Dummy

Dark trippy and unique

If this would allow 4.5 stars I'd give it, but even though this album is a standout of the era and is so original and impressive, it is VERY cold, which stops me playing it often and giving it top marks

If I did not know better, I might think Portishead's Dummy falls into the soundtrack-to-non-existent-movie genre. Regardless, I am a sucker for trip hop. Thus, I am here for it.

This was interesting... I like a few of the songs at the end "Pedestal" and "Glory Box"

Está chulo pero creo que no lo escucharé mucho más

Zapomniałam o istnieniu tego zespołu! A szkoda, bo jest wybitny. Nie lubię trip hopu, ale ten klimat, ten leniwy wokal, ta senna, oniryczna atmosfera. Cudo! 8/10

Great album, have it on vinyl. Very cold and dark and super clear that it’s portishead. There’s really not much else like it. It’s great, but not all timer great.

Dummy was an instant classic when it came out, and it still holds up 20 years later. I knew of this album, and Portishead, but had never really sat down and listened to it. It's great.

One of the best trip hop albums of all time. High 4 very enjoyable

Enjoyed this album. Went into it expecting it to be quite depressing, but wasn't really that vibe. I knew i enjoyed sour times and glory box going into this album so am glad i came out of the album with a few more tracks.

Sublime. Low key electronica/pop. Reminds me of zero7.

still good

Insane production. Beautiful vocals. It's a classic for a reason.

I didn't know what to expect, but I love it

Honestly, the covers I have heard of Portishead songs seem better than the original thing, but it is still a 4.

Haunting and lovely

хорошо, качественно, чувственно, уникально. звучание интересное. но не цепляет

Liked this album a lot, and a lot of the music I enjoy is downwind of this album influence-wise. Just wish there was a little more variety.

Very close to a 5 star album. Great use of samples and original music with some great melodies over the top.

Terrific album, and innovative for its time.

Brings me back.. love the vibe of this

A true classic.But I have to be in the mood for it.

Aaahhhhhh😩 Quin album mes hot

040925 16:25 4

Love the sub-bass in some tracks (Pedestal). I'm intrigued enough by the music that I want to keep listening to see what else it has to offer. So far, haven't been disappointed. The genre is different from what I usually listen to, but I don't mind what I'm hearing at all. I like the sound of the female vocalist. Roads - Love the way it begins, hooked instantly. 5* I can see myself playing this one again.

Quite interesting; reminded me of Bjork in several songs. 8/10

Always a decent listen though a bit monotone and dreary

The vocals kinda remind me of Garbage. I'm not a huge fan of whispy female singers, but this album has some nice moments. 4* Highlights: sour times

kenn ich schon hihi ist stark aber nicht sooo brett

A perfect album for a rainy day. It's a particular vibe and I wouldn't be able to listen to this at any time. The jazzy electronica and great vocal lines sang by an incredibly beautiful voice make this one of the chillest albums I've listened to. 4/5

Great album. Great voice. Great sound of the 90s.

Easy listening at its finest.

In a nutshell: trip hop noir. One of the best debut albums of the 90s. A reviewer from NME mentioned "post-ambient" which checks out. It emits an enigmatic coolness without trying hard. In my opinion, a level up from their peers Massive Attack. Trip hop is one of those genres where you need to be in the mood for, so I can understand why it has detractors. If you dig this, listen to Roseland NYC Live. Portishead added a ten piece orchestral ensemble to the mix. Compared to Metallica's S&M, the ensemble and the Bristol trio bounce off each other. They compliment rather than being "the backing band". Overall: 8/10

It's chill, hiphoppy, I like it. Sounds great with headphones.

Absolutely classic. Very chilled. Great for background

Angry, Angry Johnny..... Such a mood and ambiance throughout. Sultry, aching, and quietly vicious.

This is really nice!

Strange but surprisingly enjoyable. Don't think I ever heard anything from Portishead a thing that needs to change.

electro, detente, pourrait passer sur fip

My sister (or brother) had a copy of this album when I was child. I vaguely remember the cover sitting in a CD stand during the 90s. So, I was eager to see what this was all about. A nice mix of electronic and contemporary music. What was surprising was each song started with a sad depressing and often quite strange melody. Only then to become something catchy and enjoyable as the song peaked. The ender had 'She's So Heavy' style arpeggios (love a bit of that!). And overally a pleasant listen.

For an album I thought i wouldn't like i was plesently surprised. Good use of actual samples, interesting vocal performance and nice arrangements. Hip hop pop vibe. An enjoyable listen.

Wish it was longer, so good such an art piece kinda reminds me of men I trust

the sound here is so precise it feels like its own portal you opened up, I love the feeling it gives off so much

I like it. Nothing crazy, but an interesting listen.

Trip hop

I really enjoyed this. Not sure if it is a regular listen but worth remembering.

Ik kende de naam wel, maar nooit echt naar geluisterd. Wat een verademing na een reeks min of meer matige albums. Hele relaxte muziek, maar wordt niet saai of gaat vervelen.

Dacht als jonge tiener dat bands altijd minder vet waren met een frontvrouw. Boy was I wrong, dit is een van de albums die me dat destijds in hebben laten zien :)

Super atmospheric and chill. Loved it anticipating a lot of low-key electronic while maintaining a very 90s aesthetic with the sampling, mixing, and record scratching

There's a lot to love here. From the atmospheric instrumentation to Beth Gibbons' unique and alluring vocal style. "Dummy" captures, swallows you whole and releases you back into the real world. Trippy, enchanting and wonderfully engineered. Keeps a consistent vibe and temperature throughout without ever feeling bland or repetitive. Definitely sets the bar high early and keeps delivering through to the end. 4.5/5

Спокойный альбом, навевающий грусть. 6,5 из 10.

This is the second Portishead album that I was assigned. The first one, "Third", sounded like an embodiment of every anxiety attack I've ever had. It was not good to me at all. "Dummy", on the other hand, left me pleasantly surprised. Beth's vocals are perfect over the background beats. The songs are a bit haunting and mellow, but remain cool. This album really shows the kind of beauty that can be made with simplicity.

Cool. Really liked the atmosphere, a bit magical

Quite enjoyed that

Really liked this one…nice to listen to while working

Portishead is one of those acts that I've been meaning to do a deep dive into for a while but for whatever reason never got around to it. This album is great, I love the way the gentle vocals and orchestration are pitted against relentless booming bass and drums. Big vibes on this one

I am a huge fan of Trip Hop so this was an easy listen. Love the vibe and her voicings. Each listen makes me want for more.

After finding out this was a trip-hop album I didn't think I'd like it. It sounded like it would be all the worst bits of genres I'm not particularly fond of. I also thought this will be difficult to review after only one listen, as the music does undeniably sound quite similar. I did enjoy it though. The delicate yet icy beats are great. It's sleek, chilled out, elegant, and those vocals are so good. They're cold yet lovely and they fit the stripped back, dark sounding music perfectly. I really like the eerie sound they manage to create, particularly on tracks like 'Numb', 'Biscuit' and 'Glory Box' which also had some cool distorted guitar soloing throughout. 'It Could Be So Sweet' sticks out as a vocal highlight.. This one also sounds slightly more optimistic sounding track. As I said before, the music does bleed together a bit, but this is one I will be coming back to with a good set of earphones to give a fairer chance, but for now, it's a four.

Pretty good stuff. I had not listened to this in more than 20 years and I had some nice moments of deja vu. “Dummy” was so different to anything coming out of the UK at the time. It was fresh, the music is technically proficient, the rhythms and beats are perfect and the mood is hypnotic. I understand even more why this was so influential. A few tracks on the second half of the album are a bit boring, but the highlights are excellent. Well worth a listen 👍

Gloomy triphop meets a beautifully haunting voice. Sour times, its a fire, ..roads and glory box are standout tracks that are all great on their own. And yet, i like this album even more because it works in its entirety with every song flowing smoothly into the next one. Mezzanine by massive attack could probably not exist without this lp. 4 stars because it is missing this one iconic single.

Still great.

This is the landmark trip-hop album for me. I don't think it's my favorite trip-hop album. But it's the one that got me liking trip-hop.

If you’re expecting a genre defining manifesto of an album then only a few tracks deliver. If you’re not it defines a genre.

Bought this for one song based on the video Sour Times. The rest of the album was a treat. Great vibe on this, and it is atypical of my taste overall.

Toujours aussi bon.

I really like their sound!! It is vibey and funky but sounds a little melancholy and haunted, if that makes sense. I would have never heard or listened to them without this, so very thankful for that.

Very good: consistent sound, sounds like an album

Perfect for concentration at work

I recognise a few of the songs off this album, think from adverts or tv shows. Think a few I know had been covers? Really enjoying it.

I like the super-intelligent shade of blue on the cover, which somehow does matter. Spooky, ethereal, mysterious. Trip-hop is cool to me but also can get a little tiring over the (not-so) long haul, but for the most part this one doesn't seem to drag on too long. Right length, a few classics of the genre which give a real film noir kind of feel to a lot of it. I like that the album works either as background and (occasional) active listening. Not sure how often I'd put the entire album on but I like everything here - a keeper and perfect encapsulation/sampler of trip-hop overall. 8/10 4 stars.

Very cool, chill sound. Just kind of one-note throughout. But amazing, trippy production.

Con razón todos le chupan el ojete. Muy bueno. Definitivamente para escuchar más del disco y la banda. Nota: 4.0

The music is atmospheric. This is a very low-key album, too low-key for me at times, and I have to be in the mood to listen to this album all the way through, otherwise it doesn't hold my attention. It's not go-to music for me. That said, Four stars. Would I listen to this album again? Yes. Would I buy this album? Yes, I did. 1 "Mysterons" - Great title. Mysterious noises (Theramin). - 4 Stars. 2 "Sour Times" - Sounds like a 1960s spy tv or film theme. Lovely mournful voice. - 5 Stars. 3 "Strangers" - 3 Stars. 4 "It Could Be Sweet" - 3 Stars. 5 "Wandering Star" 3 Stars. 6 "It's a Fire" - 3 Stars. 7 "Numb" - 4 Stars. 8 "Roads" - 3 Stars. 9 "Pedestal" - 3 Stars. 10 "Biscuit" - 4 Stars. 11 "Glory Box" - Saving the best until last! Excellent, gnarly guitar. - 5 Stars. Total - 40 Average - 3.64

Ah, Portishead. Very interesting album. Like a sexy jazzy sounding James Bond vibe combined with Hip-Hop. Glory Box will forever be one of my favourite songs.

♫ Listening to "Wandering Star" by Portishead (Dummy, 1994) ♫

The influence is undeniable. It's of its era but transcends it.

I didn’t think there could be a better record for travelling by train than Burial’s ‘Untrue’… this gives it a real run for its money.

Pretty good

Good n weird, raw n gritty. Production is all great, and lyrics take us on a fun journey. Gotta start being the dbag that won’t shut up about Portishead

Vibey

I got this on a nice rainy summer day. I love [sad 90s women sounds]

I wish this album had Glory Box on it three times but other than that it's really good

På sitt beste er stemningen og melodiene fem stjerner. Men det er for få virkelig sterke melodier til å forsvare en topp karakter.

Fantastic album. It’s a vibe all on its own even after all these years.

Æ tror faktisk aldri æ har hørt hele albumet før, men det va fint, sjøl om det hørtes ut som æ tenkte at det kom til å høres ut.

Love Beth's voice and the overall sound.Intriuing lyrics

Excellent chill ambient music.

Some tracks were duds, but I'd like to listen to many again. I liked the vocals and some of the 'trip hop' instrumentals/music itched my brain in a good way.

Amazing!

very mysterious trip hop music. it's like the music that echoes from a murky jazz club, hiding between all the other buildings with a neon light that's struggling to stay on. it's depressing, but it's a beautiful depressing, all wrapped in velvet. i like the atmosphere it sets for the listener. there's a few tracks here and there that really capture my interest, especially with some of the vocals paired with some really faint and eerie beats. there's a bit that lingers on here and there, but i mean... i think this one was pretty cool. if you're looking for something sensible and lo-fi, this one is a good pick.

Soo very chill. Has some massive attack vibes. Great song composition, appropriate vocals, great electronics

actually rather good! i enjoyed this album and have admittedly not listened to a lot of portishead in a while!

Good listen 🎶

Such a vibe. Really cool drums and sounds throughout. Love the western guitar on sour times Roads is cool, i like her singing, its fragile in a cool way.bass is cool on pedestal. Really dig the vibes and sounds, it does get a little repetitive though and maybe lacking a little depth or something. Not quite a 5

People always think I should like them and I only think they are ok. Good for this project

Oh yeah this is great. I'll listen to this again.

This album creates an atmosphere like no other piece of music I have heard. I find it hard to describe. Hypnotic, electronic, and hypnagogic.

4 5

Tää oli hyvä jumitus

Ended strong. I'm torn because some felt mediocre to my ears. Probably a 3.5

strong contender for the sexiest sounding album. gonna leave it at a 4 for now but im sure a few more listens and it will be up to a 5!

Favorite Songs: It Could Be Sweet

Straight out the motherfuckin dungeons of trip-hop. Shout out Portis and shout out Head. Those whites were on to something. Also, go listen to Beth Gibbon's solo LP from last year. 9/10 Favorite Songs: It's a Fire/Roads/Glory Box

Mildly Spooky

Plutôt bonne découverte, je kiffe la voix, l'album s'écoute tranquillou. Fun fact quand j'arrive enfin sur Glory Box et que je me dis "Aaaaaaaaaaaaah mais c'était eeeeuuuuuuuux ce morceau"

A mind-broadening approach to alternative. Quite reminicent of late-night 90’s and 2000’s

Ain’t no dummy here

Nice, haunting but relaxing somehow.

"Roads" is a fantastic song

Ah, nostalgic 90's trip hop. I LOVE IT! Sour Times is a classic, as is Wondering Star. Buscuit is the favorite for me. Such a dope album. 4.

Ultimate chill. Highlights: Sour Times, Wandering Star, Glory Box.

I really shouldn't like this. Not 'my type' of music at all.. but that's why I am playing this game. I really enjoyed this. Brilliant vocals. Atmospheric. Made me actually listen. 4/5.

3.9 This blew my mind when I first got into this at 12-13. So futuristic for 1994, sounds fresh even now. However, I think it's slightly let down by the weaker tracks. A few tracks float by without contributing much, which is a shame when other like Roads and Glory Box hit deep. It's a fire wasn't on my CD version back in the day, so it's jarring hearing it plonked right in the middle here, sounding so out of place. An unnecessary inclusion.

dreamy, idyllic, weirdly sexy - yes yes and yes

Cool beats very dark, clean, unique sound, put-together

I've had another Portishead album on this generator before (Third). This is one of those bands that surprised the hell out of me. Never heard of them before this generator. They are a trip hop band (hip hop crossed with electronica). These guys are like ....doom trip hop? It's got this dark brooding feel to it, but it has a super catchy beat. I really don't mind it at all. Pretty solid! Favorite songs: Wandering Star, Strangers, Sour Times, Mysterons, Glory Box Least favorite songs: It Could Be Sweet 4/5

interesting

Solid

Got Third yesterday and now Dummy today. Decided to just go ahead and listen to the second one as well to complete the journey. Spoiler alert they’re all great

A wonderful application of sampling and turntablism. I remembered this as being a lot more one-dimensional spy-film trip hop. There's definitely a lot of that stuff but the sampling is much more diverse than I remember. Mysterons opens with some turntablism before Beth Gibbons comes in sounding like Grace Slick when she's being sultry. Eerie theremins and and subtly impossible drum fills anchor the piece. Sour Times is pure Lalo Schiffrin. Makes me wonder how much of an influence this album was on east England's Photek et al in the later 90s rather than the Bristol crowd. Strangers has anxious dial tones anchoring 1920s jazz guitar and milquetoast hollywood numbers. Wandering Star keeps the dial tone concept going, this time with an anxious baseline. Its a Fire could be a modern pop song before the hammond organ comes in. I do have to admit that by the time I got to Numb the album had faded into the background a bit. Its cinematic quality is great but it doesn't necessarily grab you by the collar and force you to pay attention. The exception of course being the last single and the last track on the album, Glory Box, which slays. I think most of the band had been tangentially involved in music for a decade before they formed Portishead and they were in their late 30s. It feels really mature compared to most electronic music from that era. Doesn't feel like its trying to get into the future, but also isn't just retromania, really sounds like accomplished musicians creating something new.

Dreamy, lowkey alt

Nice vibes and love to listen to it while working Fav song - Glory Box 4/5

Very good and very soulful

Random thoughts: * Sadly, I did not get into trip hop in the 90s. My tastes were not refined enough or I just wasn't cool enough for it. I'm bummed that I missed this when it was new. * I'm glad I found this music recently. I'm a big fan. I actually discovered this through the podcast 60 songs that explain the 90s. I guess my tastes are more refined now because clearly I'm still not cool. * Beth Gibbons voice over that ominous music is a great mixture. * I listened to this on a rainy morning commute which is pretty good atmosphere for this album. Daylight is not the time for this album. This is late night listening material.

Another strong nostalgia flashback - still great

5 stars if you're having sex while listening.

Ciekawy album tworzący swój własny świat, ma bardzo melancholijny nastrój. Ton gitary jest świetny. Muszę przesłuchać jeszcze raz, bo trochę słabo pamiętam. Ulubiona piosenka: Glory box

Definitely preferred their eponymous one, but this shows the beginnings of their sound

Took me back to some junior year of high school MTV buzzbin memories. This has aged quite well. But not the most consistent throughout.

Great, love ‘em.

Запись хорошо, но был совсем не в настроении на музыку вчера.

I enjoyed this alot, very immersive and well-realized. Incredibly, this sounds like it could have come out in the last five years, both in terms of production quality (it is beautiful with good headphones) and style. It's undoubtedly plundering the best of what was going on in hip hop around this time, but equally there are significant elements of Dummy's intricate soundscape that have had major moments in recent popular music: the atmospheric, almost gothic aesthetic is all over the Lana Del Rey-Lorde-Billie Eilish pop lineage, and the vibe-heavy, emo-on-benzos production had a moment with a particularly shitty kind of rap coming out in the late 2010s, and lofi hip hop more generally. Who knows much direct influence Dummy had on those artists but at the very least it speaks to how ahead of its time this blend of sound was. There may be contemporary Portishead analogs that I find more interesting (that are hopefully on this list) and the vocalist wears thin by the end, but this is a high 4 for me.

I liked this album a whole lot when I first heard it over a decade ago, but admittedly it hasn’t had much play time for me over the years. Dummy is equal parts haunting, mysterious, spooky, and disquieting. The music is effective, and retains a distinct identity in the trip-hop genre 30 years after release. However, Portishead offers little breathing room for the listener over Dummy’s runtime. The band’s sound can leave the listener searching for diversity amid the onslaught of record scratches and blips. Thankfully, Glory Box is there to blow the lid off the building tension on the album’s close. (And what a finale it is). Dummy’s themes have always gone a bit over my head, but I feel the album does such an efficient job of marrying Beth Gibbons’ vocals with the cold and oppressive soundscapes that you kind of get the idea anyway. By no means a genre I’m comfortable with, but Dummy scratches by with 4/5

Pleasant enough trip hop likely sounds a lot better at a club slow dancing with someone you fancy.

Great album. Very well balanced between underground trip hop and mainstream appeal. This album definitely stands the test of time.

Lol

Probably one my most 'local' albums of the 1001, beats that still bang and a voice that is still beautiful. More importantly a stylistic and genre defining piece.

Have heard of but never listened to Portishead. I liked the vibes

It definitely scratches a specific itch in my brain Half way between a 3 and 4

Enjoyed the listen. 7.5/10

Great dark moody vibes to this one. Need a trenchcoat in the rain, like a blade runner city or something. Gives mystery feelings

I'd forgotten quite how good this is. Bit nonplussed to see it on the list but listening back, it's a perfectly cut gem of a record. One of those rarities perhaps, where the reality is actually better than its status. Barely a flat spot on it, a coherent and unique sound, brilliant musicianship. It's fantastic

I liked this album. The production was really cool and tight. Favorite songs were Roads and Wandering Star. Many songs on here could’ve been James Bond songs. The vocals weren’t very interesting or impressive. Some of the aspects of this album reminded me of the Gorrillaz.

Incredibly strong sample work highlight an album that would be damn near perfect if they found a lead singer who didn't sound like she was hiding from her parents at 11pm with how goddamn quiet and flat she was most of the time and how often the producers focused on "chill beats" before anyone even invented that term. The first section of this albums incredible, I love Sour Times to death and I was certain it would be one of my favorite albums. Unfortunately, the interesting sampledelia gave way to a neutered Ute Lemper doing Lofi Beats to Study/Relax to. Started this album in love with it, ended almost mad at it. Still a 4 out of 5, the great songs reverberate through my childhood taste in music. There ain't a MS MR without this I bet.

Good good.

This was a good choice for an Easter Sunday listen. Great sounds, nice sparse production. There are some fascinating notes on how they created their own samples on the Wikipedia article too. She has a great distinctive voice too.

Have listened to this before and didn't like it. This time I really sunk in and enjoyed the unique sound!

Chill album. Overall solid, most songs are nothing crazy, but there are a few great songs, and every track on here is solid in its own right.

Classic trip hop album.

My initial reaction to seeing this was another 90s electronic album was dismissal and dismay, but the first song is so far actually kinda cool. I wish it had a little more going on dynamically, but I like the sonic environment, it's mysterious, dangerous, and intriguing. So this turned into a cool vibing trip and I'm glad I was able to find it through this project.

nie posluchalem calego ale fajne bylo

A really cool and atmospheric record

With its revolutionary sound and timeless production, "Dummy" has been proclaimed "the best album of the 90s." While I think "Grace" by Jeff Buckley deserves that title, I will credit Portishead for popularizing the trip-hop genre. They has a distinctive, an eery, almost desolate sound: Whenever a Portishead song comes on Spotify, I always go "Aha! This is going to be a great listen." Although I prefer "Third"—which is more polished—"Dummy" is a fantastic debut in its own right.

Enjoyed this

I consider it to not be a regular album. The woman who sings is in a deep kind of pain, thoughts. Sometimes she's talking about the world problems, the human soul but also about relationships, probably inspired from her personal life. The melody of her songs are all monotone and slow which makes you feel more sad, we really have the impression it's not music but a sort of complaint, there's also many repeted words and expressions in many of album's songs to make the feelings reach deeper. In overall, it's not my genre at all, I'm more into Evanescence kind of stuff when it comes to society problems, and she really is fire, but other music also opens new point of views, which I consider important.

Classic album

it was an experience 8 out of 10

Deeper instrumentals, interesting lyrics that provide a certain depth to the songs

Music for uncomfortable, sleepless nights.

Oh no... it's the misery chick again... Actually, this one wasn't as bad as the last one... hooks are much tighter, and the vocals (while still not very strong) aren't quite as washed out... If I were going to throw a pity party, this is the album I'd choose... but I hate parties... of any kind... Seriously - this was pretty decent, though.

90s, fun. I could hear the sounds of Delirious and other such things

Apparently this was one of the first trip hop albums. So by influence alone it's a pretty big deal, and I do like the emotions it evokes.

Very calm and ethereal. Good for listening to during work.

Really like this

A fantastic album that fills in the spaces in the room, like warm soup on a cold, winter's day.

A defining 90s classic

really cool, enjoyed it and definitely unique

New one for me this and loved it

Refreshingly different

משוגע

Excellent album. Out of the several trip hop albums I've got so far, this might be the best. Vocalist Beth Gibbons is kind of the star of the show, and delivers performances that are really tuned to the songs. She manages to hit just the right spot the song calls for, whether it's a sort of desperation in her voice, a kind of wistfulness, smokiness, sexiness. And these tracks, the samples here, the beats, are incredible. It feels like a blend of hip hop and old film soundtracks that's absolutely seamless. This sounds fresh to me now, I can't imagine how fresh it did in 1994. Fav tracks: Mysterons, Sour Times, It Could Be Sweet, It's a Fire, Glory Box

Most every song sounds about the same but that’s alright. It’s lovely.

Really like the vibe, great band and inspired some of my favourite albums

The famous tracks are all time classics that make my hair stand on end from the start. The rest, however, don’t quite live up to the hype. To be fair it is an exceptionally high bar. My word, I feel like this thing is starting to make me more picky

Phenomenal album, and somewhat counter to when it was released. Still sounds fresh today.

Great Trip-Hop. Portishead has such a unique sound. Reading about some of the techniques they used to make this album made me like it even more. They were really going for something here. I could put this album on in the background and listen for hours. This is another album where I can understand why people might not like it, but I think it's just fantastic.

When I saw how I rated "Third", I thought I was in for another long listen. Thankfully, I enjoyed this album much more. The comparison that keeps crossing my mind is that it's Lofi but make it 90's and add a vocalist. The drum and bass goes hard too.

Creepy and dreamy - feels a little like a movie soundtrack for a psychological thriller.

Good stuff noir jazz Dark shit

Took a minute for the vibe to get to me. A unique noir sound that I haven't heard before blending jazz, RnB, and blues.

Portishead was one of the bands where I would always say to myself I would listen to them but never get around to it. So when I "had to" listen to this album I had no expectations and WOW I should have listed to this sooner. Just sexy, smokey, spooky. Arrangements are so smooth. Great production. Love the different textures. Vocals are nice too. Good album. Would listen to it again on a cold, slow and rainy day.

Sounds ahead of its time if it were released now.

9/10

Dummy probably gets more love than it should, but it’s still a good album. The mood is consistently dark and hypnotic, with a few truly great tracks that stand out. Worth a listen, even if it’s a bit over hyped.

8 Strong first few songs. Atmospheric. But the middle of the album gets muddled and samey. Ends on a high, with "Glory Box", but my favourite was "Sour Times". More of a background album than a headphones album.

8.5/10 Favorite Tracks: Glory Box, Roads, Sour Times

Grungete og eksperimentelt... fett. Men littegrann monotont for min del

achei esse genuinamente mto bom

nunca tinha escutado esse aqui inteiro ces acredita atmosférico pra caraio! música de filme de espião do caraio. esse aqui é perfeito pra trabaiar. pqp. só beat absurdo tbm e o vozerão da moça tbm lindo demais. talvez eu fique obcecado? sim, mas nao vo dar 5 estrelas agora nao

I really like this, but you've got to be in the mood for it. This isn't the kind of album you throw on at a summer pool party. This is night time, or cloudy, rainy day stuff.

all timer for me - I listen to this at work pretty often. surprised by how a closer listen emphasised how weak the middle-end part was…..like generic trip hop rather than the iconic tunes on side A. also did not realise the fidelity on the sampled parts was so low sometimes, which is kind of charming but also really clashes with the modern synths and drum machines they employ. still love it tho!

I had never listened to Portishead before, it's not much my style but I enjoyed listening to it even though it is not something I would listen frequently. Starts off a little slow but has some pretty good songs that are standouts even though they all sound kinda samey. Enjoyed Wandering Star, Numb, Pedestal and Glory Box

Great album start to finish

I like it but not enough to buy it. If you had me over for a dinner party and played this I’d be good with that. To read more copy/paste this: https://tinyurl.com/tvu6t45k

Not what I was expecting. Cool and moody. Standout songs: Sour times Numb Glory Box

9/10

Casts an atmospheric and bleak spell. I wasn't sure I'd like it after the first few bars, but got caught up in the current. Lowkey but intense, in its way. "Strangers" is a crazy banger.

Mostly pretty cool. Definitely can be rather same-y throughout but the beats are decent and the vocals add some tragic emotion which matches the instrumentals. 7/10

1/15/25: Surprisingly liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Would be a good album to listen to at work. Album art gave me a much more tortured impression than the actual songs conveyed. Strong theme of love.

This was a good chill album, very easy to listen to, would listen again

Original and influential sound that captures a mood as well as any album out there. Chill (tempo and vibe/feeling) lo-if sounding beats surrounded in a dark cloud haze. Beth Gibbons sings beautifully with a desperate longing in her voice. This is smoky, late night music. It’s sad but serene.

I listened to this twice. didnt like it at first, but liked it the second time.

Incredible instrumentation range.

dark and lovely

SUPER cool. kinda dingy but also very smooth

This music fucks. I need a cigarette.

Goated, wenig zu sagen... Wahrscheinlich das beste Album bis jetzt

moody music for walking in the rain. although Portishead also has "head" in their name, they're not as good as Radiohead. 4/5

Zero 7, Massive Attack, Bjork were all artists I thought about while listening to this. The record scratching had me concerned at first but this was a nice chill listen. Great background music

9/10 this album reminds me of some sci-fi western almost like it would be long in cowboy bebop this is the first album I’ve kept listening to even after finishing all of the tracks and I love how they use guitar in all of the tracks to show how it can really be versatile Favorite track - “Glory box” Least favorite - “numb” Most unique - “it could be sweet”

this the kind of music that would play in the black lodge in twin peaks

Thought it was really good! Nice easy listening music but really great! Connected as an album

Dummy is such a cool album. From the album art and this band's name, for some reason, i thought that this was going to be a punk rock album but no, instead what i got was a trip-hop album and it definitely does the genre super well. The beats may be repetitive but that didn't bother me one bit as they just sounded so cool and all the extra touches the band put into these songs really added to them. Beth Gibbons' voice was also something that really added to my enjoyment of this album as she was able to bring out all the emotion of all the tracks that she was in. This album was a very good listen. Best Song: Glory Box Worst Song: It's A Fire

good background album. super vibey and boa esque. will maybe listen to again :)

This Portishead album was way better than the other one. This was actually enjoyable!

Beautiful, haunting, not for me. Little too drone-y for me. The whole thing feels very artsy and I can hear its influence on other things, but it’s a hard listen for me. Good background music for me. It could be sweet really growing on me Wandering Star. Super melodic, wonder if Eminem listened to this, the riff is very rock and roll Big Hikaru utada vibes on some of these middle tracks Jesus, Roads hits like a truck. Brutal. Profound. Maybe I’m a changed man, I could listen to this again

Love the chanteuse. The album defines the standard for the trip-hop genre.

Did not expect to enjoy it this much

This thing is a powerhouse in originality the entire way through. Every second is something I’ve never heard any other artist do before. It’s wholly refreshing. that kind of originality, unfortunately, can lend itself to a ln album that is hard for some first time listeners to really latch on to. This is my second or third listen of this album the whole way through and I’m yet to be completely familiar with it, but it does grow on me with each listen. I’ll almost certainly listen again, as I very much enjoy it. The production is insane and complements the vocals perfectly. Beth Gibbons obviously has a distinct and unmistakable voice which helps to separate Portishead from their contemporaries. Instrumentation is beautiful and samples are used flawlessly. I have no qualms with the record other than a lack of range that could be a tad wider. Some tracks are hard to tell apart. That doesn’t bother me too much, though, love this. 4/5

the only one of these mid-90s british electronica records that's actually required listening most of the record is samey to my ears but contains a rich ambiance and is executed very well

A stunning, sad, evocative unit of an album

This album deserves its critical acclaim, because it's inventive and yielded a new sort of musical experience. Much of it I really enjoy. But I'm not all that convinced by Beth Gibbons's vocals, which sustain a monotony that I find frustrating at times and do not always believe in. And yet, and yet, it so cleverly incorporates Hip Hop (in 1994!) that I'm left unsure what I feel. I guess I kept longing for a spark, and I only got ashes, tho beautiful ones.

Classic alert! They have a pretty unique sound as a band, only problem I have with them is they never really stray from this sound. IMO this is the only portishead album you really need to listen to, the others all sound the same but worse. 4⭐️

Heavily technical and thoughtful production. Only a few songs that I would revisit, but four stars for some high moments and incredibly consistent quality throughout.

Had no expectations of this album, only knew of the band cause they had the funny name of the place near Bristol which raised my attention cause I I I had been to uni at Bristol, even though they were well known in the U.K. at the time. Well am I surprised, no not surprised, immensely gratefully thankful that through this project I got to hear this. It is a must hear, it’s s warm but lonely, it’s hip hop influenced but also 60s/ 70s Bond sound track influenced and old school soul, it’s electronic but also sort of singer songwriter intimacy. Listened to it all morning with the rain and it’s just so eloquent. The arrangements are gorgeous and the vocals are so expressive. I’m still a physical medium collector and will be adding this today. These moments in this project more than counterbalance the albums that I struggle to get through..

Not really into electronic music, but this was pretty good.

Loses a lot of steam but still decent

Had some great songs

Once went on drive through Portishead town centre while listening to Portishead. Because I’m cool. Lovely stuff. Simpsons: No

I really quite liked this, it's not my usual jam and I don't know when I'd listen again but there was nothing wrong with it at all. Good job Portishead.

C’est pas vraiment mon truc le trip-hop;, mais la voix de Beth Gibbons fonctionnera toujours sur moi. C’est très chill, et s’il doit y avoir un album à sauver de cette période et de ce style, c’est celui-ci, alors je serais moins généreux avec les autres. “Mysteron” en ouverture pose bien l'ambiance. “Roads” est très joli. “Glory Box” est un classique. C’est pas grave si ce style est aujourd’hui un peu oublié, il nous restera ce disque comme marqueur d’une époque.

Sleepytime Depeche Mode. Still excellent, but I prefer Black Celebration, Construction Time Again, and Music for the Masses. But listening to DM, it’s all good.

- Not much sounded like this when it was released ... it still holds up, a testament to the creative energy of this work, it sounds as fresh today as it did then. -

I haven't heard one of these type of albums in a while, and it was a great listen! Very different from what I have gotten so far.

Classics

Close to a 5 tbh… this is pretty damn unbelievable, like some of the coolest sounds everrrrr. Such a front to back banger

Never really quite clicks for me but so damn cool

kinda unreal album to listen to ... all killer no filler but hasnt quite connected strongly enough for me to give her the old fiver

Low-Fi offbeat. mix of pop, scratching and rock. Haunting female vocals. Feel like a hangover but kind of in a good way. 7/10.

This was really good. Always aware of Portishead but never listened. I think something about the name made me think they were a metal band. Anyway, will have another listen to this soon.

Vibes.

loved it

Eerily hypnotizing. Truly a unique listening experience.

Best wel goed, zeer luisterbaar, wel wat veel van hetzelfde.

I usually am not as big a fan of down tempo stuff like this but it's got some interest beats and atmospheric going on. Apple music rated this like 67 on the top 100 list they have which means nothing really. I will listen again on the way home from work in the car with better speakers then the ones in my work truck. On second listen it deserves a solid 4

Ah finally the infamous Portishead which I keep hearing about from Brandon and Kevin, happy to finally listen. Very cool lo-fi type beats with some beautiful singing that she has to go on top. While the songs were sometimes repetitive in beat, they never got stale at all. Some of the effects that were thrown in were very cool. Perfect album to listen to while doing some mindless coding for the past hour.

I would listen to this again. Her voice reminds me of someone and I can’t quite place it.

I'd heard of Portishead, but hadn't realized I knew a couple of their songs. If this is what trip-hop sounds like, sign me up for the newsletter. VERY good debut album. Sounds like the soundtrack to a stylish, sexy, well-produced detective movie. Excellent songwriting and singing. Somewhere between 4 and 4.5*.

I'm changing my review months later because I've realised I enjoy it a lot more now compared to my first listen. It's grown on me, helped by when I'm listening to this at night, that's when it's best.

moody, vibey, broody, beautiful. i really loved this! i've always been meaning to listen to portishead, so i'm glad i finally had a no-skip opportunity. i thought it got a little samey after a while but still, a great entry on this list. always refreshing to see a woman, too 🥲

pretty neat album. definitely a unique sound (for the time, at least). now it's a bit more commonplace, but i imagine hearing this for the first time in the mid-90s would have been mind-blowing. not 100% my thing but still cool that this is on the list. favorites: sour times, wandering star, roads, glory box

I tend to listen in the morning. Not an ideal time for Portishead maybe? Still, what am I interesting band for it's time. Really wasn't anything like it in popular music. Much less a somber group that has four hits on a single album.

great 90s vibe

This is so weird. It's like Depeche Mode and Linkin Park find underground Jazz. I like it. Also reminds me of me singing something I invented while my dad played the keyboards. I want more of this. Ohhh I already heard Glory Box somewhere before.

Nice, beste song op het einde

Gives a strange and subtly oppressive atmosphere. Its like a dark curtain lays heavy over the entire album. Lynchian. Best: Biscuit, Roads Worst: Strangers

I neglected this at the time, and wish I hadn't, because I think it would have become a favourite. I liked the atmosphere of spooky, melancholy unease. The rhythms drive it forward, not letting it meander too far into uncertainty. The backing is sparse, but interesting. I did know some tracks, particularly Glory Box. Funnily enough, I saw Beth Gibbons on Jools Holland the other day, and was intrigued enough to look her up. "Oh, she's from Portishead. Must listen to them" I thought (as such was my ignorance, I didn't recognise her name. Or her.) Happily, it wasn't too late, and it's finally in my consciousness properly. I did get that mid-side-two lull, where it all started to get a bit samey, so it's not five stars but it's really good overall I think.

Never heard this one before, it’s dope! Real chill and kind of atmospheric, with a hint of weird. It makes for a really fun listen. I will listen to this again and may check out more of their stuff.

I've listened to Glory Box and Roads many many times now but only listened to this album for the first time a few months ago (and didn't revisit it much either, knowing that it'd eventually pop up here anyways). It's pretty much the epitome of embodying a mood and sound, with the doomed, dark romance thoroughly permeating the entire thing. "Give me a reason to love you Give me a reason to be a woman I just wanna be a woman"

听不懂但好睡

fantastic. 3.5

Dummy is an extremely pleasant listening experience. There are lush soundscapes aplenty with just a splash of the eerie & foreboding industrial stuff that makes trip-hop so irresistible. Beth Gibbons has a wonderful presence about her on many of these tracks. I find that the strongest cuts come very early, and later on in the tracklist. The middle is where this album drags a touch. Overall though, it is inarguably a trip hop masterpiece and one that is well worth returning to time and again to discover new layers you might have missed previously. Top 3: 1. It Could Be Sweet 2. Sour Times 3. Glory Box Bottom 1: Wandering Star Overall Score: 8.1/10

Love love love this album. It's moody, it's unique. Simply brilliant

Excelente para chillear

I never paid attention to Portishead, but wow! this one will get many listens in the near future :)

Laidback, chill, great to work to

Situationally very good.

Alluring

i really liked this one. great album 8/10

Relaxed, atmospheric, and eerie. Smooth, sweet, and clear vocals.

The opening song, Mysterons, is awesome. Rest I didn't quite warm up to.

Very cool indeed. This brought back so many memories of the 90s. It felt like (although I bet it wasn't, as they aren't professional Mancs) this was the only album ever played in Affleck's Palace, when you went to buy your flared cords and Black Grape t shirts.

Moody, atmospheric, brilliant Highlights: Mysterons, Wandering Star, Roads, Glory Box

Chill

Dummy really is one of my favorite albums of all time, and truly stunning as a debut. Wandering Stars, in particular, is amazing. Although as deep as my feelings are, I can see the space between this work and perfection, so landing at four.

killer

classic, goated

Knew this one back in the day when it was popular & they were the talk of the town. I tried real hard to like it all but it's so gloomy was only drawn to a handful of songs. In retrospect, I kinda dig the slow groove. I enjoyed the intro, "Mysterons", moody & dark with a nice rhythm, a table setter for the entire album. That is immediately followed by their one "hit" song "Sour Times" which seemed to always be on alternative radio in 1994. My favorite was "Wandering Star" which I forgot about, repetitive but groovy. Then you have solid songs like "It's A Fire", "Numb", and the stellar "Roads" & "Glory Box", it's much better than I remember, not an album for everyone but I can see why it's deemed a must-listen recording. Top 1001 worthy!

Quite enjoyed this, chilled but catchy.

Liked songs: Mysterons, Sour Times I really liked the tone of the album; very dark, lots of space in the mix, simple song structures but great execution. I will be coming back to this album

I was never really into this when it came out. But on listening now it was so much better than I imagined. Very chilled but the musical arrangements and the vocals elevated it above some similar offerings which I would usually consider dull.

A very chill but techy album.

One very well known song, but others equally nice. Cool album!

My friend in high school used to play this album a lot. I didnt really appreciate it at the time but now I see the vision.

Sour Times Strangers I enjoyed this sleepy album, listening to it at work with no one up here in the early morning, while the overhead lights switch off due to lack of movement.

Thoroughly enjoyable album.

7.5/10 Good stuff this. One of the pillars of trip hop. As such it sounds exactly like you expect, doesn’t diverge wildly from the very good sound. Samples, beats, scratching, vocals. Personally I prefer the sound of the third Portishead album. Best: Roads

Atmospheric, moody and just a outright great listen. This whole advert sounds like the soundtrack for one of those early 2000s Bacardi adverts. MY biggest issue here is no single song stands out, instead the album feels like a piece of backing music, which is does fantastically and i find myself having on in the background constantly! But the like of a real standout song stops me from giving this a 5. I adore it, but i adore it in the background more so than as a first choice of listens.

Love it. So cool. So much better than all the other trip hop albums

Me and gideon throwback! Excited for more porridge as they’re grear

It's an odd one for me, this. I feel like I should give it five stars because it has a whole load of classic songs on it and it's such a unique sound. But whilst I've enjoyed hearing Portishead on the radio or around, it's never been something I would choose to put on myself. I think it's Beth Gibbons voice. It's just too tremulous for me. *shrug emoji* As a side note, and this has no effect on my score either way, I never knew the songs had such daft names. Like, I know "Roads" really well, but had no idea it was called "Roads". The same with "Biscuit." Is that keening song really about the love of a McVities Digestive? "Fully fed, yet I still feel hunger" etc.

Great album never dull

Love the cadence and tone of this album

This one is so good. It does have a few dips, but overall is a very strong 4/5.

Mellow and chilled out music but clearly very influential in the trip hop sub genre. Plenty going on as well here, this isn't an album that's chilled out because of "space", they are nicely layered songs and some thought provoking lyrics.

I didn't know a thing about Portishead. Apple Music has it listed as "Electronic," so I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like it, then those drum rolls in the first track grabbed me, and the singer has a nice voice. Good beats throughout, some hip-hop-ish. Sounded like female Beck. Pretty good. I'll listen to it again.

Dummy is the debut studio album by Portishead, originally released in 1994. Wow, what a debut! This album is super moody, and sounds like the album cover imo. At some points it's funky, psychedelic, and I even hear some dub/reggae influence. The sampling is very tasteful and the vocals are smooth. The production is amazing. Very ahead of its time for 1994. The only downside is the album is sorta one-dimensional, but the one dimension they hit is done so damn well.

Great album, but a little uneven and some of the production touches have not aged well. When the formula works, it works.

I waded through a lot of really average 60s albums to get to this one. What a relief. Numb is so good. I've listened to it countless times over the last thirty years. It takes me right back every time to that share house over the road from the gun shop in Brisbane in the late 90s. I picked up the CD second hand from a pawn shop, brought it home, put it on, and was captivated. This is definitely a four. Four wandering stars. Wandering Star, Mysterons. All great, slow burning brilliance. Roads! All the strings and feels. Glorybox -

Mooi gebruik van samples. Je kan horen dat een toekomstig hip-hop genre als Trap hier invloed uit heeft gehaald (waarschijnlijk zonder door te hebben). Het genre heet natuurlijk ook niet voor niets trip hop, door de gelijkenissen met hip hop. Vocals zijn niet echt aan mij besteed, in ieder geval voor de eerste keer volledig luisteren. Iets te "zeikerig". Van de tekst heb ik nog niks meegekregen. Spannende mysterieuze vibe met zeer originele instrumentatie. 7,5/10