Deconstructing Portishead - Sour Times

[@BB-or8gi]

I was in middle school when this album came out. I don’t know how I was able to convince my mom to buy it for me - my parents did NOT ride the 90s alternative wave in taste, music, way of life etc. at all. My friends and I called this the SPY SONG of the album and watching this video analysis has really closed the loop for me! Listening to this album on the bus to school on my portable cd playing, lifting up the cd player when the speed bumps came to avoid the song skipping, and just feeling my 90s alternative “dark side.” I thought I was just too cool.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

That's great, thanks for the insight! I had a bit of a different experience because somehow my whole family, including my Mom, absolutely loved this album. It spent many years on repeat in our family car, so much so that the track order and the way one song flows into another is burned into my memory. Still a near perfect album front to back imo.

[@theodore_worther]

Apparently one of the ‘mixing’ techniques from Portishead was to press recorded loops on vinyl and kick them around in the studio. Then scratching the snare bit on a record player long enough to make it sound dull. Afterwards they resampled the busted record to cassette tape (instead of DAT) and processed it even further.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

That's amazing. I love their dedication to creating something unique. The drum sounds on Dummy are still some of the best I've ever heard and considering the technical limitations of the time, it's honestly amazing what they were able to create.

[@scottking7186]

I'm so happy to have knowledge about this Lalo Schifrin album. Always this album in particular a favourite amongst their catalogue. Simple, lush sounds. The Roseland NYC performance in 1994 is one of my favourites. Keep them coming maestro Karl!

[@mauddib1761]

I've watched about 5-6 of your "Deconstructing..." videos one after another. Just wanted to leave a comment to say how good your videos are. I can't believe you don't have tens of thousands of subscribers as your content is great in my opinion. Keep up the great work!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

That's very kind. Thanks for the vote of confidence! In some ways I am happy with the slow, steady growth of the channel because it's giving me time to become more comfortable putting myself out there without the pressure of a large audience. Cheers

[@charliehaffke2051]

Man I love hammered dulcimer. Awesome instrument

[@Matisto1]

Always found this song to be quite mesmerising. I looked up what kind of instrument was used for Danube Incident and found this reply: Yeah, I'm certain it's the hammered dulcimer, aka cymballum, or cimbalom. It's a Hungarian instrument.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Yes! That's almost certainly it! After I recorded the video, it did cross my mind that it was likely a percussion instrument or something played with hammers. Thanks for finding this so quickly!

[@djcjr1x1]

A great catch there🤓 my mother was a dulcimer player and I particularly like hammer dulcimer probably why I love that song, thanks!

[@pile_ofsalt]

@KarlBoltzmann So true. The mixture of these ingredients to create a new art is like when a good cook takes two simple recipes and creates a new combination of tastes, textures, and colors by masterfully mixing them together with little nuances here and there.

[@noelhanssens7439]

This is magic, thanks for the effort and insight into these great tracks! I would love to hear anything by the Avalanches or Justice. Keep up the great work!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

I've got a couple Justice ones on the go actually. We'll see where it goes!

[@_sinsear]

that loose string sound? I'm pretty sure it's a Dulcimer. This instrument was used a lot in film and tv scores of the 1960's.

[@felicismoon9999]

This video is so interesting! It’s neat to see how all these different samples come together in one song.

[@ShaunButterley]

Thanks for doing Portishead!

[@doodleedledoo]

I'm a little sad and feel rather stupid because I used to think they created all the bits I loved so much about this track, I didn't realise it was a sample. I was giving them credit for everything. The Laslo track is a good 70% of what I was so into about it.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

I can relate to that sentiment. There are many thoughts on the subject, but the way I prefer to think about it is is as follows: Portishead relied heavily on that sample to create this track and yet the two songs couldn't be further from each other in so many ways. The vibes and feelings are so different and unique to both tracks that it's more of a homage to the original material, a building up, an entirely new creation. If someone did that to one of my songs, I would be honoured.

[@eliseo.109]

@@KarlBoltzmann also is not as simple as that, I was watching a video where they said that in order to avoid just "copying" they re-recorded the drums, then pressed in vinyl and used those recording in their songs... so, that made me think they are more amazing :)

[@tripmastermonkee]

That shouldn’t take away from the fact that they were able to create something new out of an otherwise forgotten piece of music, while resurrecting new life into it in the process.

[@levant_noir]

And that’s exactly why Portishead are amazing ❤

[@speeksasfada]

No don't be, sampling is incredible you have to be great at combining things and make it musical at the same time or groovy while your ideas sometimes doesn't get to get real, also Beth's vocals and lyrics makes the song and the album perfect ( I mean it doesn't excluded what Geoff and Adrian do )

[@phrozac]

I'm here because I literally discovered this on my own about an hour ago. Was listening to Enter the Dragon on Spotify and once the album was over it began playing other Lalo Schifrin songs. Once Danube Incident started, I was like, "Hold on...how did Portishead get in here??" Thanks for this cool breakdown :)

[@KarlBoltzmann]

I love randomly running into a sample like that when I'm just minding my own business. To hear it in it's original context is always a trip too.

[@phrozac]

@@KarlBoltzmann Totally. Like first hearing Has Zimmer 's "You're So Cool" and then "Gassenhauer" by Carl Orff. Or the Cowboy Junkies cover of Lou Reed's Sweet Jane. It's cool to see how an artist might interpret another.

[@CarrieAnne45]

This is taking me back... time travelling via song...

[@KarlBoltzmann]

It's an amazing album all around.

[@GLDNSCTN]

Yessirrrrrr! Thanks!

[@kazzykasborne]

original music is just as beautiful, whoa

[@alexandersteffen7805]

Just discovered your channel...you will have a great amount of subscribers in the future, you do great content. Keep up the good work

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Thank you! That's very kind.

[@alexandersteffen7805]

@@KarlBoltzmann if you have time, can you "deconstruct" , The Crystal Method - roll it up or Morcheeba - Never an easy way. Thanks

[@ecsantana]

damn, I LOVE Portishead to the bone... had a Time Machine, single use, I'd use it just to go to Their NYC Show that became the DVD...

[@KarlBoltzmann]

That's a great thought. That show would definitely be high on my list too.

[@jamesreid8840]

Nice one Karl well done sir 👍 Yes please longer in-depth videos and the instrument you wanted to know was also made famous by composer John Barry and used in his James Bond scores is called a hammered dulcimer.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Thanks James! The hammered dulcimer is most definitely it. I should have figured that it was a percussion instrument! What a unique and dynamic sound.

[@jamesreid8840]

@@KarlBoltzmann with a bit of reverb and delay it’s has a very haunting sound 👍

[@sonjavang864]

Just discovered your channel. Great, love the vibe of Portishead. So yes I would love if you could do more in depth tutorials here on youtube or through paid courses. Thanks!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Thanks for saying hello. I have done some live deconstructions and will do another one very shortly, probably on Saturday, where I break down exactly what I do to deconstruct these songs. I will be doing more of that in the future!

[@djcjr1x1]

I'm loving these deconstruction videos maybe you could do Glory Box next? My brother and I always had the ability to tell a song by just a few bars so samples were something we were constantly trying to figure out back in the late 80s thru 90s when there was so much great sampling out there, great work!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Thanks! I have Glory Box all finished up actually. Just waiting on a time to record the video. Might do a livestream of it in a couple weeks too.

[@djcjr1x1]

@@KarlBoltzmann great minds think alike 😉

[@fernwood]

I am so obsessed with your deconstructions. Do you take requests? Bug Powder Dust, the Kruger & Dorfmeister Session specifically. It haunts me.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Thank you! K&D Sessions is one of my favourites! I've looked into it and I'm hoping to do a K&D deconstruction at some point.

[@bitspacemusic]

Check out the drum work of Astrobotnia (Aleksi Perälä). I'm especially confused and inspired by tracks like Lightworks where the drums just flow and change in a way that's hard to pin down. These were on Rephlex Records, the company founded by RDJ.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Yeah, it almost sounds like it's not set to a grid, no quantization. Very free flowing and pretty.

[@johnbattaglino9487]

It's a Cimbalom,.. a ringier type of hammered dulcimer

[@secretsunofficial]

hammered dulcimer as I remember

[@terrosatanik]

This helped us a lot with understanding the song way better, we'll use violin, keyboard and sax instead of the dulcimer. Me and my friends will play it in school! Thanks a lot :·)

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Excellent! Good luck with the performance.

[@cutalin]

that sound seems like a hammered dulcimer but maybe higher speed.

[@Spaced_Invader]

Wow!

[@geoffreymccaleb]

God I’m an idiot. Have heard Danube Incident loads of times when I was a kid - but never made the connection when Dummy came out. Great breakdown!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Thank you!

[@sundersquare]

Similar motif in GTA IV theme song with that 'loose guitar string' sound

[@davidlinney2765]

Ironically Sour Times became the TV theme tune of British cop drama The Vice

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Given the roots of this track, I can believe it. It's interesting, hearing about how these tracks were licensed in other countries. Some of my most beloved tracks were ruined for people in other countries by being licensed and then associated with certain brands and commercials that aired exclusively in those counties.

[@drfremdliebe]

I believe it's a concert cimbalon. Originates from Hungary. Often heard around gipsy music.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Yes, it could be!

[@reneelyons6836]

COOL!!

[@SuiGenerisMan]

It's a Hammered Dulcimer. Old instrument

[@emansafavi]

awesome! thnx for this video. by the way how can we access samples in high quality? except recording them to DAW ourselves :D

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Thanks Eman. To answer your question, I guess you would have to pay for the tracks in some high quality format.

[@reelcheapfilms8480]

Please deconstruct Big Willie by Run-DMC

[@blviking56]

Can you do some massive attack plz my dude 🙏🏼

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Hopefully one day I can track down enough samples to make that happen.

[@UnkDrummer]

Dulcimer.. I think that's how it's spelt ... played with sticks ... open string ... tap the sticks or mallets

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Beautiful instrument. Thanks!

[@suspect86]

Dj Shadow’s “what does your soul look like part 1” Please and thank you.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

I'll see what I can do :)

[@gavinhelgeson2880]

Instrument is a Cimbalon

[@chrislambert505]

The string sounds could be a zither?

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Could be! Some people have said it's the hammered dulcimer.

[@CarloGosamo]

@@KarlBoltzmann It's a Cimbalom, an instrument based on a modified hammered dulcimer.

[@Mode-7]

If you’re taking requests, how about Archangel by Burial? Supposedly he created it in Sound Forge.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

I appreciate the request. Hard to imagine creating that in Sound Forge, at least the Sound Forge I remember using back in the early 2000s.

[@thebrickton1947]

Good work, still going to drum it though

[@thomasmanana2958]

Sample of rapid string sounds like banjo of some sort to me

[@garymacmillan6401]

It's a dulcimer

[@ruahproduction1739]

Can you sample and then realise it as your own?

[@KarlBoltzmann]

If you paid to cleared the samples, then yes, you could create and release your own track with those samples. A good break will often get used over and over by different artists. For example, Isaac Hayes' - Ike's Rap ii was used by Portishead (Glory Box), Tricky (Hell is Round the Corner) and plenty of other artists over the years. All of the songs share that similarity, but they all used the sample differently and produced unique material.

[@LukeDorny]

Hammered dulcimer?

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Seems like it might be

[@konstantinromanov7035]

Yes plz, more in depth videos! Maybe less sample source listening😊.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Thanks for your thoughts! I am trying to find the right balance with these videos. I'll think about ways of making it work better.

[@konstantinromanov7035]

@@KarlBoltzmann I watch all deconstructed videos. They deserve a lot more views than they currently have.

[@Matisto1]

@@KarlBoltzmann Have you seen the style that the channel Tracklib uses? You can make two types of videos if you feel like it. Sample sourcing (Tracklib-ish) or more in depth. Nevertheless I've always like the balance in your videos.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

@@konstantinromanov7035 Thanks, I appreciate that!

[@mikejackson6564]

Its a dulcimer for sure

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Yeah, I think you're right.

[@clairelodge72]

No, it is a marxaphone

[@MikeJackson-y6k]

@@clairelodge72 - seems like there is some debate around around this. The majority seems to think Cimbalom which is a Hungarian Hammered Dulcimer but some do think it’s a Marxophone, guess the original composer would be the only one who really knows 😀. ‘Sour Times samples Lalo Schifrin’s The Danube Incident (a 2-minute instrumental from the Mission: Impossible TV series), which makes use of a prominent bell-like stringed instrument: there’s still debate online about whether its a Hungarian hammered dulcimer called a cimbalom or a Marxophone’

[@clairelodge72]

@@MikeJackson-y6k I've heard him talk about it. I've played one. It is a marxaphone. 100%

[@clairelodge72]

Marxaphone!

[@nicokarsen6131]

zither

[@alanratboyrichards]

dulcimer

[@clairelodge72]

It is a marxaphone

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

I believe it’s a cimbalom en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimbalom

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Cool. Definitely some form of hammered dulcimer.

[@sgalabarda]

It's the Marxophone - bbs.boingboing.net/t/the-marxophone-spooky-carnival-instrument/75485

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Either that or the hammered dulcimer. Very similar sounding

[@YoureNowOnTV]

I think it's close to the trill of a Marxophone but some of the notes raise in volume not drop in volume like a typical Marxophone does. Also the notes used seem to be a strange tuning for a Marxaphone, which could have been tunes that way but I think it's more likely to be an instrument like the Cimbalom or Dulcimer. All of which are part of a dual stringed family though.