Reviews (page 9 of 15)
As far as 90s electronica goes, this is better, but I'm not sure if it warrants the relatively high score this album got, especially given other albums that were way better. This was tolerable as I've been a big hater of bygone era of electronica. 4/10.
Vind het wel aardig maar blaast me niet omver. Gebeurt te weinjg?
главный вопрос: откуда в трип-хопе ХОП? трип вполне понимаю
mysterons meh sour times buena produ strangers buen beat it could be sweet está bueno wandering star normal its a fire normal numb full tenebroso el beat biscuit BUENISIMA el beat otro level, la voz acompaña glory box el beat es solido pero no me gusta la voz
Solid album
Always loved Portishead's sound. Laid back interesting trip hop sound with melancholic lyrics and Beth Gibbons's voice drawing you in. Haven't listened in full in a long time so thanks for the opportunity.
Enjoyed listening to this for mainly nostalgic reasons. Reminded me of good times in the 90s after leaving university. Coincidentally was listening to the new Beth Gibbons album the day before this came up. Very relaxing and laid back grooves.
Excellent. Atmospheric. Delicate voice.
some classic trip hop with very laid back vibes that feels like it should be featured in a love making scene in a gritty teen drama.
Fairly good
masterpiece
Но
It wasn’t too bad, I can’t really see the hype that the reviews seem to give it. Nothing special to me but maybe just because it’s not for me.
Very eerie. Very 90s. Didn't hate it
A very chill album with a very chill vibe. I appreciate the sound of this album as being something that was a bit remarkable at the time, but overall not a genre that I would consistently listen to. This for me is a great album to put on if I need something relaxing playing in the background.
Great Trip-Hop. Portishead has such a unique sound. Reading about some of the techniques they used to make this album made me like it even more. They were really going for something here. I could put this album on in the background and listen for hours. This is another album where I can understand why people might not like it, but I think it's just fantastic.
not for me
Brilliant. Trip Hop is an interesting genre for me, and this album is arguably its finest example. Hesitated between 4 and 5*, but listening to it on CD with a proper sound system puts it to 5 for me. Sounded absolutely incredible.
Felt lukewarm about this one. Some of the kinda blended in a bit for me, didn’t like nor dislike.
When I saw how I rated "Third", I thought I was in for another long listen. Thankfully, I enjoyed this album much more. The comparison that keeps crossing my mind is that it's Lofi but make it 90's and add a vocalist. The drum and bass goes hard too.
Oh boy, an all time favorite.
After the very first song on the album I said "Well, this is gonna be an interesting ride." And boy was that the best word to describe this album. Interesting. I loved the dark tone the album had, especially in the song Sour Times, but as the album went on after song 5, I felt it got weaker and weaker. Overall a pretty good album. Favorite song: Strangers Least Favorite: It's A Fire
Creepy and dreamy - feels a little like a movie soundtrack for a psychological thriller.
Good stuff noir jazz Dark shit
Monotonous but i liked it. Makes me feel so... mysterious...
Damn, chuffed to listen to this.
Took a minute for the vibe to get to me. A unique noir sound that I haven't heard before blending jazz, RnB, and blues.
Sour times one of the greatest singles of my youth. It had such a unique sound and sparked for me an interest in that trip hop sound. Morcheeba. Massive Attack. Tricky. Blonde Redhead.
I agree with Ben. I think I would like it better without the record scratching.
Portishead was one of the bands where I would always say to myself I would listen to them but never get around to it. So when I "had to" listen to this album I had no expectations and WOW I should have listed to this sooner. Just sexy, smokey, spooky. Arrangements are so smooth. Great production. Love the different textures. Vocals are nice too. Good album. Would listen to it again on a cold, slow and rainy day.
CLASSIC
Sounds ahead of its time if it were released now.
Lurve
9/10
Trip-hop at its best, great atmosphere
This took a bit to grow on me but I did like a few of the songs
Vibey. Wouldn’t throw it on for myself really but I like it as like a backing track or sound track if you’re gaming or something
Dummy probably gets more love than it should, but it’s still a good album. The mood is consistently dark and hypnotic, with a few truly great tracks that stand out. Worth a listen, even if it’s a bit over hyped.
I had no idea what to expect here. 90s lady singing fairly boring songs. I think I liked one A don’t remember the name of it and I will never go back to this record. Not because it’s bad just uneventful.
Reading about the album and how it is considered the spearheading of "trip hop" is kind of cool. Also as someone who enjoys lofi from time to time, I can see why people like this album. However this one just wasn't for me.
That's not my taste in music
8 Strong first few songs. Atmospheric. But the middle of the album gets muddled and samey. Ends on a high, with "Glory Box", but my favourite was "Sour Times". More of a background album than a headphones album.
Listened to this while playing The Loop. I lost. This album brings me back to my freshman and sophomore year of college in the early 2000s. I know this album came out before then, but I had lived my life listening to Christian, classical, and movie soundtracks. This album blew my mind then, and it still blows my mind now. Such a perfectly curated sound.
No good, not feeling it unfortunately
8.5/10 Favorite Tracks: Glory Box, Roads, Sour Times
Think I would have enjoyed it more in the right context. Glad the only Portishead song I know finally came in at the end. Best track too.
Grungete og eksperimentelt... fett. Men littegrann monotont for min del
DNF
I liked this Portishead album a lot more than the ?newer one (Third?). It's still not for me and actually I never liked their single Glory Box very much but as a whole this album is excellent and stands out from the crowd. Rating: 5
I was already familiar with the sultry delights of Glory Box. I like the rest of the album, and the cool reverby sound, but I found it repetitive and overall very samey. Might also be because I'm in a bad mood due to construction workers next door, which makes every album sound like Kollaps.
Gave me lofi music vibes, really solid music
achei esse genuinamente mto bom
nunca tinha escutado esse aqui inteiro ces acredita atmosférico pra caraio! música de filme de espião do caraio. esse aqui é perfeito pra trabaiar. pqp. só beat absurdo tbm e o vozerão da moça tbm lindo demais. talvez eu fique obcecado? sim, mas nao vo dar 5 estrelas agora nao
Super album! Masterpiece! It is one of my favorite albums! Music and vocal are perfect. The best album of experimental electronic music ever made for now!
I really like this, but you've got to be in the mood for it. This isn't the kind of album you throw on at a summer pool party. This is night time, or cloudy, rainy day stuff.
🔥
Crazy Was ging da am drumcomputer
all timer for me - I listen to this at work pretty often. surprised by how a closer listen emphasised how weak the middle-end part was…..like generic trip hop rather than the iconic tunes on side A. also did not realise the fidelity on the sampled parts was so low sometimes, which is kind of charming but also really clashes with the modern synths and drum machines they employ. still love it tho!
Ok
A grossly overrated you will like this album, album. I have heard songs from this over the years, well, since 94 and never knew who it was. Now I know why, the record scratches are banal and the vocalist is annoying. This is SHIT.
Eye opening! Portishead has a new fan. While I can't point to a single track that grabbed me, I was pulled on through the whole thing. I'll be checking out the rest of their catalog.
OK, not really my thing
Not only the best trip hop album of all time, but one of the best albums, period.
What a wonderful treat after a long and painful streak of 1s and 2s.
A top 5 trip-hop album to me. Perfection.
Very different
pretty good
I guess at the time this might have been novel… but I found it terribly generic and uninteresting. The vocals and lyrics were just not impressive. Few of the songs felt like they had a cohesive musical thought, yet most managed to only have one 17 second piece of music played on repeat for 4 minutes. With an occasional extra percussive sound added partway through. Overall felt more like two high schoolers found a drum machine and a synthesizer.
This is the best trip-hop album. I have no further thoughts.
Had only heard sour times before getting this album of the day. Holy shit that was so much better than I would have thought. Not often do I give a second listen immediately but this was definitely one of those times.
I had never listened to Portishead before, it's not much my style but I enjoyed listening to it even though it is not something I would listen frequently. Starts off a little slow but has some pretty good songs that are standouts even though they all sound kinda samey. Enjoyed Wandering Star, Numb, Pedestal and Glory Box
This album gives me an instant erection. Too bad the girl who had this CD in her purse at all times and insisted on me putting it on every time we fucked turned out to be an absolute nutter. Good while it lasted, though. Six stars, really.
Great album start to finish
1. myzteronz - 2 2. zour - 2 3. ztrangerz - 1.5 4. zuueet - 1.5 5. ztar - 1 6. fire - 1 7. numb - 1.5 8. roadz - 2 9. pedeztal - 1.5 10. bizcuit - 2 11. glory - 2.5
I like it but not enough to buy it. If you had me over for a dinner party and played this I’d be good with that. To read more copy/paste this: https://tinyurl.com/tvu6t45k
Not what I was expecting. Cool and moody. Standout songs: Sour times Numb Glory Box
Awesome
Eh? Like, the singer has a good voice, but nothing really makes me want to listen to it again.
Not terrible, but not impressive
I have this on repeat for a few days now
Where did this come from???
9/10
I gave a pretty shitty review of the last PH album that was on the list, but I actually liked this one. Glory Box was the stand out track (and a great way to end the album). This felt more like a band. Solid debut album.
I like the closing track
I'm ever so lost I can't find my way Been searching but I have never seen A turning a turning from deceit Cause a child roses light Tried to reveal what I could feel I can't understand myself Anymore Cause, I'm still feeling lonely Feeling so unholy Cause a child roses light Tried to reveal what I could feel I'm lonely It just won't leave me alone Oh no I'm fooling somebody A faithless path I roam Deceiving to breathe this secretly The silence, the silence, I can't bear Cause a child roses light Tries to reveal what I could feel And this loneliness It just won't leave me alone Oh no And this loneliness It just won't leave me alone A lady of war Yeah, its pretty good. 5/5
very good
This album is just so good. There is such a strong cohesion in character from song to song, with each song having it's own distinct persona. I have been listening to and loving songs like Sour Times and Glory Box for years, but this time I was able to put titles to songs that I recognized but didn't know I knew like Roads and Mysterons. I also heard at least one for the first time (It's A Fire) and it may have been the highlight of the listening experience. I'm having a hard time deciding between a 4 and a 5, which I think means I should just give it a 5.
Amazing album.
Felt very repetitive. Some good ideas throughout
I think I need to be in a certain mood to appreciate this and I was not when listening today
Was almost torture to listen to the vocals. Yearning, sorrowful or whatever they were.
An absolutely phenomenal album to spend the morning f****** too
Casts an atmospheric and bleak spell. I wasn't sure I'd like it after the first few bars, but got caught up in the current. Lowkey but intense, in its way. "Strangers" is a crazy banger.
Mostly pretty cool. Definitely can be rather same-y throughout but the beats are decent and the vocals add some tragic emotion which matches the instrumentals. 7/10
Love it
1/15/25: Surprisingly liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Would be a good album to listen to at work. Album art gave me a much more tortured impression than the actual songs conveyed. Strong theme of love.
Such an odd album. I definitely didn't like it, not my particular type of music, but it was also good for not liking it? Can see why it was on this list. Such a cool sound and aesthetic.
Wow, talk about being stuck under a rock. I’ve seen this album several times, usually on lists of best/popular albums. And I don’t know why but I never really looked into this album and that was a major mistake this album is great, it’s haunting and beautiful. The instrumentation is wonderful and of its time but in a pleasant way. Honestly I go on and on about this album. Go give it a listen.
Great vibe.
This was a good chill album, very easy to listen to, would listen again
Two great songs and then the rest was just fine
Incredible album that I've listened to many times.
Eh, kinda boring after awhile. I liked the opener, "Mysterons", but then it's just more of the same but not as appealing. Not for me.
Gorgeous, interesting, unique, sad. Loved it.
Original and influential sound that captures a mood as well as any album out there. Chill (tempo and vibe/feeling) lo-if sounding beats surrounded in a dark cloud haze. Beth Gibbons sings beautifully with a desperate longing in her voice. This is smoky, late night music. It’s sad but serene.
I had zero concept of what kind of music Portishead makes
I listened to this twice. didnt like it at first, but liked it the second time.
Incredible instrumentation range.
2/5 - not my thing
Very chill, smooth. I did not dislike it, but it's not for me either.
Portishead is one of the bands that I appreciate in theory. I understand why their music is considered good and why their fans love them. But I can't personally connect with it. Nothing about their sound or lyrics or anything grabs me. It was nice to revisit them and attempt to once again try to make that connection but I was once again left feeling nothing.
Heard it before, multiple times. One of the best trip hop albums ever, the vibe is unmatched. Period. 5/5
God if this album had been out 10 years earlier when me and my mates were smoking quite a lot I’d of never got out of the house!! It’s so chilled and chilling I can just drift off while it plays away in the background. Love the tunes, love the voice, it’s dark but light at the same time, I think?! Anyway a pearl amongst swine!
I like. I think I listened to before. Want to listen to more portishead
dark and lovely
SUPER cool. kinda dingy but also very smooth
This music fucks. I need a cigarette.
Goated, wenig zu sagen... Wahrscheinlich das beste Album bis jetzt
moody music for walking in the rain. although Portishead also has "head" in their name, they're not as good as Radiohead. 4/5
I had never knowingly listened to Portishead. The singer sounds a bit Björkish and I liked the trip much more than the hop.
I appreciate it musically, but it's not my thing. Would not listen again.
This was a huge surprise for me! Had heard of Portishesd in passing but had never listened to any of their music. Not entirely up my alley, but this was haunting and experimental and the perfect vibe for a gloomy January day. Standout song: Mysterons
"we have Bjork at home" is what I felt this whole listen, and I really gave it a shot. Nothing clicked, its not objectively bad, but there is just very little to nothing here.
Zero 7, Massive Attack, Bjork were all artists I thought about while listening to this. The record scratching had me concerned at first but this was a nice chill listen. Great background music
loved it !!!!!
First time hearing the whole album front to back. So ahead of its time. 4.6/5
9/10 this album reminds me of some sci-fi western almost like it would be long in cowboy bebop this is the first album I’ve kept listening to even after finishing all of the tracks and I love how they use guitar in all of the tracks to show how it can really be versatile Favorite track - “Glory box” Least favorite - “numb” Most unique - “it could be sweet”
this the kind of music that would play in the black lodge in twin peaks
Thought it was really good! Nice easy listening music but really great! Connected as an album
Most excellent!
Incredible album
2/10
Still quite passable.
Not for me. Wanted to like it but didn’t.
Dummy is such a cool album. From the album art and this band's name, for some reason, i thought that this was going to be a punk rock album but no, instead what i got was a trip-hop album and it definitely does the genre super well. The beats may be repetitive but that didn't bother me one bit as they just sounded so cool and all the extra touches the band put into these songs really added to them. Beth Gibbons' voice was also something that really added to my enjoyment of this album as she was able to bring out all the emotion of all the tracks that she was in. This album was a very good listen. Best Song: Glory Box Worst Song: It's A Fire
This is #day148 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... this is what you call a debut album. Released almost 31 years ago, it has not only stood the test of time but still sounds awe-inspiring, no matter how many times you've heard or will hear it. Innovative, cinematic, poignant... How many descriptors can you use to capture it? I have a nice memory of hosting a lecture/listening event about trip-hop as an anti-genre of the '90s at a local record store a couple of years back, with Dummy and Blue Lines as case studies, playing a 2016 reissue and the original 1994 copy, respectively. That's when I dived into both records and learned a lot. Yes, this is one of those albums you must hear before you die, so this is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day149.
good background album. super vibey and boa esque. will maybe listen to again :)
This Portishead album was way better than the other one. This was actually enjoyable!
Classic trip-hop. Chill vibes
great
Beautiful, haunting, not for me. Little too drone-y for me. The whole thing feels very artsy and I can hear its influence on other things, but it’s a hard listen for me. Good background music for me. It could be sweet really growing on me Wandering Star. Super melodic, wonder if Eminem listened to this, the riff is very rock and roll Big Hikaru utada vibes on some of these middle tracks Jesus, Roads hits like a truck. Brutal. Profound. Maybe I’m a changed man, I could listen to this again
Mood music
Very good album. Vibes are on throughout Will I listen to again: 100%
Love the chanteuse. The album defines the standard for the trip-hop genre.
Did not expect to enjoy it this much
There are two kinds of people, but after this record, I’m too low-key to tell them apart.
This thing is a powerhouse in originality the entire way through. Every second is something I’ve never heard any other artist do before. It’s wholly refreshing. that kind of originality, unfortunately, can lend itself to a ln album that is hard for some first time listeners to really latch on to. This is my second or third listen of this album the whole way through and I’m yet to be completely familiar with it, but it does grow on me with each listen. I’ll almost certainly listen again, as I very much enjoy it. The production is insane and complements the vocals perfectly. Beth Gibbons obviously has a distinct and unmistakable voice which helps to separate Portishead from their contemporaries. Instrumentation is beautiful and samples are used flawlessly. I have no qualms with the record other than a lack of range that could be a tad wider. Some tracks are hard to tell apart. That doesn’t bother me too much, though, love this. 4/5
3/5
Just ok to me.. May need another listen
This was okay. I really enjoyed how atmospheric and moody the album was, but it did all start to sound the same near the end. The production was good, and I liked the vocals as well. Not something I'd really listen to again, but it was alright.
the only one of these mid-90s british electronica records that's actually required listening most of the record is samey to my ears but contains a rich ambiance and is executed very well
Revolutionäres Album, Rated 5 of 6
A stunning, sad, evocative unit of an album
Cool vibes. One song sounds like all the rest. I always thought this was a heavy metal band because of the name. I was way off.
As a kid, I always saw this record on the shelf but always chalked it up to electronic music (not my style) and never bothered to listen to it. 30 years later, and wow, this is some good stuff. Electronic, yes, but also some jazz, cabaret, classical, and more. Singer's got a good voice, too. I'll be coming back to this one.
Quel grand album! Retour nostalgique dans mon adolescence avec ce disque d’une grand force tranquille avec des chansons parfaites comme « Mysterons » et Glory Box ». La voix chaleureuse de Beth Gibbons, les rythmes et arrangements trip hop et les samplings sont tout simplement parfaits. 5 étoiles sans questionnement.
Superbe. Un 5 assuré. C’est un album que j’ai écouté, réécoute, réréécouter toute mon adolescence. L’album n’a rien perdu de son charme.
Interesting Roads Glory Box
This album deserves its critical acclaim, because it's inventive and yielded a new sort of musical experience. Much of it I really enjoy. But I'm not all that convinced by Beth Gibbons's vocals, which sustain a monotony that I find frustrating at times and do not always believe in. And yet, and yet, it so cleverly incorporates Hip Hop (in 1994!) that I'm left unsure what I feel. I guess I kept longing for a spark, and I only got ashes, tho beautiful ones.
Classic alert! They have a pretty unique sound as a band, only problem I have with them is they never really stray from this sound. IMO this is the only portishead album you really need to listen to, the others all sound the same but worse. 4⭐️
Excellent - still sounds as good today as ever
Maybe I'm just in a good mood, but I hated this less than I thought I would.
Have the LP, trip hop gold
Nice. Eerie, chill. I enjoyed the instrumentals and ethereal vocal work was excellent. Something about it just works, and I'm here for it. Absolutely would revisit again! 'Sour Times' was my pick for a fave.
Heavily technical and thoughtful production. Only a few songs that I would revisit, but four stars for some high moments and incredibly consistent quality throughout.
Had no expectations of this album, only knew of the band cause they had the funny name of the place near Bristol which raised my attention cause I I I had been to uni at Bristol, even though they were well known in the U.K. at the time. Well am I surprised, no not surprised, immensely gratefully thankful that through this project I got to hear this. It is a must hear, it’s s warm but lonely, it’s hip hop influenced but also 60s/ 70s Bond sound track influenced and old school soul, it’s electronic but also sort of singer songwriter intimacy. Listened to it all morning with the rain and it’s just so eloquent. The arrangements are gorgeous and the vocals are so expressive. I’m still a physical medium collector and will be adding this today. These moments in this project more than counterbalance the albums that I struggle to get through..
not even the best of their three albums, but the other is the best on this entire list. still incredible 9/10
Portishead feels inventive and authentic, and enjoyably dark.
Not really into electronic music, but this was pretty good.
Loses a lot of steam but still decent
Haven't heard this for a while, I usually default to putting on Third because I think that's their masterpiece. This deserves all the accolades it gets though. Great mix of styles and Beth's iconic voice over the top, then ends with the sexiest song ever written.
Irritating acid house trip hop. Reading about the production of this album was more interesting than actually listening to it. I see the Wikipedia article about this says that this album was popular as background music in cafes and as bedding tracks on TV and radio, a nightmarish time which brought back memories.
Had some great songs
Never got Portishead to be honest, electronic music has never been my thing. Always happy to listen though, I remember this album and Portishead being massive at the time. Stand out tracks: - Mysterons - Sour times - Strangers - Pedestal - Glory Box
Apparently this is one of Apple’s Top 100 albums of all time. I ain’t buying it. High 2 because it’s mellow
Kinda felt like the intro to a James Bond movie. Which was cool but also just not something I want to hear a whole album of.
Fuck yeah.
Enjoyed it. Nice chilled out vibe. Lyrically not blown away but I don’t think that’s really the point. Musically just very strong.
A lot of this sounds like it was written as the score for a spy mystery film. There's some really cool sounding songs on here. Not always my thing, but definitely interesting.
Very 90s, but not as bad I expected
Once went on drive through Portishead town centre while listening to Portishead. Because I’m cool. Lovely stuff. Simpsons: No
Awesome album, great songs great vibes. Never heard of Portishead before, a nice discovery. The music also accompanied studying nicely.
I didn't really like this. There were too many record-scratching sound effects, and her voice was a bit drony. it was also a bit slow for me, which made 50 minutes feel like about 500.
I really quite liked this, it's not my usual jam and I don't know when I'd listen again but there was nothing wrong with it at all. Good job Portishead.
Brilliant album from a brilliant time.
C’est pas vraiment mon truc le trip-hop;, mais la voix de Beth Gibbons fonctionnera toujours sur moi. C’est très chill, et s’il doit y avoir un album à sauver de cette période et de ce style, c’est celui-ci, alors je serais moins généreux avec les autres. “Mysteron” en ouverture pose bien l'ambiance. “Roads” est très joli. “Glory Box” est un classique. C’est pas grave si ce style est aujourd’hui un peu oublié, il nous restera ce disque comme marqueur d’une époque.
I don’t like how I’ve gotten 2 of my top 10 albums ever this early into this thing ngl
I can remember my friend Doug telling me I had to get this album. He loved it. I didn't. I do respect it: interesting sound, cohesive throughout. Ethereal. Moody. But not to my taste.
Great album to listen to with your gf, spouse or whatever. Love making music
So good. Roads one of my all-time faves. 5/5
not something i would typically listen to. interested to know what genre this is defined as. the sound between songs, for the most part, seems a bit too similar for me. but, still good, and i was surprised that i knew a song from it
Maybe some of this rating can be chalked up to nostalgia. This album came out when I was 15 and played heavily into my high school years. But regardless... fucking Portishead.
This is what the opera that senator palpatine was seeing in Star Wars sounded like.
I never used to think I liked Portishead. But I was wrong. This is great.
i can’t believe i’d never heard this album until now. incredibly unique, never heard anything quite like this. the production is moody and atmospheric; elements of hip hop and jazz scattered throughout. Beth Gibbons’ vocals are beautifully depressing, the perfect pairing for this kind of production. will be revisiting this a ton
Sleepytime Depeche Mode. Still excellent, but I prefer Black Celebration, Construction Time Again, and Music for the Masses. But listening to DM, it’s all good.
- Not much sounded like this when it was released ... it still holds up, a testament to the creative energy of this work, it sounds as fresh today as it did then. -
I haven't heard one of these type of albums in a while, and it was a great listen! Very different from what I have gotten so far.
This is another example of a gem I found on this list. I have never listened to this band before and was very impressed with this record. Moody and atmospheric beats with Beth Gibbons' dreamy vocals make for an amazing listening experience. I will listen to their other releases. Highly recommended!!
En 1994, la Grande-Bretagne musicale était une cour de récréation bruyante et fière de l'être. La Britpop, avec ses guitares stridentes et ses hymnes de stade, plantait fièrement l'Union Jack sur les charts. On chantait en choeur avec Oasis et Blur, on célébrait une Angleterre gouailleuse, énergique et un peu simplette. C'était la BO d'une époque qui voulait s'amuser, oublier les années Thatcher et se persuader que tout allait bien. Et puis, de Bristol, cette ville portuaire un peu à part, nous est parvenu un écho, un son venu d'ailleurs. Pas une clameur de pub, mais un murmure de fin de soirée, le grésillement d'un vieux vinyle dans un appartement vide au petit matin. Ce son, c'était Portishead et leur premier album, "Dummy", n'était pas un disque mais une faille temporelle. Je me souviens parfaitement du jour où j'ai écouté pour la premiere fois le disque. L'intro de "Mysterons", avec ce sample lancinant et ce beat claudiquant... La musique de Portishead ne cherchait pas à vous emporter dans une fête ; elle vous invitait dans son angoisse, sa paranoïa, sa beauté spectrale. C'était le contrechamp parfait, la face cachée et dépressive de la "Cool Britannia". "Dummy" est un chef-d'oeuvre de texture et Geoff Barrow, le cerveau derrière les machines, n'est pas un producteur, c'est un réalisateur. Il a samplé des bandes originales de vieux films d'espionnage (le thème de Lalo Schifrin pour "Mission: Impossible" sur le sublime "Sour Times"), il a ralenti des breakbeats de hip-hop jusqu'à leur donner un air asthmatique, il a ajouté le crépitement d'un diamant sur un 33 tours pour donner l'impression que la musique sortait d'une autre époque. Avec le guitariste Adrian Utley, ils ont créé des paysages sonores désolés, des ruines industrielles baignées d'une lumière blafarde. C'est du trip-hop, oui, si l'on veut coller une étiquette. Mais là où leurs compatriotes de Massive Attack suggéraient une mélancolie urbaine et enfumée, Portishead plongeait la tête la première dans le thriller psychologique. Et au milieu de ce décor sonore, il y a la voix. La voix de Beth Gibbons. Ce n'est pas une chanteuse, c'est une apparition, un fantôme de chanteuse de cabaret qui viendrait vous hanter. Sa voix est un miracle d'équilibre précaire : fragile au point de se briser, mais chargée d'une intensité qui vous glace le sang. Elle ne chante pas, elle exhale les mots. Sur "Roads", l'un des plus beaux morceaux de la décennie, sa performance est d'une nudité, d'une vulnérabilité presque insoutenable. Il n'y a pas d'effets, pas de démonstration de force seulement une âme mise à nu, posée sur une nappe de cordes et un beat au ralenti. C'est bouleversant. Ce qui est fascinant avec "Dummy", c'est son succès. Comment un disque aussi sombre, aussi peu conventionnel, a-t-il pu devenir la bande-son d'une époque ? Il a raflé le prestigieux Mercury Prize et a été acclamé par des magazines aussi différents que Melody Maker, The Face ou Mixmag. Il a touché une corde sensible, universelle. C'était la musique parfaite pour les lendemains de fête, pour les coeurs brisés, pour les nuits d'insomnie. Trente ans après, l'album n'a pas vieilli. Il ne le pouvait pas car il n'a jamais été "à la mode" en 1994, il était déjà hors du temps, une anomalie. Son originalité et sa profondeur émotionnelle sont intactes, il a défini un genre tout en le transcendant immédiatement. Il a prouvé qu'on pouvait faire de la musique électronique qui soit profondément humaine, organique et déchirante. "Dummy" n'est pas un simple album, c'est un refuge, un monde sonore complet, cohérent, dans lequel on peut se perdre pendant 49 minutes. Chaque son, chaque silence, chaque craquement est à sa place. Il n'y a rien à jeter, rien à changer. C'est la définition même d'un 5 sur 5.
Of all the truly awful 90s electronic albums on this list, this one might be the least bad.
Classics
The fucking best. Five stars forevah
So goddamn good
Sour times and glory box best 2 tracks
This album just oozes coolness. Trip-hop queen with a voice that captures you with its smooth melodic and sometimes eerie sounds. Probably one of my all time favourite albums.
Close to a 5 tbh… this is pretty damn unbelievable, like some of the coolest sounds everrrrr. Such a front to back banger
Never really quite clicks for me but so damn cool
kinda unreal album to listen to ... all killer no filler but hasnt quite connected strongly enough for me to give her the old fiver
Low-Fi offbeat. mix of pop, scratching and rock. Haunting female vocals. Feel like a hangover but kind of in a good way. 7/10.
This was really good. Always aware of Portishead but never listened. I think something about the name made me think they were a metal band. Anyway, will have another listen to this soon.
Vibes.
I like portishead, it should just be good ambiance but you couldn’t put it on with company, too omninous. The kind of thing I imagine Toni from Peep Show puts on when she’s trying to woo.
loved it
Liked the trip hop sound
Eerily hypnotizing. Truly a unique listening experience.
Best wel goed, zeer luisterbaar, wel wat veel van hetzelfde.
Drip- Hop.
Its always been a classic. I'd probably give it a 9 but they are getting rounded up. Atmospheric and moody. Beth Gibbons voice is iconic.
An amazing album from start to finish. The mood, the voice, the whole thing… it’s just fantastic. And to think that it closes with the masterpiece, Glory Box… that’s just insane
Don't know why another Portishead album has come up on here ? Is it really an album I need to listen to?
I usually am not as big a fan of down tempo stuff like this but it's got some interest beats and atmospheric going on. Apple music rated this like 67 on the top 100 list they have which means nothing really. I will listen again on the way home from work in the car with better speakers then the ones in my work truck. On second listen it deserves a solid 4
I definitely know of this artist. Very interested to see how this album plays out. very cool stuff. She sounds very similar to Bjork. don't really know any of these tracks so far.
Incredible album. It's a total vibe and every time I come back to this album it still sounds great.
The Good: The title of the album already points out the fact that I am a … The Bad: If the band knew that I am a dummy, then why did they even bother publishing this album? The Ugly: the fact that I actually listened to it twice in the hopes that I would be less dummy, and more yummy… So, they like Ennio Morriconi’s work, so do I, but not in the sense of “hey, let’s just create an entire album that has way to slow compositions, use drum machines to create an annoying beat, and make sure we uppppppp the bass on all channels! Trip Hop, or Indie Rock, or any of the other labels that has been thrown around to explain which genre this album should belong to, should tell you enough that if it isn’t clear to the publishers, or trade journalists, then what are we supposed to think about it? So, here’s me, mr Dummy, enjoying the fact that I don’t have to listen to the album a third time, as I’m smart enough to realize my opinion on this album won’t change… 2* for effort...
Finally -- 600 albums in we get our first Portishead album. As far as trip-hop goes this and self-titled are absolutely untouchable. This is among the seminal works of the genre that set such a wonderfully unsettling and exposed tone. FWIW if you enjoy this album, I recommend checking out the album Hybrid by Elsiane -- I discovered it around the same time and, while it is different aesthetically there is some common element there. Especially in the intro track Vaporous. This album is all hit, no miss for me. One of those rare albums that I can put on literally anytime and be at peace. Mysterons is a great opening track that puts Beth Gibbons haunting vocals on full display over a spooky, minimal electronic instrumentation. Subtle shifting and scratching underpin a regular drum sample over which what sounds like a theremin warbles about. Sour Times carries forward the melancholy tone with a bit jazzier/bouncier entry featuring an exotic (eastern?) string sound and echo-laced guitar work. Strangers is among my favorites on this record and from Portishead in general. Love the way this one bounces back and forth between what I'll call "clean" and "dirty" segments. The clean are stripped down with canned vocals, while the dirty pull in the hip-hop beat with fuzzed out guitars and more clean and forward vocals. The result is a damned cool song. Numb is another favorite of mine. Simple, but highly effective. Then there is Roads, which stands out as one of the most popular relative to Spotify plays -- understand the broad appeal -- its a beautiful song that works so well. Full-bass, lush orchestral sweeps, and a droning organ sound give this a hug-like warmth. While Gibbons vocals sound so incredibly vulnerable. Biscuit is a wonderfully dusty, downtempo adventure. Trippy, chopped and screwed vocal samples and light mixing give this a delightfully cluttered vibe. Sprinkling keys work wonderfully in counterpoint to the dominating synth lines. Bleak and beautiful. Glory Box burns the album down slowly in a seductively drawn out inferno. Once again, just a beautiful jam that hits on all cylinders. So glad for this album to exist... Easy 5
Listened to Portishead 5-6 years ago on recommendation from my foreman at work who was definitely a hard drug enjoyer. Didn't like it then, don't really like it now. I think I understand trip hop as a genre a bit better today than I did 5-6 years ago, but this still just isn't for me. Too slow with decent but boring grooves. Singer being monotone is also a minus. Maybe on ketamine.
Ah finally the infamous Portishead which I keep hearing about from Brandon and Kevin, happy to finally listen. Very cool lo-fi type beats with some beautiful singing that she has to go on top. While the songs were sometimes repetitive in beat, they never got stale at all. Some of the effects that were thrown in were very cool. Perfect album to listen to while doing some mindless coding for the past hour.
Hell yeah love Portishead. So mysterious sounding. This and Mezzanine (hopefully is on here) are the quintessential trip hop albums. The arrangements and programming is just hauntingly beautiful from start to end. Beth Gibbons voice just mixes so well with the music also. Her voice on It Could Be Sweet is fantastic. Also just going through the wiki and on Roads there is an instrument called the 'nose flute.' If this wasn't an easy 5 already it sure is now. Love Glory Box. So easy to bounce your head to every song on here and Beth Gibbons voice is so emotional and has the perfect amount of tremble in it. This was an easy 5 before I started and loved hearing it again. Time to go listen to the Roseland live album by them.
fantastic debut album. 5 stars just for glory box. Favorite track: Glory box other picks: sour times, it could be sweet, wandering star Two 5 ⭐️s in a row after van halen 😀
Not for me
Good!!
This lives in that hard to define area between “Tori Amos made a James Bond soundtrack,“ and “the Cowboy Junkies went clubbing.“ No matter how thin you slice it, this is pretty cool stuff.
The vocalist and her haunting voice make this album. The instrumentation supports it, but it is rather blasé when she isn’t singing.
I would listen to this again. Her voice reminds me of someone and I can’t quite place it.
I'd heard of Portishead, but hadn't realized I knew a couple of their songs. If this is what trip-hop sounds like, sign me up for the newsletter. VERY good debut album. Sounds like the soundtrack to a stylish, sexy, well-produced detective movie. Excellent songwriting and singing. Somewhere between 4 and 4.5*.
I'm changing my review months later because I've realised I enjoy it a lot more now compared to my first listen. It's grown on me, helped by when I'm listening to this at night, that's when it's best.
Hell yeah this slaps. Weird as hell.
moody, vibey, broody, beautiful. i really loved this! i've always been meaning to listen to portishead, so i'm glad i finally had a no-skip opportunity. i thought it got a little samey after a while but still, a great entry on this list. always refreshing to see a woman, too 🥲
pretty neat album. definitely a unique sound (for the time, at least). now it's a bit more commonplace, but i imagine hearing this for the first time in the mid-90s would have been mind-blowing. not 100% my thing but still cool that this is on the list. favorites: sour times, wandering star, roads, glory box
I tend to listen in the morning. Not an ideal time for Portishead maybe? Still, what am I interesting band for it's time. Really wasn't anything like it in popular music. Much less a somber group that has four hits on a single album.
01) Mysterons - 9,0 02) Sour Times - 10,0 03) Strangers - 9,0 04) It Could Be Sweet - 9,0 05) Wandering Star - 10,0 06) It's a Fire - 9,0 07) Numb - 9,0 08) Roads - 9,0 09) Pedestal - 9,0 10) Biscuit - 9,0 11) Glory Box - 10,0 TOTAL: 9,27 (93/100) Current ranking: 19/371 I knew the singles, but I never heard the rest of the album. And the rest of the album is the reason why this is one of the most praised albums of the nineties. Apart from "Glory Box", which is one of my favorite songs of all time, I would like to single out "Wandering Star" and "Sour Times" as highlights of this excellent album.
great 90s vibe
This is so weird. It's like Depeche Mode and Linkin Park find underground Jazz. I like it. Also reminds me of me singing something I invented while my dad played the keyboards. I want more of this. Ohhh I already heard Glory Box somewhere before.
Nice, beste song op het einde
I was literally just the other day saying I needed to properly listen to this album, since Roads and Glory Box are absolutely impeccable tracks, and what do you know, this foundational album of trip-hop is really good trip-hop all the way down, I am Vibing
This is kinda jazzed up Young Marble Giants. It’s OK but not totally for me. Makes me tired.
Moody, atmospheric, plaintive, love it. Trip hop at its best, and very much up my alley - I've listened to Portisgead loads over the last couple of years (so maybe I'm biased) and the musicianship on this album is still phenomenal. Hearty recommendation from me. Faves: Sour Times; Roads; Mysterons
Ethereal.
If there ever was an album that I just NEEDED to re-listen to, it would be Portishead's debut album 'Dummy'. I listened it to about 4 years ago for the very first time, and while it didn't immediately click, it did make me feel something that very few records ever have. I mean this album nails its particular aesthetic on absolutely every song - those dreary guitars on 'Mysterons' and the following 'Sour Times' are nothing short of haunting especially when paired with Beth's ghostly vocals that sound like they're echoing out from the bottom of some cold well in the dead of night. I can't overstate how much this album clicked for me this time around, it has that definitive '90s trip-hop sound while simultaneously sounding like every modern-day electron-backed singer-songwriter artist, especially on a song like the cozy 'It Could Be Sweet'. The drum programming here, while synthetic, is what elevates this album to its uncanny peaks. The snare hits bash the mix on many of the songs here, especially on 'Wandering Star' - maybe the catchiest song here despite it being paired with some bone-chilling imagery. Maybe the best thing about this song though is how unabashedly golden-age hip hop those funk samples are, and how their upbeat nature almost clashes with the coldness at the song's core - it creates a strange dissonance that works in creating something wholly unique and even frightening. The song 'Pedestal' feels similar, hitting the listener with a little saxophone solo halfway through. This particular song feels like you're sitting in some sort of dilapidated, run-down jazz club in the middle of some rural town. The organ-driven 'It's a Fire', as its title suggests, feels warmer than anything else here but the thing I love about this album is that no song feels truly "safe", there's always something off with the tones, keys the band chooses to play in (especially in those dramatic string sections), and the lyrics. My two favorite songs however come near the end of the album. First is 'Roads' which has easily the best string arrangement on the entire album. The feelings of debilitating isolation and hopelessness expressed by Beth here are absolutely crushing - the song feels like standing at the top of a snowy mountain, in a storm, staring off into the distance knowing there's no way you'll ever be warm again. I also really like 'Glory Box', which has Beth switching up her vocal style to something kind of snappy, crooked, and almost conniving before her more typical lush style sweeps in on the chorus, again evoking those feelings of yearning under these squawking electric guitar hits. Albums like this just make you really happy to love music, but also really sad when get hit with the realization that nothing will sound like this ever again. Like DJ Shadow's 'Endtroducing', the sort of low-budget, imperfect mixing of it is what REALLY makes this album...its '90s-isms and its recording context. I'd say it's that fusion of artificial computer programming and sounds straight from the human soul in the samples and Beth's vocals - it's a fusion that can't be easily recreated because it feels as unintentional as it does intentional. But hey maybe there is more music that sounds like this, Portishead's two other albums could sure use a re-listen.
This is not interesting. Why is it here? Some songs had nice parts but I don’t need it.
Gives a strange and subtly oppressive atmosphere. Its like a dark curtain lays heavy over the entire album. Lynchian. Best: Biscuit, Roads Worst: Strangers
I neglected this at the time, and wish I hadn't, because I think it would have become a favourite. I liked the atmosphere of spooky, melancholy unease. The rhythms drive it forward, not letting it meander too far into uncertainty. The backing is sparse, but interesting. I did know some tracks, particularly Glory Box. Funnily enough, I saw Beth Gibbons on Jools Holland the other day, and was intrigued enough to look her up. "Oh, she's from Portishead. Must listen to them" I thought (as such was my ignorance, I didn't recognise her name. Or her.) Happily, it wasn't too late, and it's finally in my consciousness properly. I did get that mid-side-two lull, where it all started to get a bit samey, so it's not five stars but it's really good overall I think.
welcome to my controversial artist list, love this album (and the 2nd record), still pains me to think about Third and I dispute it's inclusion in the 1001 This is glorious, beautiful and hunting melodies from track 1 to the end
Vocal feminino top. Batida eletrônica de rico. Yate club wins
Not for me.
Mysterons: 5/10 Sour times: 5/10 Strangers: 3/10 It could be sweet: 1/10 Wandering star: 1/10 It’s a fire: 1/10 Numb: 0/10 Roads: 0/10 Pedestal: 1/10 Biscuit: 0/10 Glory box: 8/10
Already one of my all time faves. A perfect album. 10/10
Second time listening to this album. Better than the first time for sure. Could see myself listening a third time soon 7/10
Pleasant surprise.
Music to strip to?
Never heard this one before, it’s dope! Real chill and kind of atmospheric, with a hint of weird. It makes for a really fun listen. I will listen to this again and may check out more of their stuff.
That’s a 10. Unbelievable album
I've listened to Glory Box and Roads many many times now but only listened to this album for the first time a few months ago (and didn't revisit it much either, knowing that it'd eventually pop up here anyways). It's pretty much the epitome of embodying a mood and sound, with the doomed, dark romance thoroughly permeating the entire thing. "Give me a reason to love you Give me a reason to be a woman I just wanna be a woman"
听不懂但好睡
#296, this may be the first album where this list properly aligns with my own history of Essential Listens. Masterpiece at its time. It's been a while since I've heard it in full and when I put it on earlier, outside, with flimsy in-ears I was thinking that I might have worn it out too much, back then and how today I might prefer the grittiness of their "Third" or Gibbons' work with Rustin Man on "Out of Season", but that doesn't matter. "Roads" played and no, this is still magnificient. If you're reading this, make sure to check out "Scorn" from the "Glory Box" single. An outstanding way to make a remix. 10 out of 5 stars.
fantastic. 3.5
This album came out without me taking too much notice but I was aware that it quickly gained a lot of media attention and acclaim. Because of this I thought that I should give the album a listen but never got around to it. So Portishead for me remained a signpost on the M5 which I used to see on my way to Cornwall. I gather the name came about as they largely originated from the Portishead area. A good name but a good job they weren’t from the Ramsbottom area of Lancashire. The album has reached so much notoriety, as illustrated that it’s on this list, that I recently bought the album cheap at a charity shop. To my disgrace to some I suppose this was the first time I had listened to it in full. My honest conclusion is that I don’t think I have wasted the years this album was not in my collection. The overriding feel of the album is spaced out hip hop James Bond theme music. So not to my liking but it has allowed me to become aware of the lead singer Beth Gibbons. She has released a corker of an album in 2024 called Lives Outgrown so that is something in Dummy’s favour but little else. 2.5/5 4/11/24
Dummy is an extremely pleasant listening experience. There are lush soundscapes aplenty with just a splash of the eerie & foreboding industrial stuff that makes trip-hop so irresistible. Beth Gibbons has a wonderful presence about her on many of these tracks. I find that the strongest cuts come very early, and later on in the tracklist. The middle is where this album drags a touch. Overall though, it is inarguably a trip hop masterpiece and one that is well worth returning to time and again to discover new layers you might have missed previously. Top 3: 1. It Could Be Sweet 2. Sour Times 3. Glory Box Bottom 1: Wandering Star Overall Score: 8.1/10
Love love love this album. It's moody, it's unique. Simply brilliant
Excelente para chillear
Never got into them. Interesting.
A timeless classic
Genre-defining album. Glory Box, Roads, ... so many good songs here.
I never paid attention to Portishead, but wow! this one will get many listens in the near future :)
Obviously a groundbreaking album that to this day sounds like a little else. The samples are so slick, the vocals are sexy as fuck, it's a 5 from me. Glory Box is obviously one of the best songs of all time, and just so gender as well - it's a song about embracing femininity and coming into yourself. What's not to love. Best Track: Glory Box Worst Track: It Could Be Sweet
Best Song: Glory Box Worst Song: It Could be Sweet
I need to listen again
Laidback, chill, great to work to
So so bad
This was more notable than the other Portishead, so I guess that should have been 2 and this should be rounded up to 3. It at least strives to be something kinda creepy & weird. Rest of the trip hop we're getting on here strikes out not even swinging. bleep bloop star debt: increased. (⌐■_■)
More substance than the others English 90s electronic, which isn’t exactly saying much, but still,
I had a very different understanding of what Portishead was like as a band. I think I’d conflated them with Prodigy. Anyway, this was a pleasant listen. Ethereal vocals. Would put this on if in the right mood. 3/5
Really thought I wasn't going to enjoy this album, but boy was I wrong; it's truly fantastic. Beth Gibbon has a voice of an angel.
Situationally very good
Situationally very good.
Bad
Bit monotonous
Not really my thing. But I can appreciate the music.
Massive Attack is my trip hop standard. Portishead doesn’t rise to their level. Like don’t love.
Stone Cold Classic. My favorite Trip Hop.
Wanted to like it. Didn’t.
Alluring
i really liked this one. great album 8/10
Familiar with a lot of these songs from when it came out. Perfect production choices, very layered and obviously laboured over. Vocals outstanding as to be expected. 'Roads' a standout.
Relaxed, atmospheric, and eerie. Smooth, sweet, and clear vocals.
The opening song, Mysterons, is awesome. Rest I didn't quite warm up to.
Very cool indeed. This brought back so many memories of the 90s. It felt like (although I bet it wasn't, as they aren't professional Mancs) this was the only album ever played in Affleck's Palace, when you went to buy your flared cords and Black Grape t shirts.
The equivalent of turning on a fan at night so you have a bit of noise to fall asleep to. Really boring, basically the same thing all the way through
subtle masterpiece