10 Perfect Trip-Hop Albums With No Bad Songs
3. Dummy - Portishead (1994)
Portishead are one of the true originators of trip-hop. You've got the moody melodies, the driving breakbeats, and the haunting vocals. This album is not a light undertaking. Beth Gibbons' desperately emotive vocals are heart shattering on their own. But when coupled with ominous, blues inspired melodies and hip-hop samples, they're enough to induce tears.
This record has an incredible ability to sound both contemporary and vintage. The fusing of samples, scratching, and live instrumentation marries perfectly. One production technique, included distressing the tape before recording, to produce a randomised crackling effect.
Strangers, thuds along with all the impact of a stamping elephant. Jazzy inspired guitar loops drop in, to accompany Gibbons' vocals, which sound like they're coming from a 1930s phonograph. It Could Be Sweet, contains sensual lo-fi hip hop beats, serving as a canvas for Gibbons to lay on her tender vocals.
The best is saved for last, however. Glory Box sees the album off, with a heartfelt, heartbreak ballad. Everything is stripped back. The minimalist hop hop beat gives just enough motion to keeps things moving. Everything is enriched by bluesy chords and a hypnotic string section. The chorus features some scratching guitar, grinding for space against Gibbons' defiant vocals. It's the perfect ending to a perfect album.