Portishead- Dummy (1994) MP3 & FLAC

"Love don't always shine through."

Seventeen years and countless imitators after the fact, Portishead's debut, Dummy, still sounds as fresh as the day it was released, which is a testament to the album's originality and stark emotional depth. Something of a unique mash-up of Hip-Hop-inspired beats and samples, singer-songwriter pathos, psychedelic overtones, and electronic-based sonic manipulations, this unapologetically moody classic, while categorized as "Trip-Hop," is actually genre-defeating from start to finish. Dummy also marks the first appearance of one of the most hauntingly beautiful voices of the past thirty years, and it is Beth Gibbons' contributions to Portishead's sonic palette that consistently allows the music to transcend the sum of its parts. Nowhere is this more in evidence than on "Glory Box," a seductive slow-burner, which combines Gibbons at her soulful best with sampled strings and distorted guitar to create an indelible melodic effect. Gibbons oscillates between several vocal styles during the course of this song, while showing the ability to express myriad emotions through the simplest of inflections. Truly, one of the most stunning releases of the nineties (a decade not particularly known for stunning releases).

Dummy
 1. Mysterons  (5:02)
 2. Sour Times  (4:11)
 3. Strangers  (3:55)
 4. It Could Be Sweet  (4:16)
 5. Wandering Star  (4:51)
 6. It's a Fire  (3:48)
 7. Numb  (3:54)
 8. Roads  (5:02)
 9. Pedestal  (3:32)
10. Biscuit  (5:01)
11. Glory Box  (5:06)

MU: Lossy (MP3@320) 

MU: Lossless (FLAC)