Dummy

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Dummy · Geoff Barrow and Beth Gibbons met in 1991 during a course for aspiring entrepreneurs. They recorded their first ideas in Neneh Cherry's kitchen, then at Coach House Studios in Bristol. Guitarist Adrian Utley joined and brought a cimbalom and theremin. The album was created with techniques from hip hop: sampling, scratching and making loops. The group recorded their own music onto vinyl, ruined it by walking on it and sampled from that again, so that the sound is old and crackly.

Dummy was released in August 1994 as a debut. It sounds darker and stranger than the label trip hop suggests: sparse beats, a cinematic atmosphere and Gibbons's sad voice. Sour Times and Glory Box became the best-known tracks. The record received glowing reviews, won the Mercury Music Prize in 1995 and strengthened Bristol's reputation as the capital of trip hop.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Mysterons5:05Apple Music ↗
2. 2Sour Times4:12Apple Music ↗
3. 3Strangers3:58Apple Music ↗
4. 4It Could Be Sweet4:17Apple Music ↗
5. 5Wandering Star4:53Apple Music ↗
6. 6It's a Fire3:46Apple Music ↗
7. 7Numb3:56Apple Music ↗
8. 8Roads5:04Apple Music ↗
9. 9Pedestal3:40Apple Music ↗
10. 10Biscuit5:03Apple Music ↗
11. 11Glory Box5:09Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

See also

• Portishead