Underworld "Drift Series 1 - Sampler Edition" (2019)

Drift Series 1 - Sampler Edition

release date: Nov. 1, 2019

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,94]

producer: Rick Smith

label: Smith Hyde Productions - nationality: Wales, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Appleshine" - 2. "This Must Be Drum Street" - 3. "Listen to Their No" - 4. "Border Country" - 6. "Schiphol Test" - 7. "Brilliant Yes That Would Be" - 9. "Imagine a Box" - 10. "Custard Speedtalk"

[ 40 tracks playlist ]

10th studio album by Underworld following three years after Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future (Mar. 2016) is much more than 'just' another studio album. Actually, Karl Hyde and Rick Smith has produced the album on the basis of their one-year project named "DRIFT", initiated Nov. 2018 through Oct. 2019, which saw the duo release new videos and new tracks each week as free-downloads via Underworld's official website. The result was released simultaneously with this one-disc outtake from no less than a 40 tracks digital album, or: a 5 cd + 1 DVD box-set of nearly 6 hours new music. The 'Sampler Edition' is a fine coherent collection of some of the tracks, which for the occasion has been edited to fit a one-cd format of approx. 57 minutes.

With this, Hyde and Smith more than anything demonstrate they're alive and kicking. The entire 40 tracks Drift Series 1 is actually a splendid and most impressive release, but to think of that as their tenth studio album appears too overwhelming if not somewhat contradictory.

Stylewise, the duo investigates various stylistic corners of house, trance, downtempo, techno - and with a the delicate use of progressiveness that has come to shape (nearly) all of their previous albums from Dubnobasswithmyheadman (1994) and via subtle variations up until present day.

Highly recommended.

[ Mojo, Q Magazine, Uncut 4 / 5, UnderTheRadar 8 / 10, PopMatters, The Music, Clash 9 / 10 stars ]

Underworld "Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future" (2016)

Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future
release date: Mar. 16, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Rick Smith, High Contrast [aka Lincoln Barrett]
label: Beat Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I Exhale" - 2. "If Rah" - 3. "Low Burn" - 5. "Motorhome" - 6. "Ova Nova" - 7. "Nylon Strung"

9th studio album by Underworld released after three live albums [including a part as musical directors at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London], two compilations and a soundtrack, and who knows how many collaboration works, all following 5½ years after Barking (Sep. 2010). Apparently, the obscure title refers to what Hyde's father said to his wife, Barbara, shortly before passing [see The Guardian review below]. It seems with this album that Rick Smith and Karl Hyde once again have regained some of their curiosity concerning progressive house and moved away from techno influences.
The album is perhaps at a more experimental level than I believe the two have ever found themselves at before. I think, the album may silence critics who have argued that Smith and Hyde wouldn't know how to appeal to their fans after Darren Emerson left the band, although, I think they already proved that with A Hundred Days Off (2002). Anyway, this new album clearly is an improvement from their two most recent studio albums. The album has been met by critical acclaim, which also brought the duo a Grammy nomination.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine, Mojo, The Guardian, Spin 4 / 5, PopMatters 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Underworld "Barking" (2010)

Barking
release date: Sep. 13, 2010
format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: various
label: Cooking Vinyl - nationality: England, UK

8th studio album by Underworld is succeeding Oblivion with Bells (Oct. 2007) thus following the near usual three years in between studio albums. On this the duo has progressed into drum and bass electronic and returned to trance, which was one of their initial styles back in 1994.
Frankly, my initial feelings about the album was a rather boring release and I have to admit that I didn't really play it that many times. I always ended up skipping tracks and by putting something else on in the end. To me it was the disappointing continued journey into earlier and already known territory, however, I did continue to return to the album. Just to try to understand on one hand my rejection 'cause I really enjoy several of their other albums and on the other hand to see if I could find the band's fascination and intentions. And luckily so, I did! I have ended up seeing this from a much more positive perspective. It took me a long time to get there, but after enjoying their 2016 album I returned to the albums, I somehow had rejected as detours, and what I found here is the same distinct fingerprint that simply says 'Underworld'. It's a take on the electronic genre with clear evidence of their fascination of progressiveness. Sometimes they incorporate techno and trance but there are always hints of more danceable styles like drum & bass and house, which in the end has become their distinctive style. And although, this is more techno than breakbeat it's also simply more experimental progressive electronic as such, and with a will to understand it does contain fine compositions and music that matters despite not being an album of single wonders.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, NME 2,5 / 5, Mojo, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

Underworld "Oblivion with Bells" (2007)

Oblivion with Bells
release date: Oct. 15, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Rick Smith
label: Underworldlive.com - nationality: England, UK

7th studio album by Underworld is a five-year old follow-up to A Hundred Days Off (Sep. 2002) and it's a self-released studio album, for which the duo has engaged in the more original electronic styles of techno. It's still progressive house but they have turned up on the tech house and idm style with the addition of ambient elements.
It's both a return to their initial experiments with electronic music and a progression to include what to me sound more like original techno with trace elements, leaving the breakbeats of house. It may still be progressive but as progressive techno the album is not one of my preferred Underworld albums.
I really neglected the album for years, but I have come to see it as more than 'just' a take on original techno' as its simply more instrumental and experimental proving that Hyde and Smith are seeking new ways of expressing themselves without letting go of their known formula of tech house.
[ allmusic.com, Slant 3 / 5 stars ]

Underworld "Underworld 1992-2002" (2003)

Underworld 1992-2002, compilation

release date: Nov. 3, 2003

format: 2 cd

[album rate: 4 / 5]

producer: Underworld; Rick Smith

label: JBO / V2 - nationality: Wales, UK

2 cd retrospective compilation by Underworld is the band's first official collection of early singles of electronica. "Bigmouth" and "Dirty" are two tracks released for single release in '95 by Lemon Interupt, which was an early alternative name for Rick Smith, Karl Hyde and Darren Emmerson - they also went by the alias Steppin' Razor to distinguish their music from the rock and new wave-oriented music by Underworld on its first two albums before settling with the former band name for Smith and Hyde. Emmerson guided Hyde and Smith into the world of techno and electronica, and after Emmerson's departure in early 2000, the two founding members continued releasing music as an electronic duo.

A nice thing about Underworld 1992-2002 is that it contains several non-album tracks such as "Rez", "Spikee", and "Born Slippy.NUXX" but also that the songs have been listed in what appears as chronological order, which seems to distinguish this from the 3-disc compilation 1992-2012 The Anthology from 2011. Disc 1 represents an early period of experimentation with techno, whereas the second disc comes showcase the band at its height of progressive house and what then was known as 'rave' - later labelled breakbeat and downtempo.

Underworld "A Hundred Days Off" (2002)

A Hundred Days Off
release date: Sep. 16, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]
producer: Karl Hyde and Rick Smith
label V2 Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Mo Move" - 2. "Two Months Off" (5 / 5) (shorter official video) - 3. "Twist" (4 / 5) - 4. "Sola Sistim" - 5. "Little Speaker" - 8. "Dinosaur Adventure 3D" - 10. "Luetin"

6th studio album by Underworld who has now again become the original duo without Darren Emerson. Following the great Beaucoup Fish (Mar. 1999) the trio released its first live album Everything, Everything (Sep. 2000), but by then they had already become reduced to a duo, as Darren Emerson left the project after the world tour following the '99 album. Hereby, Underworld is once agin left in the hands of Karl Hyde and Rick Smith to continue on their own, just the way they had initially started out.
The album is still a fine progressive house release, although, it doesn't quite reach the same level as the '99 album. "Two Months Off", however, is an absolute brilliant track and it stands as one of their single-best tracks ever recorded. Where the album didn't open up as immediate as their so far biggest success, this has a more long-lasting impact and functions more as a whole and it may require more willed spins on your preferred player to fully sink in, however, if granted time and attention, it contains obvious bits of greatness, and to me, and despite my 'low' rating, this is one of my absolute favourites by Underworld.
[ 👎allmusic.com 2 / 5, 👎Rolling Stone 3 / 5, Mojo 3,5 / 5, 👉NME, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

Underworld "Everything, Everything (Underworld Live)" (2000)

Everything, Everything (Underworld Live), live

release date: Sep. 4, 2000

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: Rick Smith

label: JBO / V2 - nationality: Wales, UK

First live album by Underworld containing recordings from the band's most recent 1998/99 World Tour playing the music from their most recent studio album Beaucoup Fish (Mar. 1998). The one-disc album contains 8 tracks challenging the length of the CD media with a total running time exceeding 75 minutes. Well, the eight tracks is more for a playlist count 'cause three tracks are made up of two, i.e.: "Juanita / Kiteless", "Shudder / King of Snake", and "Rez / Cowgirl", although, the first two combinations are also the track names on the albums - only "Rez" and "Cowgirl" are actual standalone compositions. There's no indication of the actual recording dates or places but according to imdb the locations for the extended DVD edition mention Japan, Holland, Belgium, England, and Ireland.

The great thing about this live album is how the trio really engage in making their live versions of familiar compositions a unique experience with extended or at least alternate versions.

Btw. the title is taken from the track "Cowgirl" where 'Everything' is repeated almost indefinitely. These recordings are the final with Darren Emmerson as member of the band who would continue with the two forming members of Karl Hyde and Rick Smith.

[ 👍allmusic.com, Drowned in Sound, Mojo, NME 4 / 5, Pitchfork 7,7 / 10 stars ]

Underworld "Beaucoup Fish" (1999)

Beaucoup Fish
release date: Mar. 1, 1999
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,32]
producer: Underworld
label: JBO - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Cups" - 2. "Push Upstairs" - 3. "Jumbo" (5 / 5) - 4. "Shudder / King Of Snake" (4 / 5) - 5. "Winjer" (4 / 5) - 6. "Skym" - 7. "Bruce Lee" - 8. "Kittens" (4 / 5) - 9. "Push Downstairs" (4 / 5) - 10. "Something Like a Mama" (4 / 5) - 11. "Moaner" (4,5 / 5)

5th studio album by Underworld follows three years after Second Toughest in the Infants (Mar. 1996) and to me this the absolute best album by the trio. Although, they have taken a move away from breakbeat, I think this is a masterpiece of progressive house. I have listened to this album a thousand times and I still enjoy it. It's also my first acquisition with the band.
As one of the best albums of the year this is highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, NME 4 / 5, Mixmag 5 / 5 stars ]

1999 Favourite releases: 1. The Chemical Brothers Surrender - 2. Underworld Beaucoup Fish - 3. Everything but the Girl Temperamental

Underworld "Born Slippy + ..." (1996) (single)

Born Slippy + ..., Maxi-single

release date: Nov. 27, 1996

format: cd

[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]

producer: Underworld

label: Sony Music - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Born Slippy.NUXX (Short)" - 2. "Born Slippy.NUXX (Deep Pan)" - 3. "Born Slippy.NUXX (Darren Price Mix)" - 4. "Pearl's Girl (Short)" - 5. "Dark + Long (Dark Train)" - 6. "Oich Oich" - 7. "Mosaic" - 8. "Deep Arch"

Single release by Underworld with the non-album track "Born Slippy.NUXX", which was originally released as the B-side to "Born Slippy" (Feb. 1995) on 12'' vinyl and the "NUXX" version of the song was included on the Trainspotting Soundtrack album (Feb 1996). This Japanese cd-issue of the single focusses entirely on the "NUXX" version of "Born Slippy", which in essence is a different song compared to the original A-side from '95. Also, the Japanese issue comes with another four tracks making it a more than a 57 minutes Maxi single - exceeding the running time of many standard album issues. Track #4 "Pearl's Girl (Short" is the only track taken from the album Second Toughest in the Infants (Mar. 1996), albeit in a heavily shortened version of 3:52 minutes making it the shortest track on the release (the orginal album version has a running time of 9:36 minutes). "Born Slippy.NUXX" is one of, or: the actual highlight of the Trainspotting Soundtrack, and it's probably the song that paved the way for the following success of Underworld as a progressive house and trance duo, but on this Born Slippy +... issue the actual title track, which originally has a running length of 9:44 minutes has been heavily shortened to 4:24 minutes. Yes, I know the 'short'-version is also identical to the famous MTV-video of the song, and you could argue that the song then comes in two other mixes but only "Born Slippy.NUXX (Darren Price Mix)" comes close enough to the original to weigh out the damage of the exclusion of the original.

Underworld "Second Toughest in the Infants" (1996)

Second Toughest in the Infants
release date: Mar. 4, 1996
format: cd (1998 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Underworld
lable. JBO - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Juanita / Kiteless / To Dream of Love" - 2. "Banstyle / Sappys Curry" - 3. "Confusion the Waitress" - 4. "Rowla" - 5. "Pearls Girl" (4 / 5) - 8. "Stagger"

4th studio album by Underworld and the second as a electronic trio.
The band continue its explorations into trance but also with hints of breakbeat.
It's a rather experimental release where the band adds conventional instrumentation to its predominantly electronic style by the use of loops, and they seem to explore more on this compared to the predecessor Dubnobasswithmyheadman from 1994, which appears as a more coherent electronic album, but Second Toughest in the Infants reveals a distinct trait of balancing the pace of slow meditative parts with bolder energetic outburst, which is a dynamic recipe they would keep to on later releases.
The album was not an immediate favourite, but I have come to reevaluate my initial thoughts more than once when speaking of this particular album. With this, they're on the right move away from early electronic techno and trance in their sound of progressive house, and this particular album has always been there in the outskirts of great albums and is a true grower once you let it unfold.
The album is the trio's second electronic release on which they show that they have found their style, and this is their first truly successful originally sounding studio album, imho.
It was released to critical acclaim, it peaked at number #9 on the UK albums chart list, and it has been included in Mojo's "100 Greatest Albums of Our lifetime" and in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" - the so far only by Underworld.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Underworld "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" (1994)

Dubnobasswithmyheadman
release date: Jan. 24, 1994
format: cd (1998 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Underworld
label: JBO (Junior Boy's Own) - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Dark & Long" - 2. "Mmm Skyscraper I Love You" - 4. "Spoonman" - 6. "Dirty Epic" - 7. "Cowgirl"

3rd studio album by Underworld released on the newly-established electronic label Junior Boy's Own. The album is also known as the band's first as mk2 ['Underworld make 2'], where the band has become a trio as Darren Emerson joined Karl Hyde and Rick Smith in 1990. With Emerson, the band completely reshaped its profile and began experimenting with electronic techno music.
An outspread misconception states that Emerson was the mastermind behind the early successful years of Underworld, and that Hyde and Smith only profited from his direction when he left the two in 2000. The truth is that Hyde and Smith are credited as songwriters of all compositions on this album, whereas Emerson is only credited on two. Also, after the first incarnation of Underworld had dissolved, the new trio started out making electronic music together, rather than one person showing the others what new styles could accomplish. Some early singles were released by Lemon Interupt and some performances were also credited Steppin' Razor.
Now, the album is not one of my favourites, though. I really enjoy Underworld and its take on house but I never really liked the electronic shape of trance and original techno all that much, but for what has now become a trio this is a U-turn in musical style, and the music was welcomed as innovative.
Dubnobasswithmyheadman was released to positive reviews reaching number #12 on the national albums chart list, and it became Underworld's breakthrough and a prize-winning album that showed a new direction to follow.
I really don't know of their two earliest albums: "Underneath the Radar" (1988) and "Change the Weather" (1989), but from what I've read, these two releases were new wave and funk-styled, which seems aeons away from this, although, some tracks here contain funky elements. This was highly experimental for the trio - and Underworld has stuck to electronica and house in different disguises on all their albums to follow.
Now, the album is fra from bad, but it's really more of 'putting a finger in the air' to see where to go to from here.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Underworld

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Underworld: is a British electronic (primarily) house and progressive house trio, formed as a quintet in 1987 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. Karl Hyde and Rick Smith had played together since 1980 and throughout this period they mostly played new wave and / or funk-inspired music. With bassists Baz Allen and Alfie Thomas, and drummer Bryn Burrows the quintet formed Underworld and released its debut album, Underneath the Radar in 1988. After the departure of Burrows they released Change the Weather in 1989. Both albums were released to little interest and this formation of the band dissolved in 1990. Hyde and Smith stayed together working with art design in the Tomato design collective and they soon formed a trio with DJ Darren Emerson and began playing electronic music where they released singles and remixes as Lemon Interupt and Steppin' Razor before settling with their former name of Underworld. From hereon things started falling into place with their electronic style for which they today are renowned. From 2002 the band was back to the initial members of Hyde and Smith as Emerson left to engage himself in solo projects, but the duo managed to continue their well-known style founded on electronic house.

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