The song “Roads” by Portishead features a haunting yet melodic chord progression reminiscent of the minor key-oriented pop/rock of the 90’s. It combines chords from the key of A minor along with a borrowed chord from the parallel major key to create a moody, atmospheric soundscape typical of the trip-hop genre.
“Roads” by Portishead is set in the key of Am, also known as A minor. In the verse, there is an interesting use of the flat major 7 (Fmaj7) chord. This chord is not typically found within the natural minor key but is considered a borrowed chord from the A major key. Thus, this use of said borrowed chord and its resolution to the E7 dominants gives the song a unique feel, contributing to its mesmerizing and emotive ambience. Portishead tends to blend the use of A minor and A Dorian modality in their music, especially apparent in this composition.
“Roads” by Portishead is set in the key of Am, also known as A minor. In the verse, there is an interesting use of the flat major 7 (Fmaj7) chord. This chord is not typically found within the natural minor key but is considered a borrowed chord from the A major key. Thus, this use of said borrowed chord and its resolution to the E7 dominants gives the song a unique feel, contributing to its mesmerizing and emotive ambience. Portishead tends to blend the use of A minor and A Dorian modality in their music, especially apparent in this composition.
The given chord progression is from the chorus of “Earfquake” by Tyler, The Creator, a contemporary hip-hop and neo-soul artist. The progression features a smooth and mellow tonality, characterized by the use of 7th chords. The chord progression is in the key of Bb Major and showcases the use of mostly diatonic chords with a repetition that contributes to the song’s catchy nature.
“Idioteque” by Radiohead is an experimental and atmospheric electronic song, released on the album “Kid A” in 2000. The chord progression of the chorus is fairly simple, yet features some distinctive chords which create a sense of tension and release. It incorporates modal mixture and chromatic mediants, which are typical elements found in Radiohead’s music.
“Glory Box” by Portishead from the album Dummy (1994) presents a haunting and somewhat melancholy ambience commonly found in their trademark trip-hop style. This song, in particular, draws from a palette of jazz-influenced harmony. The chords used, their extensions, and inversions, conjure complexity beyond basic triadic harmony.
The “Glory Box” by Portishead chorus progression is based in D minor and moves between this primary D minor chord and three other chords: Dm/C, Bm7b5, and Bbmaj7. The Dm/C chord is the same as the D minor, but with a different note in the bass (C). The Bm7b5 is a half-diminished chord. The Bbmaj7 is major seventh chord.
“Glory Box” by Portishead from the album Dummy (1994) presents a haunting and somewhat melancholy ambience commonly found in their trademark trip-hop style. This song, in particular, draws from a palette of jazz-influenced harmony. The chords used, their extensions, and inversions, conjure complexity beyond basic triadic harmony. The chord progression listed appears to be in the key of D minor and employs common jazz techniques like ii-V-I progressions and usage of the half-diminished chord.
“Glory Box” by Portishead is primarily in the key of D minor, with some moments of modal interchange. The chord progression contains a distinct spice of jazz influence while remaining in the realm of synthesized trip-hop sound characterizing the band’s style.
“Glory Box” by Portishead is a Trip Hop masterpiece which blends elements of blues, rock, soul, and electronic music together in an innovative and influential way. The song’s chord progression, as illustrated by the verse, is D minor, D minor with C in the bass (notated as Dm/C), B minor 7 flat 5, and B flat major 7. This particular chord progression gives an overall melancholy and haunting feeling throughout the song and sets the tone for the track.
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