Mysterons - Portishead


Portishead are a 'trip-hop' band from Bristol (named after the titular city West of it). Formed in 1991, it comprises of the two members
Beth Gibbons (vocals), and Geoff Barrow (instruments and production) Adrian Utley writes the songs and plays guitar.

Their third studio album, ten years after their previous, is due this year. Their genre of trip-hop describes Portishead's erratic drum parts and heavy use of sampling. It has a slow, spaced out sound.


General


  • Instrumentation : Drums, female vocals, electronics, electric guitar, bass guitar
  • Distortion and reverb on guitar
  • Guitar 'bending'
  • Regular drum rolls
  • Strange guitar ‘wokka’ sound during intro and Outro
  • Basic structure : ABABABAB
  • Crecendo synth in outro
  • Drummer uses hard snare
  • Regular 4/4
  • Fairly slow tempo (Andante)
  • Drums are repetive (use ostinato) and do not use a regular beat


Full Structure


  1. Intro : wokka sound and guitar. Drums enter and mysteron sound plays.
  2. Vocals enter (verse)
  3. Guitar riff (with bend)
  4. Verse
  5. Prechorus (no drums "All for nothing")
  6. Main theme returns "Did you really want" Slight mention of wokka (chorus)
  7. Mysteron synth - drums stop before 8 where they return
  8. Verse
  9. Prechorus
  10. Chorus
  11. Outro (mysteron sound) Features sweeping synth, industrial crashes, erratic synth at end. Fades out.


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