"Mysterons" opens with an chilly, ghostly air, followed by the exotic despair of "Sour Times" and the jazzy, eerie "Strangers" and "Wandering Star." Portishead delves into pure trip-hop in the pulsing "It Could Be Sweet" and "Numb," then synthesizes strings and stately organ in "It's A Fire," before wrapping things up with the steady lament "Glory Box," with its undulating riffs.

A noir feel permeates "Dummy," giving a grounded feel to the spacier edges of the music. It's easy to imagine trenchcoats, smoky offices, rainy days and femme fatales set to this music. It's soaked in melancholy and dreamy depression, set to music.

The blend of lounge music and trip-hop could have been awkward, but it blends seamlessly. The Rhodes and magnificent Hammond organ are the core of the silky unearthly sound, adding an epic feel to many of the songs. At the same time, the flexible guitar riffs and jazzy percussion bring it down to earth. And the Hammond does double-time as a jazz instrument as well, even when paired with strings.

Beth Gibbons's vocals are outstanding: high and clear and sweet, except in "Strangers," where she sounds like her voice is being filtered through an old radio. She pours plenty of emotion into the despairing lyrics. The songs themselves are simple and evocative, with loneliness and regret dripping from them. ("The salvation I desire/Keeps getting me down")

Jazz and trip-hop blend seamlessly into the beautiful haunting whole that is "Dummy." A beautiful experience, and one of the best albums of the 1990s.


Exceptional, heart-breaking, dream-like magick tor chilling.   October 29, 2005
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

I heard this late last night at a friend's flat, and couldn't speak from start to finish! Frighteningly good, this CD demands your attention and your heart, mainly because of the stark and haunting emotional vocals. That's not to say the music is not totally in-keeping, well executed and highly imaginative too.
I have no idea how I missed this CD before now, as I am a great fan of Massive Attack, but I thank heaven that I know about it now, and have ordered it today. I thoroughly recommend that you do the same - if you do, you are in for a real treat. I fully expect to be listening to this CD until the day I die and hopefully after that too, as this is truly music from heaven itself!


Who didn't give this 5 stars!?!   July 28, 2005
 4 out of 8 found this review helpful

Firstly i'm hunting you down, so be warned!! Apart from some anti-drug, anti-youth closeminded "Person", Can you find anyone who hasn't given this album 5 stars? I guarantee Beth Gibbons' vocals will drag you in. To say this is angst ridden depressing music is plainly wrong. I see it as optimism is the face of adversity. A pure and heart-wrenching display of emotion. "Nobody loves me! It's true...Not like you do" ;-) Reviewers say this alot - but this time, this album really is a MUST buy.