Dummy

Yeah it's brilliant.

The one I keep coming back to when thinking about what my personal favourite album might be. Don't think there's a song that drops below an 8.

Class

FIVE all day long. Dark, moody, atmospheric, haunting- trip hop at its finest. Beth’s voice just melts me every time. & my wife’s cousin’s best mate used to cut her hair!

Beautifully composed and produced album. Excellent vibe 5/5

Top 2 album of all time

Triphop är kanske genren. Men samtidigt är Portishead i en genre helt för sig själv. Unika i hur de låter. Det här är en skiva som verkligen hållit över tid. Den är till och med bättre nu än när den släpptes för 31 år sedan. Eller är det jag som förändrats. Wandering star, Roads. Mysterons, Sour time, It’s a fire, Glory box… för att bara nämna några anledningar att dela ut full pott.

10/10 no comments. Incredible album I've never heard of.

Really cool 60s surf guitar combined with subtle hip hop beats to make the score to some unmade spy film that Austin Powers would have referenced. Beth Gibbons’s voice is gorgeous. Less hip hop influence than most trip hop though, making Portishead distinct from contemporaries like Massive Attack.

Honestly, for my money, the best album on the entire list (although Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney comes painfully close). Absolutely adore the sexy, mysterious vibe of this music. Also channels classic spy music (particularly on songs like Sour Times). Beth Gibbons' voice is absolutely perfect with just the tiniest amount of husk to it, while also being pleading, sexy, light. Barrow and Utley's compositions are absolutely perfect on this record (and honestly everything they've done with Portishead). My personal standouts are Mysterons (with its very weird, halloween-season vibes), Wandering Star (its dark, pulsing, weird, and teasing basslines), Numb (the drum tone plus Gibbons' higher voice and eerie keyboards), Roads (just all around the best pop song on the record, Gibbons' sad, resigned pleading vocals here are amazing), and Glory Box (insanely sexy - and we know where Billie Eilish got the idea for the breakdown at the end of Bad Guy from); but the whole tracklist are 10/10 winners. Easily one of my favorite albums of all time (Isis' Oceanic is the only album that beats it for me), and THE trip-hop album to end all trip-hop albums. No albums vibe harder than this one.

A classic, a 5 star and one of the best albums of the 90's. Its so good i missed it as when i was a teenager and came back and fell in love with it later on. The merging of hiphop production with Beths vocals and a close, intense, filmic vibe makes this unique and something that stands the test of time. If you'd not heard this before then its exactly why we are here.

I just absolutely love this album and everything it stands for. To call it a trip-hop essential doesn’t do it justice: it’s definitive of a style, the best of its form. The combination of styles, the inimitable vocals from Beth Gibbons, and the deceptive simplicity of construction. An absolute all timer for me.

Wahnsinnig gut! c

Absolutely outstanding. Somehow I have never really listened to Portishead and this album was such a great introduction. Finding albums like this is precisely why I signed up for this.

This album is vibes. Effortlessly cool. Listening to Dummy feels like smoking a cigarette in an underground Shoreditch party in 1994. I can't explain it but this is what Anthony Bourdain would be if he were an album. A great album to start the 1001 project. What a discovery. I’m a fan.

It’s great to every once in a while hear an album that I’m glad to have heard (many times) before not demise, and I’m happy for others to hear it before they become worm food. An album that really defines trip-hop and also steps outside enough to be appreciated outside of genre. I will always love punk and metal most, but I loved this album.

Amazing !

Love this. Trip hop has been one of my favourite genres since I was a teenager and this album is part of where that love started.

I usually listen to these albums in my car during my commute. When I did that, I didn’t like this one as much. It benefitted greatly from listening with headphones.

literally one of my all time favorite albums, it feels like being in a haunted house. the rhythms are intoxicating, the sampling is bizarre and incredible, the guitar work is simple and perfect, and beth's vocals are transcendent. and there's a theremin??? fuck man. i'll never forget listening to this the first time. first three tracks are my favorite but especially mysterons

This blew my mind when I first heard it, and to this day I still get goose bumps when I hear some of these tracks. Maybe it doesn't always work if you're in the wrong mood, but it's absolutely brilliant for what it is. It could maybe lose one track (It's A Fire) to tighten it up a tiny bit, but otherwise I wouldn't change anything. It's really not far from a perfect album. Easy 5 stars.

So amazeballs and classic. A original sound that cannot be reproduced.

This has been the best album collectively I’ve reviewed since taking this challenge. Up to this point I only knew the song Sour Cherry from some movie soundtrack. This whole album was well produced. Great songwriting.

Forgot how good it was.

Great one

Pretty awesome and still stands up

Classic early trip hop. There's not another voice out there like Beth Gibbons. An all-time favorite.

So so good I love Portishead (already knew this album)

I could write a book on this album and how it effected and affected my life when it came out. It was a huge soundtrack for damn near two full years. I still put it on to listen to decades later. It is that damn good. It was always classified as trip-hop but we had people call it electric jazz or lounge. One guy I know called it, "Electric booty music " it's one of those albums that doesn't really fit a lot of labels. Her voice is almost haunting and fits with the music so well. You feel every lyric and note. You can assign various emotions to it depending on your mood. It is absolutely an amazing album.

10/10

Many late nights spent with this as the soundtrack. Haunting, beautiful and still fresh sounding.

The beauty of this record never ceases to amaze me. Homemade samples, scratches and Beth Gibbons’ immaculate voice.

My only exposure to Portishead was being 12-years-old and seeing them on SNL. It was most definitely not in my wheelhouse at the time as I was firmly lodged in my Korn/Limp Bizkit/The Offspring fandom. Looks like I have been missing out on something amazing. Beth Gibbons' voice is so entrancing. Their samples are otherworldly and produce such a haunting effect. Not a weak track in the bunch. Highlights: It Could Be Sweet, Numb

Loved it

9.5/10

Absolute banger! De Trip-Hop vibes zijn geweldig met hemelse vocalen. Ik ga hier echt heel lekker op.

Bello, bello, bello

Premier 5 étoiles de mes écoutes et il le mérite.

This is an easy one to rate and one of my favorite ever. I can't think of many other albums that sound so cool and yet so beautiful at the same time. 23rd perfect album, 818 albums in. Rating: 5.0

I am lucky to have been at just the right age to appreciate this when it came out. The trip hop sound with Portishead, massive attack, and tricky was really influential. So many great tracks on this but you can't go past Roads.

Legendary trip hop. This is the album so many others tried (unsuccessfully) to surpass.

One of my favourite albums. Such a fantastic album

An exceptional album, not much else to say

Lovely

Wow. I don't know what I expected when I saw that this was a more ambient album, but I was completely blindsided by what is one of my favourite albums to date. It's hauntingly beautiful, unsettling and intimate. One of my common criticisms of albums on here is that things sound boring or samey, but this has a simplicity that somehow defies that idea that simple or repetitive equals boring. It's so rich and full, even though a lot of the music involves just exploring one loop or idea. I cannot give this anything other than a 5, which it has earned completely.

Another no-skip, big trip-hop vibes

One of my top 100!

Great album. Listened to it more times than I can count as a teenager. Still slaps.

Impeccable. For a 90s metal kid this was mindblowing - dusty jazz samples, boom bap, and the most haunting, elegant voice. Sour Times and Glory Box are perfect, and there are no "bad" tracks. The only possible downside is that it deserves to be listened to properly, not as background music.

Damn, invisible ninjas be chopping onions again... Before talking about the record, I want to give a bit of personal background. About three years ago, I decided to check out 'Mezzanine' by Massive Attack, as I was getting into the trip hop scene. Once I got familiar with that album, I moved on to 'Dummy', as they are both regarded as the primal examples of Trip Hop. Nevertheless, I felt quite dissappointed with this one. What I love about 'Mezzanine' is how insanely good the production is. Listening to that album is a similar feeling to touching the smoothest material of the world. Meanwhile, Dummy's sound is more stripped back and rough when it comes to the beats. This is the reason why I've never really got into the album... until not so long ago. About a year ago, I started to listen to some of the songs of the album again, and its sound started to grow on me little by little, but still haven't returned to listen to the full project. Now, this list gave me the opportunity to give this album another try that I was waiting for. Conclusion? Absolutely worth it. This record may be one of the darkest, saddest and more emotional albums ever. I don't think I've ever heard this level of pain and sorrow being portrayed in a human voice. Makes me consider Beth Gibbons as one of, if not the greatest singer of all time. But is not all about her. The beats are also a crucial element to creat the dark atmosphere of the record. They can sound a bit rough at times, but they always do a great job accompanying the voice and adding a lot of character. So yes, this album may not be perfect, but it is incredible. My favourite songs are 'Sour Times', 'Wandering Star' and 'Roads', but every song here shines in their own way.

Classic

One of my favourite albums of all time

Favorite Track: Sour Times

One of my favorite albums of all time.

upea

Had the UK version on CD and listened to loads. Love listening whilst working and chilling out on my own.

Has grown into a low 5 for me over the years

Awesome. No skip album.

Super groovy, super clean production, and just overall a really interesting listen. I wasn’t really hooked until i listened to Roads early in the morning at an empty office and felt some kind of something.

I love this album. It's interesting musically, moody, & sexy.

First album i tested my new car subwoofer with; uses low frequencies so well, really making them one of the main musical elements rather than just an afterthought

It was good

a foundational album that everyone needs to listen to at some point in their lives.

There are particular tracks that I really love on this, but its a great example of how to do an album.The entire sound and presence of it takes me in, and I'm never bored.

One of my favourite albums of all time. It's nice and chill and interesting, always a nice listen. I don't have all of the songs already but I'm still happy listening to even the ones I don't have liked on Spotify. It's a very nice trip-hop album. It's also one of my go-to jogging albums so I might be a little biased. I especially like Roads - it's definitely one of my favourite songs of all time. 5/5 stars.

Absolutely adore this one.

93/100. Dummy by Portishead is not only one of the best trip-hop albums ever made, but truly one of the best albums of all time. The atmosphere and tone are absolutely spectacular, drenched in moody textures and haunting vocals. It flows with a hypnotic consistency, pulling you into its world from the very first track.

An moody and atmospheric trip hop masterpiece

Dummy might be my #1 album from this entire list. It's just so amazing. The mix of tortured vocals, strings, brass, interesting percussion, record scratching and other electronic stuff, bluesy guitar, everything. It really changed music for me when I first heard it, and it still holds up. Incredible album.

If this album doesn't remind you of the time you drew Santa named, from life, you are doing something wrong.

Confession: with that name I always envision screaming metal music. I was wrong. This was very good.

The quintessential trip-hop album? Goddamn these beats mixed with the vocals...this thing fucks.

Best Trip Hop Album out there!

Great work. I was hungover this day, so very happy to see this album instead of something like The Cure (still can't get over the 2-day streak of that). AI helped me plan the full Irish breakfast for the lads and Portishead got me into the groove to execute.

Wandering Star is so GOATed it isnt even funny

A perfect album

A masterpiece. Everything about this album is perfection.

Already had Glorybox saved as a fav song. The rest of the album was really good.

What an insanely good sound. Starts strong, finishes stronger.

I get it. This sounds mostly like a slogging washing machine. =]. Can I stop here? So I need to justify a 5? Alright, I admit it, I'm biased. Imagine the scenario, a dark, pungent sub-human undergraduate scenario. Only newly knowing of the blackness, the darkness, forever. A joyless, self-absorbed, self-sampling trip-hop contrivance also captured a specific moment in my abyss. Every track on this record imprinted the details of the time and place I encountered it. I mean, it's in the same space in my imagination with my alien abductions and angelic visitations, and but what. I'm telling you man, my washing machine really speaks to me!

I can understand why people like this but not too hot on this. The entire production firstly was done great. A mix of typical hip hop beat but as well as it being overall very experimental. This album takes risks and overall is done well production wise. I wasn't expecting the female vocals on this but it was done well for what it is. Nothing really spoke to me individually but it does mix well together. An issue is I can't tell some tracks apart which is bad. The overall thing was done in a way that does make it normally a 5/5 like the more eerie feeling vibe and the sampling on this. But I cannot click entirely on it. I would say it's overrated but it isn't in that category and to some degree, there is lots of good. I would give it a try to get a 100% taste on it. Favorite Song: Glory Box

I wish there were more albums like this

Mysterons - 10/10 BRO THIS IS HIGHKEY ONE OF THE BEST SONGS I HAVE EVER HEARD Sour Times - 10/10 GOD I LOVE THIS ALBUM Strangers - 10/10 getting my clit rubbed would be less pleasant than listening to this song It could be sweet - 10/10 i love this woman wandering star - 10/10 beth gibbons im so drunk beth gibbons hiiiiii it's a fire - 8/10 (((( numb - 10/10 roads - 10/10 nghh papi im getting fingered to this song Pedestal - 9/10 let's do it mami im ready Biscuit - 10/10 this shit is fire gas idk what else ngggh rub my bellay Glory Box - insert that one beth gibbons smoking in the middle of performing this song performance

So, this one I had to marinate with. I listened to it first thing yesterday morning, thought it was fine, four stars, and I went on with life. But, for whatever alchemical magic there is in this album, it stuck with me. Listened to it again at work, listened to it again after work. It didn’t explode itself into my consciousness, but it did creep its way inside.

Perfection (100/100)

Заслужена класика. Вокал у Бет незаконно хороший. та й загальний продакшн тут теж дуже крутий.

Overall…absolutely majestic. A special mention must go to Roads, one of the greatest songs ever!

Despite being a 90s music kid, this album remained in my blindspot until just these past few years. What a dummy, right? Once I finally gave it a proper listen, though, I quickly learned how fantastic this is. Every song is an absolute mood and it hits the spot so well. An incredible album start to finish.

1994, the dawn of Trip-Hop. This album, Massive Attack's Protection, and slightly later (Feb 95) Tricky's Maxinquaye. Hell of a trio to kick of a new genre. Love all three of them.

Аудиоэквивалент секса.

This album is some pretty interesting electronic music. The vocals are great, and the songs are very good chill music. Some songs have a definite hip hop influence to them, especially towards the end of the album. In short, this album has a nice vibe that I enjoy.

one of my fav albums of all times: sad, sexy, desperate, existential, and the voice of Beth Gibbons!

Such a great album. I bit overplayed in the tears after it came out, but that was for a reason. So good.

An album that manages to be haunting, romantic and jazzy at the same time. It's such an interesting and enchanting blend, im in love with the direction of this album.

Beautiful.

Sex

Lazy and tender. It's so relaxing to listen to this that I ought to listen to this at night instead of earlier in the day.

Snelle inhaal review #22: Beste triphop album allertijden. Sinister en depressief van tijd tot tijd, om vervolgens weer best wel uplifting en relaxing te zijn, emotionele rollercoaster dus, hou ik van.

Het triphop defining album.

10/10 I’m no stranger to this album, but ever time I come back to it, I love it more than before

Got this on LP, it's cool!

Well, yeah. Basically invented my musical alley.

One of my favorite atmospheric albums ever, it perfectly captures a sullen melancholy mood in a setting that feels like a dimly-lit smoke-filled cocktail lounge.

A 90s album is just what the doctor ordered after a rough stretch of 80s music for me. This album is close to flawless for me; my only hang-up is the lack of diversity of sound within the album, and I am bothered more broadly by how consistent Portishead's discography is. But they do the sound well. 5/5

I've loved Wandering Star for a while, so I'm excited to give the whole album a full trial! Looking it up, this is tied into Massive Attack's work a lot. That's nuts. This is so much more interesting. Listening notes: -Nice slow buildup in the first track -Sour Times-the dark melody and here are such pleasant creeping sound. But it's that dope rattle that really crushes this. (research indicates this is a hammered dulcimer and it's actually a sample) Review: Forgot to write more but this is a banger album. Easy 5 stars.

Day 2 and delighted to see this on my list. What a great record, and a truly unique sound. One of the best 10 albums of the 90s and sounds as innovative as it did in 1994, from the theremin sound and buzz roll of the drums on Mysterons right through to the tremelo effect and organ on Glory Box and the haunting vocals throughout. I was lucky enough to see Beth Gibbons live earlier this year. She encored with Roads which was spellbinding. What a treat - if I could give more than 5 stars I would.

Tremendo, amo este disco.

That was a walk down memory lane. Did I need a reminder that my older sister listened to way better music than me when we were growing up? No, but I'm very glad I was reintroduced to Portishead. The fact that this was a debut album makes it even more impressive. I wonder when we are going to get to the Joe Satriani and Barstool Prophets...

Fire album, never heard of this so I looked it up on spotify - turns out this genre is trip hop. It's very exciting, very tripppy indeed but very groovy, for me this album is very stimulating and a good listen. Have had a few songs on repeat.

Quite simply a masterpiece

Classic gloomy trip hop

See my Massive Attack review from the other day and add a star. How Portishead never did a Bond theme is beyond me.

Spooky and distant and the voice is a storyteller sure but it’s also an instrument and it’s such a part of the shape of this music. My sophomore-year college girlfriend liked the band enough to wear their t-shirt but somehow never played them for me, Sarah, what was up with that? Though maybe it's on me for never asking more than whether it was pronounced porti-shed or portis-head. Years later, after I finally found the band. I loved the violin sample on Glory Box so hard I tracked it down and bought the source, Isaac Hayes’ Black Moses album, because I wanted more of that.

the mizzle in Brizzle falls mainly as drizzle

Roads is worth the listen alone but give the whole album a play for context and you’ll understand how influential this album has become.

Wasn’t expecting this one to be so good

I adore this album it is lovely :)

Perfection. One of the greatest and most original albums of all time.

A special album for me. Immersing, charming, and suffocating at times, Dummy delivers an unforgettable experience. It’s amazing how this album does not age… still strong, still hypnotic. Like the first time

Veldig bra, min type musikk!

Absolute classic from potentially the best trip-hop band of all time. Every track oozes a smoky charisma with Beth Gibbons heavenly vocals crooning like each word’s her last. There’s nothing quite like this!

Perfect from start to finish Came in only knowing Glory Box and Sour Times but Roads. Roads is amazing

179/1089 - What a cool album! Hip-hop and film noire make a pretty good combo. Amazing vocals and mysterious sounds through the repetitive ambiguous harmonies (while varying the instrumentation). One of my favorite albums for sure. While not on this list, Portishead self-titled and Massive Attack's Mezzanine are also great listens.

Incredible, atmospheric, and transformative. Just a great album fron start to finish.

Trip hop is (often) my jam. Could listen to this alllllllll day.

Having only listened to Beth gibbons solo project. This is her among vocals with energetic hip hop beats. Fav: mysterons, it could be sweet

What a stellar record. The production is fantastic. The cross of genres between hip-hop and psych-rock is executed with great effect. Each track is moody and emotional, which is emphasized in the distorted vocals and beats. I am pleasantly surprised with this one, and I enjoyed this album. Favourite Track(s): Glory Box, It Could Be Sweet Least Favourite Track(s): It's Fire

• 5/5 • The exemplar of trip-hop that excels in every component, beginning with the vocals and through to the beats, jazzy elements, fuzzy guitar, and mellow-yet-unsettling mood • A great listen all the way through, with a few fantastic tracks; Sour Times should have been the theme for a Bond film (in the best, Shirley Bassey way)

Another classic, what an incredible vibe this album sets and ending with Glory Box which is such an S tier song, what an album!

Oh my god how have I never heard this. This album is inspiring. From the needle drop, I was 100% invested. The textures build a whole different world and keep your ears satiated throughout. The emotion in every instrument really makes you FEEL something. What a listen. This album has changed me.

Just so effortlessly cool

For once an album that actually is unique enough to make it onto this list. The first one on here that I own on vinyl, and the 2nd five.

Beautifully produced and the vocals are sublime.

One of my favourite records of all time. The fusion of hip hop style backing music with the atmospheric/gothic vocals of Beth Gibbons creates such an interesting dynamic to the music. Each time I listen to it, I get something new from it. One of those fully formed debut albums. Wonderful stuff.

Excellent album.

Five

SUCH a FANTASTIC album!!!!

My buddy has a project to buy all of their "Perfect Albums" on vinyl. This was one of their first purchases and I could not agree more. Trip hop is a genre I like more on paper than in practice. After a time I just need this to open up a little, but this album is a major exception. Easily listened to it 3 times yesterday and will likely give it a few more spins this week.

I knew and loved Glory Box before this and always meant to listen to more of the artists but never did. I am really glad I did now. I still think that Glory box is my favorite song of the album but the rest sound great as well. Just a really cool sound overall.

This came up and I audibly said "Yesssssss..." So sad, so sexy. Great album.

We played this one a BUNCH at Camelot Records in 1995-96. It was my senior year and of the music we were allowed to play in-store, that record was among our favorite. Customers and our Manager… not so much.

Neato!

Portishead has to be one of the coolest bands of all time. And this record just oozes chill. It's truly amazing how it captures me.

Honestly a low-frequency banger for the ages. Thoroughly enjoyed this record. Vocals were exactly was these instrumentals needed. It's cool to see the roots of Trip-hop be drawn from this album. I love the crazy usages of samples used here especially for the 90s. Lyrics cut deep. Honestly Bordering 5/5 stars. I'm huge on every track with the exception of "Sour Times" and "Wandering Star" but that is more of preference thing. There's a lot to enjoy about this whole project. 2/4/26 - So I've ended up listening to this album a lot more and I have to say there are some moments that have genuinely become my favorite. Glory box is probably one of the greatest songs in this scene. Roads is a brilliant heartfelt performance. And honestly the production for this time is kind of unreal. After listening to a little bit more music in this general genre, I can say with certainty this is an album that I favor amongst a lot of others, so I will put it at five stars today because I think it is one of the best if not the best in this genre.

Oh, un petit quelque chose d'exotique quand même dans Sour Times. J'ai bien aimé. C'était doux et ambiant.

Un autre album du lot d'écoute de China. Elle va m'étriper si je ne donne pas 5 étoiles... Bien mérité. Selon China c'est un des meilleurs albums des années 90.

Wandering Star est magnifique. La ligne de basse vient d'un autre monde. Début de it's a fire on dirait qu'on rentre dans un temple dans Zelda, c'est le fun. La ligne de basse est tunée quelques hertz au-dessus de la tonalité on dirait c'est cool. Glory Box très beau. Il y a une vibe langoureuse sur l'album ça me parle. C'est le genre d'album qui s'écoute bien avec un ressenti 46 degrés

Classique! Je l’avais déjà écouté des dizaines de fois alors c’était facile. L’album a vraiment une capacité à établir une ambiance et à la maintenir toute sa longueur. C’est chaud, sensuel parfois, la tension est vive. La voix de Beth se mêle si parfaitement aux arrangements de Geoff. Sour Things, Glory Box, It’s a fire. Juste des chansons qui résonnent encore 31 ans plus. « Nobody loves me, it’s true… not like you do »

GOATED trip hop classic. Probably my favourite Bristol Sound group.

classic

Great classic album.

10/10

i really liked this album. ethereal and emotional and funky. verrrrry much enjoyed

Love this album

Sounds great. Beth Gibbon's voice embedded in electronic sounds.

Great album! Tight grooves, solid vocals, just an overall enjoyable listen.

Classic album and genre defining. The soft smooth vocals, the wonderful sample usage and all the textures in the songs, ui juist can't really go wrong

How can you not give a genre-defining album five stars?

…mimimi….mimi….mimimi…

So creepy but also conforting

Some albums feel to fly on their own heights and this is one of those.

What an excellent album! By mid 90's my taste in music had accepted that electronic music had flavours and everything with a massive bassy beat was not "euro techno", so I went to town. Portishead was one of the bands that really made an impact and sold the idea that dark and gloomy music didn't have to be fast nor heavy, or rather that heavy started to mean various things when talking about sound. For some reason I find this a bit lenghty release, feel like switching around the last three tracks, but usually let it play through. Really beautiful music.

Classic

Used to own this and lost the CD in a collection of CD's I lost. It was a very important album at the time and was part of a collection of artists that came out of the west of England with the same trip-hop genre. I will always listen to this album, and if i came across the CD again, I would buy it. Its A Fire is FIRE. I would want to own this album just for this song and Glory Box. my rating changed from a 4.5 to a 5 because of these 2 songs alone

Amazing late, late (late) night music.

Atmospheric, haunting and amazing.

Absolute banger to sleep to.

An exquisitely haunting masterpiece. Beth Gibbons voice soothes and mesmerizes through sinewy, sparse electronica. A must listen.

Innovate and emotional

Very funky! Didn’t think I would like this at first but ended up really vibing with it

Oh yeah wow. Another classic. This album is so good and so timeless and a perfect five. I’m so happy at the opportunity to listen to it again. What’s interesting about Dummy and Portishead in general is how singular it is. Usually when you have such a seminal album you get a wave of copy cats, some better some worse. This was never the case here. Trip hop was a limited scene and you didn’t really get a wave of Portishead copy cats. You can’t copy what makes this album special. It feels like the end of the night, the after of the after party. Like broken promises and shattered dreams and lost hope and it’s sooo beautiful. The production mixes hip hop, dance music, cinematic music and an old timey jazz feel. Gibbons’s vocals are beautiful but also beautifully flawed and cracked like they’ve been through all the pains of life. Wabi sabi in a way. Perfect five in any way possible.

A morose record scratches in a rainy, black and white movie with cobwebs drifting in time with the quietly crooned ennui. Dummy is an immortal trip-hop record that combines James Bond soundtrack samples, live instrumentation and programmed beats. Beth Gibbons melancholic voice soars to a keen and sinks to a sensual register, the lyrics are best heard as a melodic articulation, not read as poetry. Every 1990s bohemian girl declared a sadly frustrated sexual autonomy to album closer, and soundtrack staple, Glory Box. But, every single track on Dummy still feels both vintage and futuristic.

Went in with no expectations. Was not expecting trip-hop. At times it sounded like they were making music for a haunted house, at others I actually thought I was listening to a modern Bond film.

your demon stalks you in the night. it stares at you from every angle of this city, across from every derelict bus stop, in hallucinations formed between the specks in your eyes and the popcorn ceiling above your bed. in between moments of brief sexual release by yourself, you feel its hands, perverted and unkind, perched upon your shoulder. its drool is cold upon your neck. something haunts you, and it will not leave you alone, nor will it kill you. it will simply exist, taking up space wherever it sees fit, like some dispassionate feline. for some reason, there has been an understanding of Dummy as potentially sexy or swanky; i could not imagine fucking to this. this isn't lifeless music, for sure, but something is haunted and off-putting about it. the band made this record through taking their soon-to-be-abandoned vinyl samples and sliding down the banister on them, using them as skateboards. as a result, we have a scuffed future, something far from Massive Attack's sobering march into the future or Tricky's vampiric hip hop. it's soul music, emptied of its lust for life and filled with a bitter acceptance of a future that is equal parts uncertain and unfair. even the occasional acid jazz flourishes feel like flashes of light from a malfunctioning neon sign, accidentally switched on by a nightguard watching old rotting properties. the term i saw used in RJ Wheaton's book on Trip Hop for the 33 1/3 Genre series was "black-hearted soul". i disagree -- a "black heart" implies cruelty, evil. Portishead are not evil, they are drained. this is soul-sucked soul.

This has gotta be one of the most innovative albums genre wise, as it seemingly invented it own genre, and still transcended everything that's categorised as 'trip-hop' imo. The vocals are amazing, and have such a range of styles, and fit the haunting yet beautiful mood perfectly. I feel like quite a lot of elements from the instrumentals feel like samples, and are emulating that dusty old sound, from the CD credits, which I think is an amazing sound. The drums especially have such a perfect timbre, with the slight vinyl noise and crunch, and also the unconventional drum parts, like the drum machine on it could be sweet and the seemingly the snare drum with the level off in numb, which works perfectly. Also the organ/Rhodes which make up a surprising amount of the backings are great, and not too in-your-face. Absolutley no downsides with this, I think the only problems with Portishead as a band started to show in the self titled album after this, but nothing here. Favourite songs: all, maybe the its a fire one slightly less but still. Overall around 10/10

I have known and loved this album for a while now. It sets a very specific mood that you can't help but be transfixed by. However, I've always thought that there were some clear highlights and some clear... not highlights. We shall see if this notion holds up. Mysterons is really the perfect introduction here. Immediately you know what to expect. Perfect production, great vocals, and an odd setting. The drums here are perfectly repetitive, and the synth adds a lot to that air of mistery. Lyrically, not sure what it is about. But I sure love to sing along with Beth Gibbons. Great stuff. Sour Times seems to be about not lying to yourself and just... doing it. What you want to. Disregard traditional values and live. And that chorus man. This one is one the most emotional songs in an album filled with them. But really paying attention to the lyrics has made me love it even more. Damn Stranger is the first song that can be described as "unsettling" (something that can be said about a lot of their later material). The samples here are relentless, always drowning and present. It almost feels like a march, since there's always something happening. It is one of the songs that I didn't pay much attention to when revisiting this album, but this time I'm suddently liking it much more. It Could be Sweet has always been one of my favourites. So laid-back, the instrumentals are kept to a minimum, so all the focus is on the vocals, and damn is the delivery amazing. Lyrics wise, it reminds me of Sour Times a bit, especially the idea that you can't run away from your thoughts, or your wishes, and surrendering to them "could be sweet". This song is also an example of something that I feel about the whole album: it is not necessarily sad (although it can be interpreted in that way). To me, it's more beautiful than sad. In Wandering Star the sample is again a bit more unsettling. It also seems to be the outright saddest song in the album, about the state of depression and its feeling of inescapability. And besidesi talking a lot about feeling bad, it also dabbles in being deserving of it, things which often go hand-in-hand. It's a Fire has always been my least favourite track on the album. It seems to be about keeping on keeping on. And while at first it seems hopeful (even the instrumentals), there are clues that it is all a farse, the biggest example being the fact that the song ends with "so breathe on, little sister, like a fool". Numb, despite its title being the one that most aligns with the mood of the record, is the one that fits in the least. The vocal delivery reminds me a bit of something from their next album. Lyrically, it's sad. "This loneliness, it just won't leave me alone". The vocals, however, keep me from fully connecting to it, which is a rarety in Dummy. Roads is the most heartbreaking song here. However, its lyrics are also the most vague and hard to decipher. I think it's about loneliness in such a packed world. A feeling that we all feel and yet don't recognize. Her asking "how can it feel this wrong" though... yeah, great. Pedestal is another one I often forget about. I can't quite make sense of what it is about, but it sounds so cool and distant. The vocals are almost disconnected (non-derogatory). It's hard to miss out on a song that is between two giants (Roads and Glory Box), and sadly I think that may have happened to Biscuit. But damn is it good. That feeling of supposedly being full but still being hungry. Being a "slave of sensation". Yeah. And then we arrive at the big boss. Glory Box. It's the kind of song that, for fans, has become "too famous". But man, it's good. Very good. And so resonant. People seem to think that this is a bit of a feminist anthem, and while I do think that is in part true, I also think it is an admission of fault. All she wants to be is a woman. Despite recognizing that the standards set for what a woman is are ridiculous, she still wants to mett them. And that's true of everyone. We all admit that standards of gender (and plenty other things too) are useless and dumb, but we all still have that urge that forces us to fulfill them. At least that's what I get out of this. Yeah, this record is amazing. It is a defining achievement of any genre that uses samples, and is all but the founding text of the trip-hop genre. And it definitely holds up, as nothing quite like this album has been made since. I did gain a new appreciation for some tracks, and my love for the others only blossomed. It's a classic, and a damn good one at that. Bye

Billie Eilish vibe

Great album

Last song is a masterpiece

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!

Один из любимых альбомов, который сформировал отчасти мой музыкальный вкус. Тут все прекрасно

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 9.7/10 4.8/5

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.

So melancholic. So lush.

Jewel

masterpiece

Brilliant. Trip Hop is an interesting genre for me, and this album is arguably its finest example. Hesitated between 4 and 5*, but listening to it on CD with a proper sound system puts it to 5 for me. Sounded absolutely incredible.

Oh boy, an all time favorite.

Monotonous but i liked it. Makes me feel so... mysterious...

Damn, chuffed to listen to this.

Sour times one of the greatest singles of my youth. It had such a unique sound and sparked for me an interest in that trip hop sound. Morcheeba. Massive Attack. Tricky. Blonde Redhead.

I agree with Ben. I think I would like it better without the record scratching.

CLASSIC

Lurve

Trip-hop at its best, great atmosphere

Listened to this while playing The Loop. I lost. This album brings me back to my freshman and sophomore year of college in the early 2000s. I know this album came out before then, but I had lived my life listening to Christian, classical, and movie soundtracks. This album blew my mind then, and it still blows my mind now. Such a perfectly curated sound.

I liked this Portishead album a lot more than the ?newer one (Third?). It's still not for me and actually I never liked their single Glory Box very much but as a whole this album is excellent and stands out from the crowd. Rating: 5

Gave me lofi music vibes, really solid music

Super album! Masterpiece! It is one of my favorite albums! Music and vocal are perfect. The best album of experimental electronic music ever made for now!

🔥

Crazy Was ging da am drumcomputer

Eye opening! Portishead has a new fan. While I can't point to a single track that grabbed me, I was pulled on through the whole thing. I'll be checking out the rest of their catalog.

Not only the best trip hop album of all time, but one of the best albums, period.

What a wonderful treat after a long and painful streak of 1s and 2s.

A top 5 trip-hop album to me. Perfection.

This is the best trip-hop album. I have no further thoughts.

Had only heard sour times before getting this album of the day. Holy shit that was so much better than I would have thought. Not often do I give a second listen immediately but this was definitely one of those times.

This album gives me an instant erection. Too bad the girl who had this CD in her purse at all times and insisted on me putting it on every time we fucked turned out to be an absolute nutter. Good while it lasted, though. Six stars, really.

Awesome

I have this on repeat for a few days now

Where did this come from???

I'm ever so lost I can't find my way Been searching but I have never seen A turning a turning from deceit Cause a child roses light Tried to reveal what I could feel I can't understand myself Anymore Cause, I'm still feeling lonely Feeling so unholy Cause a child roses light Tried to reveal what I could feel I'm lonely It just won't leave me alone Oh no I'm fooling somebody A faithless path I roam Deceiving to breathe this secretly The silence, the silence, I can't bear Cause a child roses light Tries to reveal what I could feel And this loneliness It just won't leave me alone Oh no And this loneliness It just won't leave me alone A lady of war Yeah, its pretty good. 5/5

very good

This album is just so good. There is such a strong cohesion in character from song to song, with each song having it's own distinct persona. I have been listening to and loving songs like Sour Times and Glory Box for years, but this time I was able to put titles to songs that I recognized but didn't know I knew like Roads and Mysterons. I also heard at least one for the first time (It's A Fire) and it may have been the highlight of the listening experience. I'm having a hard time deciding between a 4 and a 5, which I think means I should just give it a 5.

Amazing album.

An absolutely phenomenal album to spend the morning f****** too

Love it

Great vibe.

Incredible album that I've listened to many times.

Gorgeous, interesting, unique, sad. Loved it.

Heard it before, multiple times. One of the best trip hop albums ever, the vibe is unmatched. Period. 5/5

loved it !!!!!

First time hearing the whole album front to back. So ahead of its time. 4.6/5

Most excellent!

Incredible album

2/10

This is #day148 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... this is what you call a debut album. Released almost 31 years ago, it has not only stood the test of time but still sounds awe-inspiring, no matter how many times you've heard or will hear it. Innovative, cinematic, poignant... How many descriptors can you use to capture it? I have a nice memory of hosting a lecture/listening event about trip-hop as an anti-genre of the '90s at a local record store a couple of years back, with Dummy and Blue Lines as case studies, playing a 2016 reissue and the original 1994 copy, respectively. That's when I dived into both records and learned a lot. Yes, this is one of those albums you must hear before you die, so this is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day149.

great

Very good album. Vibes are on throughout Will I listen to again: 100%

Revolutionäres Album, Rated 5 of 6

As a kid, I always saw this record on the shelf but always chalked it up to electronic music (not my style) and never bothered to listen to it. 30 years later, and wow, this is some good stuff. Electronic, yes, but also some jazz, cabaret, classical, and more. Singer's got a good voice, too. I'll be coming back to this one.

Quel grand album! Retour nostalgique dans mon adolescence avec ce disque d’une grand force tranquille avec des chansons parfaites comme « Mysterons » et Glory Box ». La voix chaleureuse de Beth Gibbons, les rythmes et arrangements trip hop et les samplings sont tout simplement parfaits. 5 étoiles sans questionnement.

Superbe. Un 5 assuré. C’est un album que j’ai écouté, réécoute, réréécouter toute mon adolescence. L’album n’a rien perdu de son charme.

Excellent - still sounds as good today as ever

Have the LP, trip hop gold

Nice. Eerie, chill. I enjoyed the instrumentals and ethereal vocal work was excellent. Something about it just works, and I'm here for it. Absolutely would revisit again! 'Sour Times' was my pick for a fave.

not even the best of their three albums, but the other is the best on this entire list. still incredible 9/10

Haven't heard this for a while, I usually default to putting on Third because I think that's their masterpiece. This deserves all the accolades it gets though. Great mix of styles and Beth's iconic voice over the top, then ends with the sexiest song ever written.

Fuck yeah.

Awesome album, great songs great vibes. Never heard of Portishead before, a nice discovery. The music also accompanied studying nicely.

Brilliant album from a brilliant time.

I don’t like how I’ve gotten 2 of my top 10 albums ever this early into this thing ngl

Great album to listen to with your gf, spouse or whatever. Love making music

So good. Roads one of my all-time faves. 5/5

Maybe some of this rating can be chalked up to nostalgia. This album came out when I was 15 and played heavily into my high school years. But regardless... fucking Portishead.

I never used to think I liked Portishead. But I was wrong. This is great.

i can’t believe i’d never heard this album until now. incredibly unique, never heard anything quite like this. the production is moody and atmospheric; elements of hip hop and jazz scattered throughout. Beth Gibbons’ vocals are beautifully depressing, the perfect pairing for this kind of production. will be revisiting this a ton