the A side but would defo like to finish

Some interesting soundscapes, a few really good grooves, and interesting hip-hop influence. Can tell this was influential on some later music, my mind went immediately to the song in the waiting line by Zero 7. Ultimately just didn’t enjoy that many tracks, way more misses than hits.

One of my all time favorites to have on. I love the contrast between the rhythmic soundscapes and the haunting vocals.

If the lazy silkworm-spun guitar melodies of Mysterons and Glory Box were alive in 1800s San Francisco, they'd lie repose on a chaise lounge in a seedy opium den on the Barbary Coast, eyes glazed over in a state of blissed-out euphoria. Portishead surely earns its moniker as progenitor of Air, Handsome Boy Modeling Club, and the litany of lesser-than downtempo darlings of the late 90s and early aughts.

Surprised at this one! Really enjoyed it. Cool female vocals over some grunge/smashing pumpkins esque sound.

I found it dragged a little bit but I liked the songs at the end more than the songs at the start

I liked, portishead coming in with the supreme vibes. Did not emotionally touch me much so it gets a 4.

Dark, mesmerizing, and hauntingly beautiful. I’ve heard bits and pieces of their music on trip hop playlists but was blown away by the quality of production and editing on this album.

Really curious vibe. Sour times. Strangers. Glory Box. Definitely worth a deeper delve, I dig it.

i already loved this one, its great what else to say, such good vibes

How is this so acclaimed? I find it really boring. Reminds me of Bjork.

Meh

Always liked this album.

trippin on that hop i have had this vinyl for so long

I didn’t even know trip-hop was a thing but I’m here for it

not my scene

Kind of boring.

Good album. Couple of outstanding tracks.

Helt klart en viktig skiva. Antagligen den främsta trip-hop skivan nånsin. Tycker dock genren blir lite för släpig till slut. En stark trea.

Jag är nog lite svag för 90-tals soundet. Det här kom som en överraskning. Tror aldrig jag hört talas om bandet. Jag känner förstås igen hiten, den sista låten. Men hade aldrig kunnat placera låten. Jag tycker det är bra för det mesta (lite daterat med scracth-ljuden).

Ganska tråkigt

Hade bara hört Glory box sedan tidigare och även om den är jäkligt bra så blev det här ändå en stor överraskning. Älskar viben/stämningen genom hela skivan. Hennes low key-röst komponerad av väldigt välproducerade beats och samplingar gifter sig verkligen och ger ett grymt och unikt (?) sound. Redan vid första genomlyssning är det bra från första låten och hela vägen in i mål, vilket inte händer särskilt ofta. Kul!

Turns out I'm a Portishead fan. I had no idea.

did not like

Damn good album.

Cant stop thinking about Bill Bailey and part troll...

An unexpected surprise. Definitely one of my favs now

Listened five times in a row.

Decent. Enjoyed that.

Talented but not my style.

very cool, i dig it a lot

Great album and it's been one I've listened to regularly for at least 25 years. I love the sounds, pace, Beth's voice. To me it still sounds timeless, where other trip hop albums from the same period very much take me back to the early 90s.

I haven't uncovered why this album has been heaped with so much praise and I'm left feeling empty. After listening several times, I experienced a continual disconnect like I'm missing a puzzle piece leading me each time with increased frustration. Part of the problem was my own faulty perception to hear something more driving and upbeat. But the other element I picked up on, though perhaps I'm being a bit jaded, save for Beth Gibbons, is how lifeless this feels in places or even forced. It seems as though Portishead is so reliant on samples and setting a mood that the elements of memorable song writing/craft suffer. This isn't bad. There are interesting things happening with the music, but I hoped and expected more and found myself feeling exhausted trying to enjoy it.

Goede instrumenten, trippy vibe (misschien goed op drugs), fuck niet echt met de zangeres tbh

Kende Glory Box al (vgm van Heineken reclame haha), echt een top nummer imo! Roads ook opgeslagen Verder leuk, beetje spooky vibe soms maar heeft niet echt een wow factor Daarom 3 sterren, zou 't album alsnog wel draaien misschien maar would not buy denk ik

Apart from knowing where Portishead is in the UK and a memory of being stuck on the M5 for 6 hours staring at the exit sign to there, the band is a mystery. Happily this interaction was more positive. Although a little samey the mix is strong and engaging. The vocals fit the style beautifully. Some of the frills seemed an unnecessary embellishment. Or maybe likened to things that distract ones attention from the monotony of being stationary in traffic,

I dug this!

Great beats, great vocals. This album has such a cool vibe, it’s chilled whilst being a little haunting. Really cool atmosphere.

Fantastic. 8/10. Loved Biscuit and Glory Box, obviously. Excellent voice, very different from what I've heard.

honestly really enjoyed this album despite it not totally being my style, just really nice vibes. top fave was ROADS !! also loved sour times 4/5 absolutely made me feel like i should be getting high on an old couch in a cloudy basement in 1995 lol. will def keep on the rotation for chill times

JJ said this is exactly like smoking week in someone's basement in 1994 and she was so right. People have been telling me to listen to Portishead forever so I was excited to listen, but I didn't like it as much as I hoped. Mellower than I expected and it was fine, just didn't really blow my socks off. Maybe me from the late 1900s would have loved it but we'll never know.

Enjoyed very much. Wouldn't download but would definitely listen to again if ever working on a painting/design/

Head go dummy

That shit was bangin

Nice, spheric and something special.

I've seen this one on a lot of best albums lists and had been holding off. Went in with high expectations and was let down. The guitar and industrial sounds were okay, but the droning singing didn't resonate with me. This feels more like a movie soundtrack with no real direction or cohesiveness.

Great

fantastic record

Ja klonk lekker trippy, coole beats

niet af kunnen luisteren, ik had het idee dat ik op een bezem door de lucht scheerde

Jaa idk man, Britten

This is the ultimate chiller hip-hop album. I don't consider myself a viber, but this was cool enough. A few instrumentals off this wouldn't be out of place on Deltron 3030.

Iha jees!

Pretty great

They're really nailing the atmosphere they're going for here. I wish I could say it was the kind of atmosphere I enjoy, but it's not. The whole vibe here is very dark and moody, which just kinda bums me out. I do love the theremin on the first track, sounds very spooky. It's a Fire has a pretty beautiful sound and melody. Absolutely can't stand the "jazzy gal" voice on Glory Box. Overall though, I have to give credit to how singular the vision is here, and how well the production and instrumentation is put together. It feels way ahead of its time.

Really cool music for when you want to set a specific Background Vibe. Not something I’d sit and listen to for its own sake but absolutely something I’d put on for studying, working, or hanging out.

The trip-hop genre isn't often my thing, but this album has grown on me quite a bit. It's great background music.

I know this album but haven't heard it in a long while. I put off listening to this one for a bit. I never felt I was in the mood and didn't want to blow it off. Tonight I gave it a shot and Mysterons pulled me right in. Amazing opening track. But then I drifted out of it for a while. Numb and Roads pulled me back in and I totally enjoyed the album from that point on. This is real good stuff. Not my favorite kind of stuff, but real good nonetheless.

Very cool. It sounded cool. I'd put this on if I owned a record shop and had to run inventory while opening the store and warming up the espresso machine. Enjoyable, but mainly for the vibes.

Good

Been a minute since I heard this album. I remember liking it, let's see if it holds up. Holds up. 5/5

Chill but has that annoying DJ record scratch sound throughout

Super chill and I will likely listen again

Portishead is dope.

Never liked Portishead or Trip Hop all that much but it so clearly belongs on this list for its artistic value that I'll still give it a 4, even more so since it's the only album on the list.

Not expected. Pretty mellow.

Love portishead

Geht so

This has objectively good songs with objectively better instrumentals

THIS ALBUM IS GREAT OMG AHHHHH 9.0/10

Honestly, a bit mopey. Not for me

i do not understand why this is rated so highly

Easy listening 👍🏼😎

Another one that I can hear is good but isn't for me. The waify female "can't you see" stuff... nah

One of the greatest triphop albums of all time. 5/5

as bran said, great cooking music. jazzy with a little bit of sauce on top

I like Portishead a lot. It’s not always my go to and some of the songs sort of disappear into the background, but when they hit, they hit. Glory box is always a favorite

72/100 but doesn't deserve 4*. Rating out of 5 is dumb.

Extremely good trip hop! nothing like a genre double feature to immediately clarify what the good stuff’s supposed to sound like

top tier record

All I can say is that "Dummy" is way better album than "Third" and that last song is straight out of James Bond movie.

Sounds like what I'd think NIN would sound like. Good atmosphere, but also kinda slow. 4.5/10 Good instrumentals

Lush trip-hop beats and a 90s Bond longer singer's voice. Another full soundscape of a time, the mid 90s in Britain.

Certeza que eu já ouvi pelo menos metade do instrumental das músicas desse álbum em jogos indie. Dito isso, bom álbum

I grew up with my mum playing this album to me so a bit biased. Some proper tunes on here. Love the processing on the drums, makes it sound like its not a real drummer. The muted tones and depressing lyrics hits hard

3.5 Enjoyable album, tracks melded together a bit but overall very enjoyable if you want something of a lower pace and bit of a melancholy vibe. Wandering Star the standout.

2/5 - not my cuppa

I enjoyed this album, quite a unique sounding artist, unfortunately the problem I have with portishead is the unique sound you hear on this album is the same one you hear on every one of their albums. Not to say it's bad, it's decent but I would have liked it more if they changed the music up a bit. High 2/low 3

Every second of this whole album, from start to finish, is absolutely excellent! :)

Great!

really enjoyed this; sweet and dreamy

I’ve listened to one Portishead album before (Third) which I was told was great, but I didn’t really like at all. That leaves me somewhat apprehensive about today’s album. I truly want to like every new album I hear, and try to go in as optimistic as I can. Let’s listen with fingers crossed! Songs I already knew: Sour Times, Glory Box Favourites: Sour Times, Numb, Glory Box Apparently this album is considered to be what pushed trip-hop onto a lot of people’s radars. I’m more sure exactly what that is, but I can say that I enjoyed this album a lot. It was very mellow but without ever getting boring. It felt like sitting in a smoky jazz room at times, but a little more contemporary. Perhaps that’s what trip hop is. I’ve no idea. This was good though, so listen to it.

Glory Box

First day of one album a day, I had no expectations for this album but I kind of like it. It's trippy and soft, easy to listen to and weird at the same time. Pretty enjoyable overall.

somewhat forgotten in recent years, but WOW - what a banger album. era-defining.

So fucking good. Like what logo hip hop instrumentals would’ve been in the 90s, except way more authentic sounding, and with super cool soft and serenade-y vocals

It's fine.

I have to say. This album was way better than I was expecting it to be. While I still haven't listened to a rap record for this project yet, this album does have hip-hop-esque production. That production, by the way, is really well done. And I mean that in the good way, not the steak way. This whole album just has immaculate vibes all throughout. The use of sampling suits the album very well. The singing is oddly fitting for an album with beats like this one. Speaking of beats, they're really good as well! This album's mood is perfectly executed, and there really isn't a bad song. This album gives me similar emotions to Violater by Depeche Mode, another album I've listened to for this project. Honestly, I should've given that one a 5 in retrospect, and I think this one deserves a 5/5 as well.

Certified classic. No skips. Especially when it’s sadboi season

Weirdly great vibe, especially for the cloudy day that I had today.

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.

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*

Still as sexy and haunting as when it was released. Ten stars.

Undeniably a vibe

Unique, original, excellent

This is from the 90’s…so not the vibe that much. Listening to it is uncomfy but I could give it a chance at a later time

That's my jam

I remember in the mid 90s, as a student, you were expected to like dirge like this but it just never appealed to me

Much better than the name and cover makes it out to be

Un magnifique album à la sonorité planante. Un mix d'électro-jazz frôlant la perfection. Un album qui peut aussi bien se mêler au décor que faire l'objet d'une écoute attentive.

It's a close one, but I enjoyed every song, and felt engaged by every song.

Music that makes you want to crawl up and die. Amazing

Dreamy...

Ok

Weirdly smooth gooey goodness with dreamy vocals that can make my day any day.

That's pretty dope!

I first tried listening to this on my morning walk to work and thought it was such a bummer I wasn’t as big of a fan as I thought I’d be. I tried again at home, windows open into the night, no distractions and holy shit it’s actually SO good?? Just needed the right vibes for the reverberant, trippy melancholy.

Les instru vont pas avec le chant c’est bizarre Il y a que la dernière qui est à peu près bien

Probably hugely influential for loads of artists I like. Also slightly unreal this was 1994. Glory Box is a classic. Wouldn’t listen again but appreciate it for what it is.

Chill maar hmm

All time classic !

cool cool

Aika tylsä kokonaisuus. Ei kyseinen musiikkityyli oikein uppoa.

Sad android music.

Really enjoyable and attractive music. Standout songs were It Could Be Sweet, Numb, and Glory Box

Familiar with the hits from my childhood. Pretty good.

Finally an album I would be happy to add to my library. Never heard of Portishead before, but it was a very plesant album. Very nice and crunchy beats, atmospheric instrumentals, hauting vocals. Gets a bit simple by the middle, but has a very strong finish. I am not certain as to the significance of the album, but it was exciting and interesting to me today, so must have been quite special in 1994. Significant albums 13/29. Albums I liked 6/29. Albums I have added to my library 1/29. Significant, liked, added. This one: significant, didnt like, didnt add.

Not my style at all

Pretty interesting experience, though the songs dont really stand out to me

Pleasant voice. Not much variation, but served fine as chill background music. Better than anticipated.

Quite fun and varied album. I still zooned out though when sitting in a plane on my way to London only listening to that... Hope you guys enjoyed work ;)

I want to give this a 4-4.25. I think the front half of the album was good but much better liked the latter half. The song Strangers starts off with Japanese traditional music which was cool. A lot of the record has interesting production and the overall ambiance is dark, overwhelming, moody, and sometimes even hurt emotions. Definitely an interesting jazzy, trip hop, moody album

Wow, instant Portishead fan. I learned today that I have been a fan of trip hop for a while, I just did not know that was what this style of music is called. I had not heard this record before and found all the tracks to be delightful.

If I had found this album when I was 20 it would have blown my MIND

It's an album of peaks and valleys, I think. Great start, meanders in the middle, and ends with the two best tracks on the album. I might be biased but that makes a solid 7/10 to me.

Excellent... subtle vibes.

Pretty relaxing and nice to work with it on

Surprisingly pleasant. I wouldn’t mind listening to this again, but wouldn’t actively put in on.

kickass, mellow and deep

Have never heard of this band before, but did actually like the album as a whole.

Not sure what this is, but it isn’t for me

I'm not sure how an album this lyrically dark can be so damn sexy. It defies physics somehow. Dummy feels simultaneously retro and ahead of its time. Beth Gibbon's voice is fragile and powerful at the same time. This album is full of contradictions that somehow work perfectly. What a classic. Faves: Wandering Star, Numb, Sour Times, It Could Be Sweet, Roads

I've been listening to this record pretty consistently for almost 30 years and it still sounds so fucking cool. Spy soundtrack guitars, Isaac Hayes samples, Beth Gibbons' haunting vocals; everything about it is perfect. I wrote a screenplay years ago called Wandering Star, partly named after the biblical verse and partly because it's my favorite song on this album.

Oh, this is really cool. How have I never heard it before? I’ve heard of Portishead, but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to them before this - I think I was assuming they were kind of a generic pop band. I’d like to hear more. Really feels like it fits in with the recent “lo-fi hiphop” trend. (I enjoyed the album as a whole, but didn’t note any highlights - at least on this first listen - because it did feel a bit homogenous.)

Love this, so moody and delicious. A few songs felt a bit repetitive as the style doesn't change a lot throughout the whole album but majority were standouts.

The progenitor of low-fi hip hop The steady beats and wide variety of percussive elements vibe well with the haunting alto