Reviews (page 8 of 15)
How can you not give a genre-defining album five stars?
never was a big fan of portishead
This was an alright album. It was enjoyable to listen to but nothing really stood out, it may take another listen to really appreciate it. I liked the vibe but I would give this a 2.5 if half ratings were possible.
Oh yeah this is great. I'll listen to this again.
Pretty good. I can hear the glitch Hop origins. It got a bit strange for a bit there.
This album creates an atmosphere like no other piece of music I have heard. I find it hard to describe. Hypnotic, electronic, and hypnagogic.
…mimimi….mimi….mimimi…
4 5
Tää oli hyvä jumitus
Actually enjoyed this more than I thought. 2.46
Ended strong. I'm torn because some felt mediocre to my ears. Probably a 3.5
So creepy but also conforting
3 stars Inventive and interesting. I was able to listen to it all the way through a few times although it did put me to sleep.
Just nahh from me. 2/5.
From this trip hop movement i always liked Tricky or Massive attack more than Portishead. This record has quite cool jazzy vibe, but as an album it is bit monotonous.
Some albums feel to fly on their own heights and this is one of those.
The first few songs didn’t click — the vocals felt out of place with everything else. Eventually it started to flow better, but by the end, it faded too much into the background. 3 stars.
What an excellent album! By mid 90's my taste in music had accepted that electronic music had flavours and everything with a massive bassy beat was not "euro techno", so I went to town. Portishead was one of the bands that really made an impact and sold the idea that dark and gloomy music didn't have to be fast nor heavy, or rather that heavy started to mean various things when talking about sound. For some reason I find this a bit lenghty release, feel like switching around the last three tracks, but usually let it play through. Really beautiful music.
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!
Theremin was done best by the Beach Boys on Pet Sounds. It's use should have pretty much started and stopped right there. Sour Times is not the biggest song on this album?!? I'm shocked. This was the working soundtrack for a Zach Braff movie. Yeah, Glory Box makes sense that it's the big hit...very popular.
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
not for me! a little slow and i’m not in love with any of the songs
Not my cup of tea!
👎🏻
Classic
Used to own this and lost the CD in a collection of CD's I lost. It was a very important album at the time and was part of a collection of artists that came out of the west of England with the same trip-hop genre. I will always listen to this album, and if i came across the CD again, I would buy it. Its A Fire is FIRE. I would want to own this album just for this song and Glory Box. my rating changed from a 4.5 to a 5 because of these 2 songs alone
Amazing late, late (late) night music.
Mysterons 3.4 Sour Times 3.6 Strangers 3.5 It Could Be Sweet 3 Wandering Star 3.6 It's a Fire 3 Numb 2.8 Roads 2.8 Pedestal 3 Biscuit 3.1 Glory Box 3.3 Score: 3.190909091
Need to listen a bit more but this could easily become a 4. Some real head bobbers
I am sad to report I did not make it through this album. This is fun music to play in the background during nocturnal adventures but I can't imagine just listening to this by itself so I was fucking floored to see two of their top ten songs on Spotify were live renditions of their songs. 2.5/5
Weird witchy vibes. Not irritating but not something I want to listen to either
49 minutes de génériques non retenus de James Bond
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"
Is this … the absolute rompiche ?
C'est un peu comme le tour de france: je sais qu'il s'y passe des choses intéressantes mais je peux pas m'empêcher de dormir...
Zzzzzzzzzzzz
A mind-broadening approach to alternative. Quite reminicent of late-night 90’s and 2000’s
Fun album with super great production and vocals. The main thing that holds it back for me is how similar pretty much every track is
I listened to this thinking I would really be enjoying it as I remember loving it but I wasn’t as intrigued, mostly just bored.
Atmospheric, haunting and amazing.
Really good album. I like their later material better but this is still solid
Absolute banger to sleep to.
An exquisitely haunting masterpiece. Beth Gibbons voice soothes and mesmerizes through sinewy, sparse electronica. A must listen.
It might not be an exaggeration to say that literally everyone likes this band more than I do. Still better than Radiohead though.
Innovate and emotional
Very funky! Didn’t think I would like this at first but ended up really vibing with it
Ain’t no dummy here
Oh yeah wow. Another classic. This album is so good and so timeless and a perfect five. I’m so happy at the opportunity to listen to it again. What’s interesting about Dummy and Portishead in general is how singular it is. Usually when you have such a seminal album you get a wave of copy cats, some better some worse. This was never the case here. Trip hop was a limited scene and you didn’t really get a wave of Portishead copy cats. You can’t copy what makes this album special. It feels like the end of the night, the after of the after party. Like broken promises and shattered dreams and lost hope and it’s sooo beautiful. The production mixes hip hop, dance music, cinematic music and an old timey jazz feel. Gibbons’s vocals are beautiful but also beautifully flawed and cracked like they’ve been through all the pains of life. Wabi sabi in a way. Perfect five in any way possible.
Nice, haunting but relaxing somehow.
A morose record scratches in a rainy, black and white movie with cobwebs drifting in time with the quietly crooned ennui. Dummy is an immortal trip-hop record that combines James Bond soundtrack samples, live instrumentation and programmed beats. Beth Gibbons melancholic voice soars to a keen and sinks to a sensual register, the lyrics are best heard as a melodic articulation, not read as poetry. Every 1990s bohemian girl declared a sadly frustrated sexual autonomy to album closer, and soundtrack staple, Glory Box. But, every single track on Dummy still feels both vintage and futuristic.
A little too dreamy for me. Essences of Bjork rise over the beats. In its day, this would have been the antidote for BritPop rock. Led the trip-hop movement but this is not an album to be played during daylight. A true 2 AM record.
Went in with no expectations. Was not expecting trip-hop. At times it sounded like they were making music for a haunted house, at others I actually thought I was listening to a modern Bond film.
your demon stalks you in the night. it stares at you from every angle of this city, across from every derelict bus stop, in hallucinations formed between the specks in your eyes and the popcorn ceiling above your bed. in between moments of brief sexual release by yourself, you feel its hands, perverted and unkind, perched upon your shoulder. its drool is cold upon your neck. something haunts you, and it will not leave you alone, nor will it kill you. it will simply exist, taking up space wherever it sees fit, like some dispassionate feline. for some reason, there has been an understanding of Dummy as potentially sexy or swanky; i could not imagine fucking to this. this isn't lifeless music, for sure, but something is haunted and off-putting about it. the band made this record through taking their soon-to-be-abandoned vinyl samples and sliding down the banister on them, using them as skateboards. as a result, we have a scuffed future, something far from Massive Attack's sobering march into the future or Tricky's vampiric hip hop. it's soul music, emptied of its lust for life and filled with a bitter acceptance of a future that is equal parts uncertain and unfair. even the occasional acid jazz flourishes feel like flashes of light from a malfunctioning neon sign, accidentally switched on by a nightguard watching old rotting properties. the term i saw used in RJ Wheaton's book on Trip Hop for the 33 1/3 Genre series was "black-hearted soul". i disagree -- a "black heart" implies cruelty, evil. Portishead are not evil, they are drained. this is soul-sucked soul.
Not at all for me. Weird stuff.
This has gotta be one of the most innovative albums genre wise, as it seemingly invented it own genre, and still transcended everything that's categorised as 'trip-hop' imo. The vocals are amazing, and have such a range of styles, and fit the haunting yet beautiful mood perfectly. I feel like quite a lot of elements from the instrumentals feel like samples, and are emulating that dusty old sound, from the CD credits, which I think is an amazing sound. The drums especially have such a perfect timbre, with the slight vinyl noise and crunch, and also the unconventional drum parts, like the drum machine on it could be sweet and the seemingly the snare drum with the level off in numb, which works perfectly. Also the organ/Rhodes which make up a surprising amount of the backings are great, and not too in-your-face. Absolutley no downsides with this, I think the only problems with Portishead as a band started to show in the self titled album after this, but nothing here. Favourite songs: all, maybe the its a fire one slightly less but still. Overall around 10/10
As a big fan of the 90s I can say it's worth to listen. Not the biggest impression but some titles are worth it but I can't put this album as good as the Radiohead, Joy Division.
This is decent electronic, though most of the album has not been very memorable. The beats are pleasant, the vocals are nice, and there are some cool ideas in there. The better tracks are towards the end, so listening all the way through provides a nice journey. But while the album is cohesive and decent, I didn't find anything outstanding. It's worth a listen, just not repeating listens for me.
"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.
I dig the Film Noir vibes this album conjures up for me. 3.5
Pretty good vibes,amazing simger,didnt pay-attentio to the lyrics as always,a bit to repetitive
Ultimate chill. Highlights: Sour Times, Wandering Star, Glory Box.
I have known and loved this album for a while now. It sets a very specific mood that you can't help but be transfixed by. However, I've always thought that there were some clear highlights and some clear... not highlights. We shall see if this notion holds up. Mysterons is really the perfect introduction here. Immediately you know what to expect. Perfect production, great vocals, and an odd setting. The drums here are perfectly repetitive, and the synth adds a lot to that air of mistery. Lyrically, not sure what it is about. But I sure love to sing along with Beth Gibbons. Great stuff. Sour Times seems to be about not lying to yourself and just... doing it. What you want to. Disregard traditional values and live. And that chorus man. This one is one the most emotional songs in an album filled with them. But really paying attention to the lyrics has made me love it even more. Damn Stranger is the first song that can be described as "unsettling" (something that can be said about a lot of their later material). The samples here are relentless, always drowning and present. It almost feels like a march, since there's always something happening. It is one of the songs that I didn't pay much attention to when revisiting this album, but this time I'm suddently liking it much more. It Could be Sweet has always been one of my favourites. So laid-back, the instrumentals are kept to a minimum, so all the focus is on the vocals, and damn is the delivery amazing. Lyrics wise, it reminds me of Sour Times a bit, especially the idea that you can't run away from your thoughts, or your wishes, and surrendering to them "could be sweet". This song is also an example of something that I feel about the whole album: it is not necessarily sad (although it can be interpreted in that way). To me, it's more beautiful than sad. In Wandering Star the sample is again a bit more unsettling. It also seems to be the outright saddest song in the album, about the state of depression and its feeling of inescapability. And besidesi talking a lot about feeling bad, it also dabbles in being deserving of it, things which often go hand-in-hand. It's a Fire has always been my least favourite track on the album. It seems to be about keeping on keeping on. And while at first it seems hopeful (even the instrumentals), there are clues that it is all a farse, the biggest example being the fact that the song ends with "so breathe on, little sister, like a fool". Numb, despite its title being the one that most aligns with the mood of the record, is the one that fits in the least. The vocal delivery reminds me a bit of something from their next album. Lyrically, it's sad. "This loneliness, it just won't leave me alone". The vocals, however, keep me from fully connecting to it, which is a rarety in Dummy. Roads is the most heartbreaking song here. However, its lyrics are also the most vague and hard to decipher. I think it's about loneliness in such a packed world. A feeling that we all feel and yet don't recognize. Her asking "how can it feel this wrong" though... yeah, great. Pedestal is another one I often forget about. I can't quite make sense of what it is about, but it sounds so cool and distant. The vocals are almost disconnected (non-derogatory). It's hard to miss out on a song that is between two giants (Roads and Glory Box), and sadly I think that may have happened to Biscuit. But damn is it good. That feeling of supposedly being full but still being hungry. Being a "slave of sensation". Yeah. And then we arrive at the big boss. Glory Box. It's the kind of song that, for fans, has become "too famous". But man, it's good. Very good. And so resonant. People seem to think that this is a bit of a feminist anthem, and while I do think that is in part true, I also think it is an admission of fault. All she wants to be is a woman. Despite recognizing that the standards set for what a woman is are ridiculous, she still wants to mett them. And that's true of everyone. We all admit that standards of gender (and plenty other things too) are useless and dumb, but we all still have that urge that forces us to fulfill them. At least that's what I get out of this. Yeah, this record is amazing. It is a defining achievement of any genre that uses samples, and is all but the founding text of the trip-hop genre. And it definitely holds up, as nothing quite like this album has been made since. I did gain a new appreciation for some tracks, and my love for the others only blossomed. It's a classic, and a damn good one at that. Bye
Unknown band for me. Good vocal. Reasonably good album for the genre.
Billie Eilish vibe
There are some obvious stand out tracks on this album like sour times and glory box but it just all feels a bit middling. Nothing grabs hold of you and demands you pay attention. Its not surprising that this has led to the music being s go to soundtrack to seedier crime drama like The Vice. Enjoyable background music
Beyond “Glory Box” I was largely unfamiliar with Portishead, and this album is much the same vibe as that - not a bad thing, just not really my thing, really. It’s atmospheric and I can see its appeal, but I doubt I’ll ever think about it or listen to it again.
Sour Times and Glory Box are perfect alternative pop songs and I'll not have a bad word said against them. Despite how much I love those songs, I'd never listened to Dummy before. I'm apparently not someone who is going to really love a full album of trip hop. It just becomes a bit samey over 50 minutes. Also I listened to this in the morning before work and it's definitely an evening album. So I think this makes it a: 3/5
Good album - I chose worse time to listen to it, on the way home for a holiday weekend- way too sorrowful 3/5
It's an album I've heard before, it's a bit difficult to evaluate an album I've already heard. It has good songs, and it's a very pleasant experience. But some of the songs I have the feeling are similar to the previous ones, and it gets boring after a while. But it's a cool album, the musicality is interesting.
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
Debut album. Won the Mercury prize. Trip Hop. Strangers, I like this track. Nice lyrics and sound. Wandering Star is also a nice track with good lyrics. Glory Box is a lovely track. A mellow album with soft vocals throughout.
interesting
Great album
Solid
Last song is a masterpiece
There are moments of pure perfection in this album. You can tell every beat, note and grainy crackle has been thought about. Underneath it all are some great tunes, delivered into something which at the time was both familiar but fresh and new.
Tremendo, fantástico, me encanta. El sonido en general me parece estupendo
A true modern classic; still sounds as fresh as it did three decades ago, unlike many trip-hop projects of the time. Not a bad cut on this album. Timeless and oozing with cool.
Five fuckin stars. Perfect album. Sheesh.
I have NO idea what this is supposed to be. Lounge? Alternative coffee house? (before that was a thing?) I don't know. What I do know is that for some reason that I still to this day cannot fathom, I love love love this! It is so ... weird? Different? Again, I don't know? But it is just as profoundly effective as it was the day I bought the album when it came out. I think, I mean maybe, that it dares be so different, it challenges the listener to defy genre expectations, as if you can have them here. Portishead is like one of those secret fascinations I have. I don't know why I find this so compelling, I don't even honestly STILL know what I am exactly listening to? But there it is and here we are!
Likes it at first, but not as much on my second listen.
So sad! Not my vibe right now. So I’m biased but she had a nice voice.
Один из любимых альбомов, который сформировал отчасти мой музыкальный вкус. Тут все прекрасно
It's quite an achievement to have your first album be the gold standard for an entire genre. I think Massive Attack might have actually put out the first trip hop album but this is definitely the one that everyone knows. It's such a great record and still holds up today. My favorites off of this album are probably Glory Box, Roads, and Biscuit but all the songs are great, really. I'm not usually one for electronic music but there's something about this that just works so well - the vibe, the way the songs are structured, it's electronic but not annoyingly so. And the vocals are amazing. I have always loved this album and am very happy to see it included on this list. 5/5
Shining example of trip hop. Portishead is one of the great discoveries I have made doing this project.
Feels like molten sunshine. Or honey. Or heroin.
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.
5 stars. No notes.
Too whispery
Dreamy, lowkey alt
It sounds like Seattle looked in the early 2000s, there’s a gritty texture to the weight of the music and the vocals kind of drift above the music, sometimes scraping and other times coasting. The arrangements are interesting a little emo, full and gothic.
Nice vibes and love to listen to it while working Fav song - Glory Box 4/5
Alternativ rock - heller ikke my cup of tea.
Lovely music. My high school age kids first got me into this music. Interesting stuff.
My first trip hop album? Kinda like! Moody.
Very good and very soulful
J'aime pas la voix sorry
This album had a cool vibe, like being seduced in a martini bar by women of nefarious intent. It’s an interesting blend of Madonna’s Ray of Light (which this album pre-dated by five years) and Garbage (which this album predated by two years). Key tracks for me were It’s Fire and Mysterons. If there was a complaint, it’s that the album gets tonally one-note after a while. It’s definitely listenable when in the right mood.
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
Loved this then, now it sounds tinny and thin, weird
5 stars if you're having sex while listening.
Interesting
Yeah boring as batshit
Not bad, not didn't grab me enough to really warrant 4 stars. 3.5 maybe. Could be if I listened to it more but who knows, some low down funky grooves tho
Second half was far more well put together than the first, the first track was okay and then it was whatever for the next 4 or so, definitely would give it maybe even a 5 if it wasn’t so one flip floppy on a track being good or not
Good spooky dreamy album. Recognised Sour Times (it's good), but I think I've only heard a cover of it.
Lemppari: Glory Box Vähiten lemppari: It Could Be Sweet
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
Amazing album, trip hop OGs
Definitely preferred their eponymous one, but this shows the beginnings of their sound
03/05/2025 The album is okay, but a bit slow.
2/5 not interesting
Classic moody 90s at their best. What a year for music.
Alternative rock, I guess. Slow and meandering, started off pretty cool but kinda dragged a bit afterwards.
One of the most essential records of my formative years! And an amazing show to boot!
Siân would rate more highly than Deb
This did absolutely nothing for me, it's a nothing album that I played and I barely recognized that it was playing and I didn't realize when it ended. There was an occasional unpleasant scratchy dog barking like noise that would get my attention but then it would disappear again. I guess this is considered a great album but I don't get the appeal at all. I wish I had the 49 minutes this was on back so I could listen to something else.
Took me back to some junior year of high school MTV buzzbin memories. This has aged quite well. But not the most consistent throughout.
the atmosphere on this record is v easy to describe but my emotional response to it has always been a lot trickier. im sure theres Something...surely to the stinging swell i feel every time i reach Roads. which perhaps hits so hard because the rest of the album seems to come at u w/ such carefully hidden intentions. maybe the record is less about The Night and more about The Stranger u meet in the night, who could change ur whole life, tho to what end its hard to tell. both directions seem v compelling and supported by the aesthetic of the record in different vibrant ways. lil bit the coolest album ever
Great, love ‘em.
I can tell how it was revolutionary at the time by how it was recorded. It is really good, I liked it but as Wikipedia put it: this is the type of album you would put as background music in a cafeteria.
Запись хорошо, но был совсем не в настроении на музыку вчера.
Is this really about the book House of Leaves? Creepy but doesn’t resonate with me.
Soundtrack to my late teens. Still sounds as good today.
Can appreciate the craft, but that voice is fucking annoying four tracks in.
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
Idk if I loved it, but I did not mind it. Kind of ethereal and interesting, but no tracks stood out. I think it was worth listening to as a whole
I love the captivating vocal performance here, even if I don’t always love the production or song-writing. At times vibey, cathartic, and unsettling. Standout tracks are: “Strangers” or “It’s a Fire”
I read how they recorded this by making a vinyl record and then distressing the record. Didn’t seem to help much, it was just an OK album.
Hate to hate but … (jk I love to hate)
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.
Interesting vibes but still a bit boring. Better than the other Portishead album we got.
4/10 - I don’t like portishead. I think if I can imagine a camera zooming out from a destroyed city or a dead main character while the song is playing I will not like. Portishead has managed to nail that sound.
Such a unique sounding album. While I don't think the vibe works some of the time - I feel like there are songs where the vocals just don't really match the instrumental, which makes for a goofy sound - when it does work, it's one of the greatest songs ever. Sour Times, Roads, and Glory Box are all perfect songs for me. The lows on the album are pretty mediocre (but still interesting), but the highs are higher than almost anything else we've heard on this list so far
Lol
Big emphasis on percussion in this strange but inticing album. You can almost feel that these tracks were moreso meant to display their beat and be used for future sampling by the rap industry at large. Cutting the vocals out with the exception of the chorus' would likely result in exactly the same listening experience. Trippy and psychedelic in it's own regard, this album stands out as influential and incredibly unique.
Хоча Portishead і не вигадали трип-хоп як такий, але вони точно зробили його таким, яким ми його зараз знаємо: трохи тривожним, трохи сумним, ну і до біса атмосферним. Гурт виник на тлі сірої британської дійсності 90-х — Бет Гіббонс і Джефф Барроу буквально познайомились на програмі для безробітних, що «покривала» для Бет її виступи в барах. Це безумовно вплинуло на стиль гурту, та зробило Dummy буквально просякнутим «нуарним духом». Їхній звабливий, але в той самий час, трохи «зловісний» саунд поєднує у собі суміш ламаних бітів із блюзовими інтонаціями та елементами джазу, який ніби як, грають десь у прокуреному барі. Однак, головними героями, тут звісно ж виступають різноманітний вокал Бет, що ніби «вмирає» у кожному треку, та діджейська технічність Барроу. Але що мені також сподобалась - так це surf рокова гітара, що поєднується зі скретчами та звучить ніби крізь марення. Коли слухав цей альбом багато років тому, якось не звертав на це увагу - дуже стильно, навіть у наш час. Та і загалом, не дивлячись на доволі солідний вік цієї роботи - не на секунду не здається, що слухаєш щось з минулого століття. Такі шедевральні речі можна порахувати на пальцях - один із моїх найулюбленіших альбомів ever, хоч я і не часто до нього повертаюсь.
Very good vocals. Would listen again
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
Enjoyable, with an unmistakable 90s sound. Very concepty, with a similar vibe throughout
Didn’t like it. Slower, more metallic sounding music.
Massive Attack meets Bjork
vibey
I love music that makes me feel like I'm waitin' at the bus stop late on a rainy night with a woman standing across the street under a flickering streetlight. Bitch, if you don't stop contortin’ your body like that
It definitely scratches a specific itch in my brain Half way between a 3 and 4
I don't mind the music, but I would not seek it out. The singer's voice is very grating to me, though. I would not listen to this again.
Enjoyed the listen. 7.5/10
I listened to this album and reviewed it but for some reason it never saved. I just noticed it while looking back through my reviews and it's been so long that the only thing I remember is liking it more than the other Portishead album I reviewed, which received a 2. So this one gets a three with a shrug.
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
look. i love theremins. i fucking love theremins. and i love beth gibbons' vocals. and what can i say? i love the 90s. i'm a slut for millennial nostalgia. the creepiness of this album had me right away. it sounded x-files inspired, and i think they had at least one song featured on buffy, and i got into it immediately. and it keeps up the creepy experimentality to great success the whole time. the sampling, the synth fucking, all of it works together for a really fantastic and weird album. overall, the vibe is incredible and this is an album that will i absolutely be listening to again in the future. 5/5 90s goth kids are either parents to goth kids or still goth kids now
So good. So sampled on every rap record in the last 15 years. I love portishead, they will always get a 5. “We want to make spy music with hip hop beats” yeah you did it.
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.
I'm gonna say it, on this one UK electronic album, I could use less vocals and I think I'd really be into it. To be fair though, this probably doesn't count as an electronic album. Feels like one though The instrumentals are really cool, definitely hasn't been helped by the deluge of chill lo-fi hip-hop beats to relax to, but this being the source of that is cool. I get why this is on the list, must've blown some minds when it came out. That being said will I return to this, probably not? But now I can say I've listened to Portishead and that's gotta make me 1% cooler than I was before. By far the best record of this ilk that we've gotten on this project. I'm lumping it in with Goldie and that Leftism album, but this one is way better. Can't wait for some nerd to tell me that's not a fair comparison but whatever 3/5
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.
Slow trippy
336/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Smooth, chill, sensual. This one is a constant fav.
Probably my favorite album start to finish of all time. Only other possible favorites would be Miles Davis kind of blue which we've already heard And I'm also quite fond of 311's music but I doubt it'll be on this list.
Good good.
A big ol 3. I thought I recognised half the songs without recognising them (adverts probably) until Glory Box at the end which I obviously did know. And maybe it's because everything sounded the same, slightly monotone but relaxing thing. I can see why people like it and in the right mood (and travelling as I was on trains) sure. But I don't think it lit much in me.
Another case of listening in the wrong mood and environment.
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.
A superficial listen might make you think this is a cosy album. It is not. It is dark, it is unsettling, it is an album you put on and lay on the floor in darkness, wallowing in regret. That is part of Dummy's power, it lures you in under false pretenses and forces you to feel. For me it is a timeless album, never "of its time" because it envokes feelings that are universal and leaves gaps in its alluring grooves for the listener to fill in, wherever or whenever they may be.
I enjoyed the singer, I think she has a nice voice. Other than that i found this album pretty boring overall.
I don't like it man
Wonderfully weird, silky smooth John Barry / hip-hop influenced Lady In The Radiator songs full of killer hooks and BBC Drama.
Classic trip hop album.
Hello high school me!
Channel 4’s Lost promo iykyk
A classic
Unpopular opinion but this album lowkey put me in a bad mood and im not entirely sure why. I think this album feels like it blends together too much. Like yeah glory box is good but still.
Very good, very chill
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.
3/5
nie posluchalem calego ale fajne bylo
Albumi #201, 15.04.2025 Portisheadin debyyttialbumi julkaistiin elokuussa 1994. Albumi on trip hopin kulmakivi.
This seems like the kind of thing that could grow on me, but it really just makes me want to listen to Massive Attack.
A really cool and atmospheric record
2.8 star that still gets 2 stars from me It's nice but overall I enjoyed it less than I didn't care for it. Also lightheaded headache music (this is not a negative thing)
Absolute stand-out classic. Beth Gibbons's haunting vocals will live with me forever. Sounds as fresh now as it did 1994.
An easy 5 stars, what an album
Nice enough album, wouldn't be against listening to it again
I can tell this is good but it's very much not for me.
Atmospheric, noir-ish soundscapes and tortured vocals accompanied by what became characterised as trip-hop beats. For me who loves music and sound design as textures this was a great album.
Idk if trip hop is really super my genre, but this was pretty enjoyable. I was vibin'
This music time warped me to my college days where my best friend was super into Bjork and this band. Nostalgia aside, they're still not for me.
Solid and I'm sure very influential, not really my cup of tea though.
kielen päällä on jotaiin mitä hittoa nyt on kielen päällä kattokaas jotain on... nyt niin kielen päällä mitäs hitsiä piti sanoa kntota... öö... tota... tota... oottakaa ny pikik hetki, anteeksi kaikki.. anteeksi kaikki otaetass otetaas pikku henkkari.. sis hengitystauko.. sis hngitäkkää .. AAA tää piti sanoa: Albumi sai kriitikoiden suosiota ja voitti vuoden 1995 Mercury Music Prize -palkinnon. Sitä pidetään usein trip hop -genren popularisoijana, ja se mainitaan usein 1990-luvun parhaiden albumien luetteloissa. tai jotain tuollaista emt. its a fire
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.
So boring, didn’t seem unique or catchy at all. Consistent beat with some woman whisper-singing over it. 1.5
Tunnelmallista ja hämärää. Perus trip hoppia, mutta vokaaleilla. Odotin jotain vähän erikoisempaa. Roads on kyllä kova. No on tää averagea parempaa. Mut ei tämmöistä musaa voi kuunnella kuin yöllä. Parhaat: Strangers, Roads, Glory Box
Nice chill ambient sound. Nothing jaw dropping though but great background music.
nice album. het sochli mysteriösi vibes. paar lieder hani gar ned gfühlt aber anderi wederum sehr nice
Good instrumentation, good blending of rap beats. I really enjoyed listening to the album
Enjoyed this
bit buzzy, 3/5
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.
Quality album really liked it Some emotionally provoking moments and an overall nice sound feel. Keep triphop Alive 2025
Classic album
Sour Times Strangers Numb Roads Glory Box
it was an experience 8 out of 10
great album discovery, mellow but powerful listen
Another classic - but that I still listen to
Interesting musically, lots of genres mixed together. Not really my taste, but I see the appeal. Favorite song by far was "It's a Fire."
A morning walk album. A bit boring sometimes, but with some good tracks, I will definitely listen again.
Deeper instrumentals, interesting lyrics that provide a certain depth to the songs
Day 3: awesome and a potential five star for me. really really loved the production and Beth gibbons voice is immaculate. this album has been on my radar before — I’m glad 3 days into this challenge I’ve been exposed to it (4.5)
One of my favorites since I was a teenager. Such a sexy album, love the vibe.
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.
I’m not really a big fan of this type of music. But i will at least say this was interesting enough to listen to.
90s, fun. I could hear the sounds of Delirious and other such things
Incredible
I still remember hearing this album for the first time in middle school. Life changing.
I...just can't with this band.
Not something I usually listen to, but I was surprised to hear some very famous songs, and after all this is why I've started with this. 4 songs added to my liked songs.
This is a masterpiece.
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.
Portishead has a new fan cuz this was amazing. This is my second electronica album and I enjoyed it a lot more than the first one. This had jazz, pop and hip hop beats involved which I loved. The lead singers voice is mesmerising the way she flows on each track mix d with the mixing of the beats made the perfect songs to listen to. Some favourites include Pedestal, Numb and Glory Box. Once again an amazing album I will find my way back too it 9.7/10 4.8/5
1001 ALBUMS- # 22 You won’t be ‘Dummy’ for falling in love with this sensually brooding masterpiece! The debut release from Portishead is an astounding listening experience that feels hauntingly cool and enchantingly moody, with slow beat blues cinematically adjacent to a James Bond score or a film noir soundtrack. Beth Gibbons’ vulnerable mellifluous vocals to the lush ominous backing arrangements of rhythmic hazy jazz beats, subtle drum cymbals and turntable looping distortion with meticulous placement of instrumentation around echoing bass textures, offer a captivating yet disorienting emotional soundscape. The innovative production technique to record actual vinyl needle crackling (sampling their very own music!) adds a warmth to the atmospheric dissonance, however no less mysteriously chilling as Gibbons’ lyrical themes of loneliness and despair double down on. 🎧 Classic Track: Glory Box 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: It’s A Fire 🎧 Personal Favorite: Mysterons A creative landmark of the 90’s Trip Hop movement and one that earned the group a very well deserved Mercury Prize award in ‘95 against some very stiff competition! This album was my gateway to becoming a big fan of Portishead (although their even darker follow-up second release might actually be my favorite) and by extension Beth Gibbons brilliant solo release ‘Lives Outgrown’. It also helped warm me to more eclectic sub genres (experimental jazz, electronic, hip hop, ambient) broadening my appreciation for these musical styles. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Sultry inviting 💿 A must add to your vinyl collection! Spin this seductive record on a stormy evening with candles lit and let the desolate ethereal textures encompass your soul. What a stunner 🔥⚡️ Click the Thumbs Up icon below if you enjoyed my take on the album :)
Very calm and ethereal. Good for listening to during work.
Average
Chill. If it was a shade more chill, I'd probably bump to a 4, but as it stands, I'm in the 3.5 range. I like her voice sometimes, but other times it gets a little to piercing and takes away from the vibe.
Really like this
Vocals are exceptional. Love the eccentricity of the synths and instrumentals. The organ in the back of Its a Fire is a welcome surprise. Sampling Isaac Hayes on Glory Box was very nicely done.
A fantastic album that fills in the spaces in the room, like warm soup on a cold, winter's day.
This hit hard. Hadn't heard of Portishead before and I'm not very familiar with whatever genre they are but I was impressed. Vocals are great and the beats/instrumentation are powerful and groovy. Easy 5
awwww yeah it's time to be a depressed teenager again. I always liked how Portishead took trip hop more in a rock direction, despite not really being a rock band at all. All of the other players in the genre were more focused on electronic styles and Portishead's insistence on guitars and drums (in addition to all the electronic stuff) always endeared me to them. It gave a bit of life to the music which is decidedly sad and mopey, but in a good way. If they never put out another album after this it would be enough, it's got everything I like about this era and genre of music - great singing, complex sampling, live instrumentation, and most importantly a groove. There are are couple of songs that I think aren't up to the insanely high bar the rest of the album sets (It Could Be Sweet, It's a Fire) but this is nearly a no-skip for me. Favorites are Roads, Sour Times, Mysterons, and Wandering Star but really I like all of it.
Love it. Musically really hits me in the feels. The almost eerie backing to the leads haunting ghostly vocals creates an experience I want to linger in. Glorybox is such a good song. 5 stars. I'm adding the other Portishead albums on the "to listen" pile and investigating Trip-Hop.
A defining 90s classic
Fine, chill. Didn't really do much for me and it sounded like one long song. Again I must ask: why does this band that nobody talks about have more than album on this list, but Daft Punk's Discovery was missing? IT MAKES NO SENSE.
really cool, enjoyed it and definitely unique
Pretty voice!! Her voice reminds me of Evanescence. Kazoo liked Wandering Star - he was tilting his head and staring at the speaker lol
Desperately dull, 2nd time giving it a chance and somehow worse than I remembered. I’m clearly missing something here. Yawn 2/5
New one for me this and loved it
Not feeling melancholy 90s today
“Sour Times” and “Glory Box” remain the only two songs I truly love from this album.
It's giving 007 title theme
Refreshingly different
One of the most steady, impactful, and enjoyable albums of the 1990’s, Dummy is a sublime sonic trip through the subconscious folds of your mind and spirit. Close your eyes and this is music that truly sends you somewhere else entirely. This album still holds up and then some. Songs like Glory Box and Roads get a lot of credit, rightfully so, but Wandering Star is one of the true gems on here for me (that bass!). A transformative ear-worm. 9+/10
This album is just not my cup of tea. I had heard the song Glory Box before, but beyond that I had no idea what this album or artist were about. It's not technically bad, but it's just not something I would ever listen to. I would reach for something else, and if I heard it (and was able to control the music wherever I heard it) I'd change it to listen to something I liked more. Neither the music nor lyrics resonated with me and I was just looking forward to it being over. 2/5
I've never really listened to Portsihead before, now I know why. Can't say I found this one overly enjoyable. None of the tracks jumped out for me.
Always mind blowingly good.
It's ight.
משוגע
הייתי רואה סרטון "איך להתקין פאוורפוינט" לפני שהייתי שומע את האלבום המשמים הזה שוב
חמוד לפעמים אבל הרוב משעמם
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
I’d never properly listened to this album before, Portishead is a blind spot for me. Nicely atmospheric, will be returning.
All the elements come together so perfectly: the haunting vocals, the minimal guitar work and the turntablism/samples/production all so deftly done so that none of them dominate. Even the name of the album and the cover art fit perfectly! Omg I love this album so much. It's a vibe to get lost in and for me it is the definition of trip hop that all other records get compared to. Probably one of my most listened to albums of recent years. Absolutely unhesitatingly five out of five.
I think I'm not really a fan of the "trip hop" genre. This wasn't as agonizing as some of the other similar albums I've listened to for this, but I still won't return to it.
I’ve attempted to like Porisehead many times through years, but nothing I heard pulled in. It’s electronic trip hop which I typically enjoy , but this album is a bit too gloomy, or downbeat, for my tastes. I suppose the biggest sin it’s its boring. As a huge fan of Bjork, the opener, Mysterons, is a favorite but not enough to keep this Dummy in rotation.
Most every song sounds about the same but that’s alright. It’s lovely.
This is sexy jam music for sad people. I'm neither sexy nor sad enough for this, but I do have a story. Years ago, I worked in a hospital pharmacy. It was like 2011 so streaming wasn't taking off yet, but we had XM radio. Usually the senior pharmacist made a pick, and usually that pick was the Grateful Dead station, so we'd hear 3 songs in an 8-hour shift, but sometimes they'd give the reins over. One night, a resident pharmacist put it on some 90's channel and Portishead came up. They got VERY excited. They were the same age as me and so they asked if I was also excited, or, rather noticing, why I wasn't as excited. "I don't know them?" "We're the same age and you don't know Portishead?" "Do you know Slayer?" "...No." I'm going to put on Slayer after this.
Rare instance of something that certainly does not rock, but I still find myself enjoying it. A lot of it reminds me of early Björk. If someone described this to me without me hearing it, I'd be convinced the vocals and music could never work together, but somehow, when you're listening, they do.
- insgesamt irgendwie ein stimmiges Album, was aber zu keiner Zeit krass überraschend ist, oder Songs hat, die groß herausstechen 3,25/5
Really like the vibe, great band and inspired some of my favourite albums
solid 3, didn't get why its average is so high
awesome
And the award for most angsty album goes to...
A Rare example of a no skip album. Even to this day the beats sound so fresh.
Good songs are good, but some aren't as good. (23 known/41 new)
An atmosphere that cannot be denied.
Liked the album
I'm sorry but I can't stand Portishead
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
I thought I liked this more than I actually did. Some great stuff and a deep jazz influence. Groundbreaking and genre defining work. Somewhat monotonous tempo-wise, the last third of the album didn't hold my interest. It's ok.
Sleek misery. Dreadpop. Beautiful dirge music. I don’t know, it only makes sense after 9:00 pm and it’s entrancing then. In the daylight it’s out of time and place. And with daylight saving time coming around I’ll be more confused than ever.
sehr speziell aber durchaus hörbar, entspannte musik mit einer gewissen Stimmung
What a record. It's one of the first that I heard — per Last.fm stats, at age 15, logging my first listen in the month I started high school — that felt truly revelatory, realizing that music can do *this*. Spectacular, unmatched atmosphere. I tried to get into some other trip hop records after hearing it but it's so head and shoulders above the competition that you end up just wanting to put Dummy on again. Glory Box is a legitimate contender for best song of the '90s, and a singular, deeply weird achievement. Like, it's Bjork's Joga, and it's that. Even songs that I might think of as B-side cuts (It Could Be Sweet, It's a Fire) are leagues better than anything Massive Attack has ever conceived. I prefer Third, which is a top-five album of the 2000s, but this is obviously also a masterpiece.
I don't really understand what made this band very influential. There were several other bands from around the same time or that came before that were doing similar stuff but way more interesting. This album is kind of boring. I didn't really enjoy it at all.
I wish I liked this more, but it’s only good for 3 or 4 songs and then I get fatigued. I can respect it for the influence on British music, but I just think Portishead is not for me.
Nice background music while working, feels like Jungle got a lot of inspiration from Portishead. Good for when you want something different.
There are times I listen to this one and it sounds like an approximation of trip-hop rather than the genuine article
Really decent. It felt a bit repetitive at times but overall I really enjoyed it and I feel like this is something a lot of artists from the 2000 drew from. Or were inspired by this style.
This album started strong and ended strong, but in the middle I couldn't help but feel everything felt very same-y.
It's an album full of james bond songs but none are THE bond songs
So melancholic. So lush.
Phenomenal album, and somewhat counter to when it was released. Still sounds fresh today.
Jewel
This album was moody and a bit strange. The Spotify DJ plays Sour Times for me frequently before I listened to the album. The rest of it was fine.
idgi
This was a boring album. Slow and repetitive. Maybe we are so far past when this was new that it has become boring but I feel like others have done this much better.
Cool electronic beats. Singer sounds like a softer evanescence
Nope. Achingly, painfully overrated. Nothing revolutionary about it. Damn, these high reviews really give me no hope for humans.