Dummy

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.

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

Wandering Star is so GOATed it isnt even funny

Meh

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

A perfect album

Aaahhhhhh😩 Quin album mes hot

040925 16:25 4

4,5/10. Sin más, reconozco que tendrá valor musical para mucha gente, pero a mí me aburre y algunas canciones hasta me ponen nervioso. Solo conocía la de "Glory Box".

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.

Good but not their best

Enjoyed Glory Box and Sour Times

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

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

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

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

I liked it. I can see the inspiration it had for Alessia Cara and other groups. A 2.75

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

Always a decent listen though a bit monotone and dreary

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

Female vocals over some decently produced, chill, slower, 90's hip hop beats, thought I would hate it, but wasn't hard to listen to. Still not really for me.

I heard about Portishead but never heard or remembered a song by them... Yeah, this must be one of those cult following band. No singing... only whispering. must be horrible for the sound technician that has to lower everything to match the low level. Do the band perform on a separate venue to not overpower her? Not for me

A masterpiece. Everything about this album is perfection.

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

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

2,2/5

Glory Box is sublime, rest not so much.

If 3 AM had a sound.

Trip hop you say... Atmospheric, but not in a good way. Mercury Prize, yeah right on, you have to be kidding me, it's terrible.

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

Spooky ghost music for cool spooky teens

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

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!

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

Pretty good

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

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

Not horrible but didn’t interest me.

I enjoyed listening to this. 3.5

not my style but ok listen

cool trip hop

Scratching, low-fi sounds, samples, repetitive loops, depressing… not for Me!

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

2,2

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

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

nice. liked some of the songs

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

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

Absolutely classic. Very chilled. Great for background

Not my style of music. Could only listen to the first 2 tracks

Not my brand

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

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

Ég þarf aðeins meira oomphf. Hlustaði tvisvar á hana í vinnunni til að reyna að ná henni sem mestri en það var lítið að gerast.

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

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.

Creepy, not my favorite.

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

This is really nice!

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

It is unique but not quite my jam.

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.

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

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.

Every song sounds the same. Not a great album to mow the lawn to.

Perfection (100/100)

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

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

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.

not my cup of tea

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

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.

Well it's definitely better than 'Third' ... but still nothing too impressive or groundbreaking with this band for me.

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

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.

Sounds like a rainy day

reminds me a bit of gorrilaz

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

this was out when I was in my 20s -- I didn't know it but wish i did hten bc i was angsty and dark enough to love it hahah. Now in my 50s it's a little too gloomy for my taste

Eh didn't love it. 2.1/10

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

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.

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

cool and chill

Trip hop

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

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

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.

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

Beautiful.

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

On the first song I knew that this wasn’t gonna be my cup of tea, but I can appreciate a good production

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.

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

Its fine but I am getting bored

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.

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.

Het triphop defining album.

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

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.

A few weeks ago, I described Massive Attack's "Protection" as perfectly good ambient music to edit a paper to. I would describe Portishead's Dummy as perfectly good ambient music to forget you're listening to. This is part of the goal of ambient music, so I guess that's good if what they were going for. But I refuse to believe that's what they wanted. I also had to make sure that I wasn't listening to the same song twice. Biscuit and Glory Box are the same song, right? All in all, this is a 2.5 star record for me. I'm rounding down to 2.

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

Ngl I didn’t rate this it was soooo boring

By the 2nd song, I'd had enough.

No thanks

Trop langoureux, lent pour moi.

Not the worst thing I’ve ever listened to but not necessarily my favorite. It was pleasant and relaxing. I’ll give it that.

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.

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

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...

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

This was a great record, I can see where all the praise comes from. I can barely believe this is considered "electronic" since it's so sparse on instruments; these songs feel more like morose bedroom indie. Very enjoyable.

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

Pleasant but really the same song over and over again.

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.

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.

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

Cool. Really liked the atmosphere, a bit magical

Quite enjoyed that

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

Really liked this one…nice to listen to while working

Quite simply a masterpiece

No es mi vibe.

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

Classic gloomy trip hop

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

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

I 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.

One of my top love making album’s.

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

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.

This sounds so elegant and sleek. Like sitting in a richly appointed room of velvet blues and blacks. And that voice...sublime.

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

I don't like this kind of music. Reminds me of Burial and Massive Attack. I can't even describe what exactly it is, but it's not for me.

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

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

Dummy sounds as beautiful and innovative today as it did when it was released (and I still remember the first time I heard it: waiting tables at a late-night candlelit bar in SoHo where the bartender played it on cassette). Beth Gibbons’ voice conveys hauntingly rich emotion, while the production reinforces the inner gloom with chilling cinematic flair, sparse instrumentation, some turntable wizardry, and perfectly curated and executed hip-hop beats. I can’t not be utterly captivated listening to it; the saddest, slowest-tempo dance party imaginable.

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.

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.

the mizzle in Brizzle falls mainly as drizzle

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.

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

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 :)

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

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

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.

Album is about a 3.5

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

Very good: consistent sound, sounds like an album

weird, made me feel uneasy. not bad though

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

Las bases son buenas pero no es mi estilo de música. La voz de la cantante es muy plana, siendo las canciones un poco sosas. 2/10

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.

Veldig bra, min type musikk!

Album 843 of 1089 Portishead - Dummy (1994) Rating : 1.5 / 5 Electronica isn’t really my thing, and this one didn’t change that. That said, Dummy at least had some vocal presence and what felt like actual song structures, which puts it ahead of some of the other electronic albums I’ve encountered. It created a moody, noir-ish atmosphere that I can respect, even if it’s not something I’d ever return to by choice. A better experience than most in the genre for me, but still not a keeper.

I never really got into Portishead. This album ventures a little too far off center for me. Some of the songs remind me of Poe, whom I actually like better.

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

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

Not that much of a dummy....

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

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.

3 estrelas

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

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

Urghhhhh I don’t know. This was just lacking SOMETBING but I don’t know. It was satisfactory but not spectacular and ai was just passively listening.

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.

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

Couldn’t get into this one. Aside from the beats on some of the tracks, there was nothing I liked from this album. For some songs, it felt like the backing was unfit for the vocals.

Not much to say about this album that hasn't been said yet. One of the definitive 90s records and for me the peak of trip hop, a genre they, alongside Massive Attack, have pushed into the mainstream, blending hip hop beats with bleak, introspective lyrics, sprinkled with jazzy guitars and organs, creating a cinematic noir atmosphere that no other band has been able to capture in the same way these two did. What's crazy is that this was their debut, and to come out with something like this, with such a mature and refined sound, is pretty crazy to me. + Sour Times, Roads, Glory Box, Mysterions = Strangers, Wandering Star, Biscuit - N/A

Very weird, lots of instruments that doesn't fit

The songs sounded very similar

an interesting listen

I think this album is ok. It's good background music, but I don't think I'd put it on unless I just want something to fill the silence. Nothing too memorable for me. 2/5 Favorite song: It's A Fire Worst song: Wandering Star

Didn't listen to all of it abd can't say I remember much pf the songs I actually listened to. My broher says the band is good though.

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

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

If a goal of music is to make you feel something, this one succeeds. I felt angry that I wasted my time listening to this boring Panda Express version of quiet and thoughtful songs. Thanks a lot, Dummy.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

• 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!

Front to back this album is perfect. This was one of my go to records when I was in dating mode and I knew a make out session was coming. Many, many, many sexy times to this record.

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.

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

Just so effortlessly cool

3.0 - Ok

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.

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

Super chill and i can appreciate that

Vibey

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

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

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.

6/10

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

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

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.

Slightly better than Third which I did not like. But still not my cup of tea Repetitive and boring. Only good song was Glory Box which I never knew was sung by them 2 ⭐️

Neato!

Really interesting, a few familiar sounding songs (feels like drama/action movie soundtrack picks). Overall super cool sounds, chill working music. Feels slightly experimental. Not a fave, but glad to have experienced it and know who provides such a familiar movie genre

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.

Вообще не зацепило. Ожидал жесткого рока в стиле Нирваны, а по итогу какая-то баба поет. Кароче лучше пойду послушаю Тома Петти и Хертбрейкеров, хуй знает

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

Two thumbs down. I do not understand the universal praise. I found it to be sleepy, repetitive, and borderline unlistenable. It was depressing and a struggle to get through.

I was excited based on overall reviews, but I couldn’t even finish it.

Glory box rocks, I've had that song on a playlist for a bit now. The rest is cool but it seems like something meant for small doses. It sounds like one long droning song. There's definitely a good amount of creativity and talent, but it just never came together for me.

Excellent chill ambient music.

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.

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.

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

Good but don’t quite understand the hype

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

I hate electronic music

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

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

Great classic album.

I've listened to this album many times. If you're in a work situation and you need some groovy and mellow music to help focus, this one is a banger. I enjoy the vocals being set in the music instead of out front. It's laid back and urgent at the same time. In my opinion it's an excellent album and has no skips. Put it on repeat and get on with your day.

Amazing!

Was pretty chill listening

10/10

Might be a "you had to be there" situation but this got a lot of airplay in my orbit back in the day. Using funky Isaac Hayes samples to get down wasn't new. What was new was using them to get down in the sense of getting depressed, not to get down as in dance your ass off.

A nice treat from the collection, as I've owned this album for a long time, and have always enjoyed listening to it. It's also impressive hearing the difference between this much earlier album and recently getting their later "Third" album from after their long hiatus; "Dummy" is definitely more what I think of Portishead sounding like, but now I can appreciate both albums better I think. It's hard to pick just a few favorites from the album, as I enjoy nearly every track (although I'm quite partial to "Roads" as the highlight, and "It could be sweet" and "It's a fire" are probably the relative duds on the album), and I also enjoyed seeing the three videos, the well-produced Bond-like "Sour times" (apparently taken from a 10-minute film they created, "To Kill a Dead Man"), the somewhat disturbing home-movie-esque "Numb", and the final track's noir-nightclub "Glory box". I also really appreciate the almost steampunk-like/film-noir-like vibe to the entire album, and I'm really impressed to read that they created their distinctive sound by recording various instruments and sounds on vinyl, introduced a bunch of static/noise by walking all over the discs (and playing through a broken amplifier), and then recorded the samples on a record deck (in addition to their samples from vintage albums). I'm a bit torn between whether this is four or five stars-worthy, but I think the fact that this was their debut album, it earned all five stars.

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

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!

No me encanta

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

Noise. I don't feel it.

Another previously-listened-to-er. Been getting a lot of these lately despite the sheer unlikelihood of it happening. I listened to Dummy a year or two ago after a brief stint of trying to get into trip-hop - I'm a fan of both Gorillaz' debut album and Cibo Matto. Through my explorations of the genre I concluded that while trip-hop is a difficult genre to get wrong, it's also a difficult genre to get right. There's a simple pleasure to this music. I'm a big fan of the Silent Hill games (of which Portishead had a big influence), so in some respects this album is right up my alley. "Sour" is a very good song - the chorus flashes through my mind on occasion. Among the best displays of songwriting on the album, with an instrumental that is resoundingly Silent Hill. "It's a Fire" is another song that I sometimes think about, though my opinions on it are more mild. It has a good chorus while the rest of the music kinda falters. The thundering atmosphere on "Strangers" is pretty good. I also like "Biscuit". The pensive atmosphere on that song is pretty solid. "Glory Box" is a great tune, though you didn't need me to tell ya that. It has the best vocal performance on the album with some gripping strings and nice guitar embellishments. While I appreciate this album for what it is, something about it just filters me. It's undeniably competent as far as the music and performances go, though I can't help but come away with a mild impression. It's probably due to the generally minimal compositions and repetitious song structure. The album also loses me quite a bit in the later stretch. I can't say I cared about "Roads" or "Pedestal". In any case, this album has a lot under it's belt as far as influence and success goes, so it's a solid pick for the list. Can't fault it.

Love this album

I often forgot just how incredible this record is. Beth Gibbons has a voice like no other, and nowhere is that better exemplified than here. Tracks like Roads, Biscuit, Glory Box, It Could Be Sweet, Wandering Star, Mysterons, yeah im just naming the whole fucking album. It is that good. A must hear for all.

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

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

altern. rock, 1994 -> 3

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

Interesting

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

Good 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

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

Meh I dont know what to think about this

Mye kult og interessant, men og mye av det samma

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

5/5 Already an all-time favourite of mine (Thanks Dad.) The best to come out of the Bristol trip-hop bands. It holds this haunting, grimy atmosphere through the beautiful, ethereal vocals floating over the top of the industrial sounding hip hop beats and creepy samples and synths. Top 3 Songs: Numb Glory Box Mysterons

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

Me gusto, muy experimental, pero para mi tiene skips

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