Portishead's ten-year absence came to an end with the aptly-named Third. The group moved their legendary trip-hop into some potent, cinematic soundscapes, each song carried by Beth Gibbons' world-weary vocals. On "The Rip," Gibbons sings over acoustic strums, her voice eventually falling into a bed of electronica, haunted but hopeful.
While, white horses,
they will take me away,
And the tenderness I feel,
will send the dark underneath,
Will I follow?
Given the juxtaposition of the initial acoustic framework and eventual electronic climax, "The Rip" sounds suspended in time between a distant black-and-white past and some isolated future. But under the spell of Gibbons' interpretation, the vivid opening lines ("As she walks in the room / scented and tall / hesitating once more") followed by the supernal chorus translate the song into an otherworldly performance. "The Rip" is jaw-droppingly beautiful and haunting, and, ultimately, vital listening that leaps out of your speakers.
Check out the incredible video for "The Rip" right here.
Why listen? Like the rest of Portishead's third album, "The Rip" is an arresting but rewarding piece of recording artistry. The noir electronica seeps into your veins alongside the lyrical brilliance of Gibbons' plaintive voice. The song's familiar strangeness suggests it will be worth revisiting well into the distant future.
Something else? "Machine Gun," "We Carry On."
BONUS: "The Rip" has plenty of important fans. Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood let someone film their version while messing around backstage.
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