1994 was a big year for well-received debut albums. At least a half dozen of the albums I’ve already featured from that year have been debuts, and a handful of other first efforts just missed the cut.

English electronic band Portishead have released only three albums during their on-again, off-again career, and 1994’s Dummy — their triple-platinum first effort — is the standout.

One of the pioneers of the British trip-hop movement, Portishead delivers a hypnotic mix of low-fi beats and sultry vocals. This album is definitely a vibe.

While Dummy left most critics ecstatic, legendary writer Robert Christgau dismissed it as “Sade for androids.” While he meant that as a criticism, I receive it as praise, as the cool jazz/electronic blend is exactly what makes this album a fun listen.

I did lose interest about halfway through Dummy. Everything is in the same tempo, and it’s hard to distinguish many of the songs from each other through one listen. But the highlights, like today’s SOTD (a minor hit), have a Bond-theme elegance I dig.