Dummy is one of my all-time favourite albums. It must be a few other people’s, too:
from wikipedia “In 1998 Q magazine readers voted Dummy the 16th greatest album of all time, while in 2000 the same magazine placed it at number 61 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. In 2003, the album was ranked number 419 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.”
A characteristic of Portishead’s music is the deliberate lo-fi sound and amazing use of samples, both found and created. I’m yet to find any other artist that can create music so well in this style… the closest I’ve come is the abstract hip-hop of DJ’s Shadow and Krush and the clever party sounds of The Avalanches.
Dummy is simply one of the most beautiful albums I’ve ever heard. It’s deep, emotional and melancholic. Portishead haven’t released much in the past 10+ years since Dummy, but they’ve influenced countless other artists and arguably shaped the sound of trip-hop more than any other artist.
Outstanding Tracks:
- Sour Times
- Roads
- Glory Box

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