8. PortisheadDummy
In 1994, when I first heard this band, I think the whole world had a revelation; this ovni. In French, an ovni is a kind of phenomenon of some sort. In France, you say it’s an ovni, meaning it’s so new and surprising. For me it was the revelation of a sound that was going into that electronic vibe, discovering music with a new voice and a new way… again it’s very much linked to Radiohead. I don’t know if they would like that comparison but for me the comparison does exist.Â
Of course there’s this darkness, but also this electronic sound that I discovered for the first time with them. And also it’s funny how there’s a link with the live performances. It’s as if Thom Yorke never made a compromise in his singing life, which was the same with Beth Gibbons. I liked Massive Attack and Tricky but I reacted to those albums in a different way. Perhaps the fact she was a woman spoke to me more, and the fact she inhabited those songs. Again it’s this idea of no compromise. I don’t know her but it seems very true to who she is. When Dummy came out, the idea of making music again very slowly emerged for me thanks to her, and thanks to this new atmospheric sound. I asked myself questions again, so for me it was kind of a starting point. Â
