“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.
“The Rip” by Portishead is a classic example of the Trip-hop genre. It features simple, yet effective harmonic progressions that offer a melancholic tone which is widely utilized in this genre. The distinctiveness of this particular chord progression lies on its subtle shifting between minor and major tonalities, as well as its use of borrowed chords.
Verse 1
“Sour Times” by Portishead is largely written in the key of C# minor, with elements of modal interchange and chromaticism that contribute to its haunting, dark sound. The song exhibits a remarkable amount of harmonic complexity and non-diatonic harmony, which is a defining characteristic of the trip-hop genre. The piece makes use of intricate inversions and chromatic voice leading, along with a frequent use of sevenths and diminished chords for added tension.
The chord progression in the verse of “When You Die” by MGMT can be analyzed as a blend of traditional diatonic harmony and chromaticism. The song is in the key of G major with elements of modal interchange and a brief modulation to the relative minor key, E minor. The progression features a mix of both major and minor chords and gives the piece a sense of melancholy and uncertainty.
“Come Together” by The Beatles, like many other Beatles songs, is known for its unique melody and innovative chord progressions. The song is written in the key of D minor and employs frequent use of bluesy pentatonic scale patterns. The meter is 4/4 (common time). The song is characterized by the use of common chords, with the exception of the Bm and Bm/A chords which are noteworthy.
“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 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.
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