Portishead

Third

First released2008

Portishead recorded "Third" between 2005 and 2008 at their own studio in Bristol, England, marking their first album in eleven years following the 1997 release of "Self-Titled." The band, led by Geoff Barrow, Adrian Utley, and Beth Gibbons, produced and engineered the album themselves without external producers, representing a more experimental and collaborative songwriting approach than their previous work. The recording process involved extensive use of live instrumentation, sampling, and electronic manipulation, with the band experimenting with unconventional recording techniques and sound design to create a darker, more abstract sonic landscape. The album departed significantly from the trip-hop style they pioneered in the 1990s, incorporating elements of post-rock, art rock, and avant-garde production. "Third" was released in April 2008 to critical acclaim and represented the band's most hands-on and experimental production effort to date.