Underworld | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Underworld became one of the most crucial electronic acts of the 1990s with a progressive synthesis of old and new, an approach that has served them well through the late 2010s. The trios two-man front line, vocalist Karl Hyde and keyboard player Rick Smith, have been recording together since the early-80s new wave explosion. After the pair released a pair of obscure rock albums, they hit it big the following decade with new recruit Darren Emerson. Traditional song forms were jettisoned in favor of Hydes heavily treated vocals, barely-there whispering, and surreal wordplay, stretched out over the urban breakbeat trance ripped out by Emerson and company while Hydes cascade of guitar-shard effects provided a bluesy foil to the stark music. The first album by the trio, Dubnobasswithmyheadman (1993), appeared to a flurry of critical acclaim and reached number 12 in their native U.K. Second Toughest in the Infants (1996), the groups following LP, updated their sound slightly, scraped the Top Ten, and remained on the chart for over eight months, thanks in part to a boost they received from appearing on the soundtrack of the seminal Trainspotting. Although that has remained the groups commercial peak, Underworld continued to record challenging and well-received albums, as well as soundtrack material, amid numerous solo pursuits. Ninth album Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future (2016) earned Underworld their first Grammy nomination, after which they collaborated with Iggy Pop for Teatime Dub Encounters (2018). The roots of Underworld go back to the dawn of the 1980s, when Hyde and Smith formed a new wave band called Freur. The group released Doot-Doot in 1983 and Get Us Out of Here two years later, but subsequently disintegrated. Hyde worked on guitar sessions for Debbie Harry and Prince, then reunited with Smith in 1988 to form an industrial-funk band called Underworld. The pair earned an American contract with Sire and released Underneath the Radar (1988) and Change the Weather (1989). Each album produced a single that reached the back half of the Billboard Hot 100, but Underworld disappeared shortly thereafter. As they had several years earlier, Hyde and Smith shed their skins yet again, recruiting hotshot DJ Darren Emerson and renaming themselves Lemon Interrupt. In 1992, the trio debuted with two singles, "Dirty"/"Minneapolis" and "Bigmouth"/"Eclipse," both released on Junior Boys Own Records. After they reverted back to Underworld, 1993s "Rez" and "MMM...Skyscraper I Love You" caused a minor sensation in the dance community. Instead of adding small elements of techno to a basically pop or rock formula (as many bands had attempted with varying success), Underworld treated techno as the dominant force. Their debut album, Dubnobasswithmyheadman, was praised by many critics upon release later in 1993 and crossed over to the British pop chart, peaking at number 12. Hyde, Smith, and Emerson impressed many at their concert dates as well. The trio apparently relished playing live, touring Great Britain twice plus Japan, Europe, and the annual summer festival circuit, where their Glastonbury appearance became the stuff of legend. Dubnobasswithmyheadman was released in the U.S. in 1995 after being licensed to TVT Records. During the rest of the year, Underworld were relatively quiet, releasing only the single "Born Slippy." Finally, Second Toughest in the Infants appeared in early 1996 to much critical praise. The trio gained no small amount of commercial success later in the year when "Born Slippy" (specifically its B-side version, "Born Slippy .NUXX") was featured on the soundtrack to Trainspotting, the controversial Scottish film that earned praise from critics all over the globe. In the U.K., Second Toughest peaked at number nine during a 34-week stay on the album chart. Underworld also remained busy with Tomato -- their own graphic design company responsible for commercials from such high-profile clients as Nike, Sony, Adidas, and Pepsi -- and remixing work for Depeche Mode, Björk, St. Etienne, Sven Väth, Simply Red, and Leftfield. Emerson continued to DJ on a regular basis, releasing mix albums for Mixmag! and Deconstruction. Underworlds 1999 LP, Beaucoup Fish, entered the U.K. chart at number three. The band continued to tour the world, as documented in 2000 with the live album Everything, Everything, after which Emerson left to continue his DJ career. A Hundred Days Off, Underworlds first LP as a duo since 1989, was released in mid-2002. One year later, the stopgap compilation 1992-2002 appeared. By 2005, the duo had officially been joined by one of Britains most respected DJs, Darren Price (although he contributed to A Hundred Days Off), and his work also appeared on a series of online-only EPs Underworld released during 2005 and 2006. They also recorded new material for the soundtrack of the Anthony Minghella film Breaking and Entering. Their first "proper" full-length since 2002, Oblivion with Bells, appeared in 2007. It was followed in 2010 by Barking, an album that featured numerous guest producers including Paul van Dyk, Appleblim, and High Contrast. Underworld simultaneously released two more compilations, the triple-CD 1992–2012 as well as the single-disc A Collection (which featured previously unreleased collaborations with Brian Eno, Tiësto, and Mark Knight & D. Ramirez), in late 2011. In 2012, Underworld served as music directors for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics, held in London. They wrote two songs ("And I Will Kiss" and "Calibans Dream") for the opening ceremony, and 11 of their tracks were included on the ceremonys official soundtrack album, Isles of Wonder. Underworld were granted the prize for Innovation in Sound at the 2012 Q Awards. In 2013, Karl Hyde released his debut solo album, Edgeland. The following year, he issued a collaborative album with Brian Eno, Someday World; the full-length was quickly followed by High Life, an excellent album that recalled Enos pioneering work with Talking Heads and David Byrne during the 70s and 80s. Underworld announced plans to reissue their studio albums in remastered and expanded editions. A 20th anniversary edition of Dubnobasswithmyheadman appeared in 2014, available as a double CD as well as a super deluxe five-CD version, loaded with remixes and unreleased recordings. This was followed by a similar reissue of Second Toughest in November of 2015 (a bit short of its actual 20th anniversary), again as a two-disc edition, as well as an expansive four-CD configuration, including an entire disc devoted to charting the evolution of "Born Slippy .NUXX," from studio demos and live incarnations to an iconic, era-defining anthem. In 2016, they returned with new music and a new label as Caroline International issued Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future. The album became their third Top Ten U.K. hit and was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Dance/Electronic Album. After a pair of non-album singles, Underworld worked with Iggy Pop on Teatime Dub Encounters, a five-track EP issued in 2018. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 22 Title: Underneath the Radar Released: 1988-03-01 Tracks: 10 Duration: 47:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Glory! Glory! (05:42) 2 Call Me No. 1 (04:56) 3 Rubber Ball (Space Kitchen) (03:36) 4 Show Some Emotion (04:24) 5 Underneath the Radar (06:01) 6 Miracle Party (01:26) 7 I Need a Doctor (04:51) 8 Bright White Flame (05:09) 9 Pray (05:40) 10 The God Song (06:01) |
 | Album: 2 of 22 Title: Change the Weather Released: 1989 Tracks: 10 Duration: 36:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Change the Weather (03:30) 2 Stand Up (03:52) 3 Fever (03:29) 4 Original Song (03:56) 5 Mercy (03:32) 6 Mr. Universe (03:28) 7 Texas (03:48) 8 Thrash (04:17) 9 Sole Survivor (04:04) 10 Beach (02:07) |
 | Album: 3 of 22 Title: Dubnobasswithmyheadman Released: 1993-09-20 Tracks: 9 Duration: 1:12:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dark & Long (07:35) 2 Mmm Skyscraper I Love You (13:08) 3 Surfboy (07:33) 4 Spoonman (07:41) 5 Tongue (04:50) 6 Dirty Epic (09:55) 7 Cowgirl (08:29) 8 River of Bass (06:26) 9 M.E. (07:08) |
| Dubnobasswithmyheadman : Allmusic album Review : From the beginning of the first track "Dark & Long," Underworlds focus on production is clear, with songwriting coming in a distant second. The best tracks ("MMM Skyscraper I Love You," "Cowgirl") mesh Hydes sultry songwriting with Emersons beat-driven production, an innovative blend of classic acid house, techno, and dub that sounds different from much that preceded it. In a decade awash with stale fusion, Underworld are truly a multi-genre group. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 22 Title: Second Toughest in the Infants Released: 1996-03-04 Tracks: 18 Duration: 2:24:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Juanita / Kiteless / To Dream of Love (16:36) 2 Banstyle / Sappys Curry (15:22) 3 Confusion the Waitress (06:47) 4 Rowla (06:31) 5 Pearls Girl (09:37) 6 Air Towel (07:37) 7 Blueski (02:55) 8 Stagger (07:37) 1 Born Slippy (original instrumental version) (08:32) 2 Cherry Pie (08:25) 3 Oich Oich (08:35) 4 Puppies (03:54) 5 Mosaic (05:00) 6 Deep Arch (08:25) 7 Confusion the Waitress (She Said) (04:54) 8 Rowla A1806 (03:59) 9 Pearls Ver2 (08:11) 10 Born Slippy .NUXX (11:40) |
| Second Toughest in the Infants : Allmusic album Review : Second Toughest in the Infants (1996) wasnt actually Underworlds sophomore album, but it was their second full-length (fourth overall) since progressive house DJ Darren Emerson joined the core lineup of Rick Smith and Karl Hyde in 1991, transforming them from a mediocre dance-rock duo into one of the most original, acclaimed, and successful electronic groups of the 90s. As with its predecessor, 1994s Dubnobasswithmyheadman, Second Toughest was a critical success as well as a commercial hit, reaching the Top 10 of the U.K. album charts and converting a significant number of American listeners right around the time that "electronica" was being hyped as the next big thing in the United States. In comparison to Dubnobass..., Second Toughest was less club-centric and more diverse in its approach, flirting with drumnbass rhythms on a few cuts, experimenting with slide guitar loops on the elegant "Blueski," and slowing to a crawl for its final song, the dreamy "Stagger." The trio proved to be masters of pacing and dynamics, crafting lengthy epics (the albums first two tracks collectively exceed half-an-hour) which excitedly build and release, flowing through vivid melodic themes and interlocking rhythmic patterns, and segueing from intricate breakbeats to calmer, more downtempo passages. The albums multi-part suites also harkened back to another era of "progressive" music, the prog rock of the 70s, and like that periods most popular groups, Underworld made brainy, ambitious, mystical music that was also accessible and listener-friendly. The album also remains remarkable for Hydes surrealist, cryptic, free-associative lyrics, particularly on stand-out tracks like the choppy, Al Green-referencing single "Pearls Girl." The albums most ecstatic moment, however, is the buzzing, gleeful "Rowla," which piles on dazzling, distorted synth riffs, hushes down for a bit, and then does it all over again. Second Toughest in the Infants endures as a landmark album, spotlighting Underworld at their creative peak, and remaining an important document of an era when experimental, cerebral electronic dance music received significant mainstream attention. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 22 Title: Beaucoup Fish Released: 1999-02-20 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:14:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Cups (11:45) 2 Push Upstairs (04:34) 3 Jumbo (06:57) 4 Shudder / King of Snake (09:31) 5 Winjer (04:29) 6 Skym (04:08) 7 Bruce Lee (04:42) 8 Kittens (07:31) 9 Push Downstairs (06:03) 10 Something Like a Mama (06:37) 11 Moaner (07:37) |
| Beaucoup Fish : Allmusic album Review : With the buzz almost completely died down from "Born Slippy," Underworlds Trainspotting hit of over two years before, Beaucoup Fish emerged to a distinctly uncaring public. And though it is a disappointing record compared to the groups high-flying previous albums, it displays Underworlds talents well -- the trio is still the best at welding obtuse songcraft onto an uncompromising techno framework and making both sound great. Karl Hydes nasally vocals are a bit more obtrusive on tracks like the trance-rant "Moaner" and first single "Push Upstairs," but as before, impeccable production saves the day. While Second Toughest in the Infants showed Underworld were no mere novices at introducing super-tough breakbeats, here the focus is on throwback acid-house and trance. The effect is that Underworld have refused to compromise their artistic vision to anyones view of commercialism; as such, the few excesses on Beaucoup Fish can be forgiven. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 22 Title: King of Snake / Jumbo / Push Upstairs / Bruce Lee Released: 1999-12-07 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:57:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 King of Snake (Straight (Mate) mix) (03:52) 2 King of Snake (Barking mix) (03:54) 3 King of Snake (Fatboy Slim remix) (06:56) 4 King of Snake (Slam remix) (07:32) 5 King of Snake (Dave Clarke remix) (06:03) 1 Push Upstairs (04:34) 2 Push Upstairs (Adam Beyer remix 1) (04:58) 3 Push Upstairs (Roger S. Blue Plastic People mix) (08:14) 4 Push Upstairs (Darren Price remix) (06:47) 5 Please Help Me (07:29) 6 Bruce Lee (short version) (02:59) 7 Bruce Lee (The Micronauts remix) (08:57) 8 Bruce Lee (Dobropet) (04:10) 1 Jumbo (edit) (04:08) 2 Jumbo (Rob Rives & Francois K. Main Dish) (08:27) 3 Jumbo (Jedis Electro dub mix) (06:04) 4 Jumbo (Future Shock Worlds Apart mix) (06:31) 5 Jumbo (Jedis Sugar Hit mix) (06:29) 6 Cups (Salt City Orchestra’s Vertical Bacon vocal) (09:23) |
 | Album: 7 of 22 Title: Everything, Everything Released: 2000-09-12 Tracks: 8 Duration: 1:15:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Juanita / Kiteless (12:35) 2 Cups (03:26) 3 Push Upstairs (07:28) 4 Pearls Girl (08:17) 5 Jumbo (08:33) 6 Shudder / King of Snake (12:17) 7 Born Slippy (NUXX) (10:56) 8 Rez / Cowgirl (11:47) |
| Everything, Everything : Allmusic album Review : Underworld didnt become one of the biggest groups in the dance world by sitting in the studio all day, spending as much time making tea as producing tracks. Between records, the trio toured incessantly -- playing rock venues, dancefloors, major festivals all over the world -- and consistently made the single best case for techno working in a live (as opposed to club) context. So instead of a mix album (though alumnus Darren Emerson did record a volume in the Global Underground series), in mid-2000 Underworld released the live album Everything, Everything. And just like their studio LPs, this one works so well, not just because the tracks are so excellently produced, but because Underworld is so good at placing sympathetic tracks next to each other and creating effortless-sounding transitions. Each of the acts previous albums blended tracks so smoothly that new listeners were often forced to check the CD player just to see which track theyre on at any second. Beginning here with "Juanita/Kiteless," the opening track(s) from 1996s Second Toughest in the Infants, Underworld tweaks the production slightly, then slides right into "Cups" and "Push Upstairs" from 1999s Beaucoup Fish. After pausing a few seconds to catch their breath (figuratively speaking) and accept some audience applause, the trio push onward into "Pearls Girl," perhaps the best production of their career and an obvious peak here. Granted, Underworld doesnt blend each transition on Everything, Everything, and Karl Hydes vocals arent always as perfect as on the LP. Still, excellent track selection (evenly distributed from all three LPs) and a winning performance let the band get nearly everything right on their first live album. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 22 Title: A Hundred Days Off Released: 2002-09-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:02:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Mo Move (06:56) 2 Two Months Off (09:10) 3 Twist (06:25) 4 Sola Sistim (06:28) 5 Little Speaker (08:40) 6 Trim (03:25) 7 Ess Gee (02:24) 8 Dinosaur Adventure 3D (07:58) 9 Ballet Lane (03:41) 10 Luetin (07:00) |
| A Hundred Days Off : Allmusic album Review : As if they didnt have to prove theyre still viable as a commercial and artistic outfit, Underworlds Rick Smith and Karl Hyde faced an additional challenge for A Hundred Days Off -- prove to the dance cognoscenti they could withstand the loss of Darren Emerson, the producer who kick-started the band when he joined in 1992. Unfortunately, the results prove only that Emerson most likely did contribute a certain something, now lacking, to the three LPs he graced. Underworlds trademarked sound, however, is mostly a creation of Smith and Hyde, and present from the opener, "Mo Move," wherein a dizzying cycle of gurgling bass, crepe paper percussion, and sequencers set off Hydes lonely, adrift vocals. The album also reaches an early peak on "Two Months Off," with a repeated synthesizer riff playing off a brilliant succession of harmonies and basslines, with a hypnotizing performance by Hyde over the top. From there, the album heads off into a succession of overly familiar tracks, either po-mo acid house blues à la Dubnobasswithmyheadman ("Sola Sistim," "Trim," "Ballet Lane") or minimalist, pinpoint techno ("Dinosaur Adventure 3D," "Luetin"). Surprisingly, counter to expectations after the brash youngster leaves the fold, A Hundred Days Off doesnt suffer from the oldster syndrome; the production is edgy and up-to-date as usual, but the songs lack the energy, the feeling, and even the melody of Underworlds classic records. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 22 Title: Back to Mine: Underworld Released: 2003-07-28 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:06:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 B Movie (12:12) 2 Creep (04:26) 3 Bear Witness (02:07) 4 Horsepower (original mix) (05:11) 5 Piano Power (06:35) 6 Loop (06:21) 7 54-46 (Thats My Number) (03:18) 8 Music (03:12) 9 Barrel of a Gun (04:34) 10 Didgeridoo (04:04) 11 Hip-Hop (03:45) 12 Machengoidi (02:31) 13 Buloululba (00:32) 14 Brown Sugar (04:17) 15 Public Eyes (02:57) |
 | Album: 10 of 22 Title: 1992-2002 Released: 2003-11-03 Tracks: 16 Duration: 2:33:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Bigmouth (10:08) 2 Dirty (10:18) 3 Mmm Skyscraper I Love You (13:14) 4 Rez (09:57) 5 Spikee (12:29) 6 Dirty Epic (09:59) 7 Dark & Long (Dark Train) (10:53) 1 Cowgirl (08:29) 2 Born Slippy .NUXX (07:34) 3 Pearls Girl (09:37) 4 Jumbo (06:57) 5 Push Upstairs (06:09) 6 Moaner (10:22) 7 Shudder / King of Snake (09:31) 8 8 Ball (08:51) 9 Two Months Off (09:10) |
| 1992-2002 : Allmusic album Review : Injecting a much-needed dose of darkness and cynicism into the increasingly scrubbed, hygienic dance scene of the early 90s, Underworld brought a young producer (Darren Emerson) together with two veteran musicians (Rick Smith, Karl Hyde) to create one of the most intriguing partnerships the genre had ever seen. Underworld never fell into the tar pits of major electronica artists during the 90s: even while remaining a concert draw witnessed by millions and presenting themselves as tremendously effective album artists, they continued releasing tough tracks -- not pop-oriented singles -- and never slipped into the album rock crowd (led by the Chemical Brothers and Orbital) or the indie rock crossovers of techno experimentalists (Aphex Twin, Autechre). The Underworld hits compilation 1992-2002 is a release worthy of their legacy, a collection that refuses to give short shrift to one of the decades most important acts. A double-disc collection (for both limited-edition and regular release), it compiles the original 12" versions for nearly every single (instead of settling for radio edits or album versions) and begins with a pair of singles recorded in 1992 as Lemon Interrupt, "Bigmouth" and the club hit "Dirty." Underworlds best-known singles -- "MMM Skyscraper I Love You," "Dirty Epic," "Born Slippy," "Pearls Girl" -- share space with precious singles such as "Rez" and "Spikee" that never appeared on an album. 1992-2002 suffers only in comparison to Underworlds excellent proper albums (Dubnobasswithmyheadman, Second Toughest in the Infants, Beaucoup Fish), the best of which were definitive examples of energy and pacing. It will also come as too much for listeners who want only a brief collection including the gist of the group; extended versions of Underworld singles (most of which approach the ten-minute mark) werent originally meant to be heard start-to-finish, one after another. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 22 Title: Live in Tokyo Released: 2005-12 Tracks: 24 Duration: 2:59:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 JAL to Tokyo (09:02) 2 Mmm... Skyscraper, I Love You (05:57) 3 Kittens (09:06) 4 Morrocan Meatballs (02:43) 5 Juanita (12:05) 6 Spikee (05:27) 7 Rez (09:27) 1 Simple Distinctive (Floating World) (03:36) 2 Born Slippy .nuxx (14:10) 3 Two Months Off (09:42) 4 Aquafunk (04:34) 5 Peggy Sussed (02:29) 6 Lenne Penne (05:37) 7 Small Conker and a Twix (02:25) 8 You Do Scribble (07:29) 9 Back in the Fears (11:39) 1 King of Snake (10:30) 2 Pearls Girl (03:56) 3 Push Upstairs (05:48) 4 Dark Train (09:36) 5 Yard Beat (05:11) 6 Jumbo (09:20) 7 Rowla (09:27) 8 Moaner (09:43) |
 | Album: 12 of 22 Title: Oblivion With Bells Released: 2007-08 Tracks: 11 Duration: 57:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Crocodile (06:30) 2 Beautiful Burnout (08:09) 3 Holding the Moth (05:29) 4 To Heal (02:36) 5 Ring Road (04:31) 6 Glam Bucket (05:45) 7 Boy, Boy, Boy (06:05) 8 Cuddle Bunny vs. the Celtic Villages (02:22) 9 Faxed Invitation (04:44) 10 Good Morning Cockerel (02:28) 11 Best Mamgu Ever (08:45) |
| Oblivion With Bells : Allmusic album Review : Like their heroes Kraftwerk, Underworlds Karl Hyde and Rick Smith appear to work in a completely sterile environment, unbothered by charts or sales projections or label concerns about their marketing abilities. They simply reemerge periodically with another full-length of precise but swinging techno, with vocals that somehow create a rather plaintive sense of detachment (Radioheads similarity in this area should not be overlooked). More than 2002s A Hundred Days Off or 1998s Beaucoup Fish, Oblivion with Bells harks back to Underworlds 1993 rebirth with the epic Dubnobasswithmyheadman. (Even the cover design and accordion-style liner notes are similar.) The acid techno is firmly in place, with little or no regard for developments in the form after the 80s. Still, unlike other electronica mainstays who have occasionally revealed a little weariness -- either from trying to change or trying to stay the same -- Underworld never sound particularly tired on Oblivion with Bells. Granted, the music is less innovative than before, and also more quiet, which makes Hydes vocals more critical than theyve ever been. Unfortunately, however, they dont benefit from the scrutiny. "Ring Road" and "Holding the Moth" are particularly odd, utilizing Underworlds usual cut-and-paste phraseology, but with productions and performances that never come together like their classics "Dark & Long" or "Pearls Girl." | ||
 | Album: 13 of 22 Title: London Roundhouse, England 18.10.2007 Released: 2007-10-18 Tracks: 12 Duration: 2:02:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Mmm… Skyscraper I Love You / Everybody Jack (09:44) 2 Crocodile (07:11) 3 Pearl’s Girl / Shake That Higher (10:42) 4 Beautiful Burnout (10:26) 5 Rez / Cowgirl (12:13) 6 Glam Bucket / Can You Feel This Bass (09:51) 7 Two Months Off (10:07) 1 Kittens (10:46) 2 Moaner (08:58) 3 Born Slippy .NUXX (10:20) 4 King of Snake (11:12) 5 Jumbo (10:27) |
 | Album: 14 of 22 Title: Live at the Oblivion Ball Released: 2007-12-22 Tracks: 13 Duration: 2:17:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Nu Train (14:20) 2 Crocodile (11:09) 3 Boy, Boy, Boy (08:36) 4 Cowgirl / Rez (16:23) 5 Beautiful Burnout (12:15) 1 Glam Bucket (08:16) 2 Two Months Off (09:20) 3 Rowla (08:44) 4 Born Slippy Nuxx (11:19) 5 King of Snake (10:14) 6 Pearls Girl (07:29) 7 Moaner (11:24) 8 Jumbo (08:24) |
 | Album: 15 of 22 Title: Athens Released: 2009-11-23 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:06:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Journey in Satchidananda (06:38) 2 You Know You Know (05:07) 3 Theme From Sprite (03:15) 4 Penny Hitch (06:31) 5 2HB (04:17) 6 Space Odessey (05:14) 7 Rectify (04:47) 8 The Promise (04:09) 9 Oh (05:39) 10 Gnaumankoudji (Broken Afro mix) (08:01) 11 New York City (09:25) 12 Beebop Hurry (03:03) |
| Athens : Allmusic album Review : For the scant few fans who finally ascertain that Underworld vs the Misterons come from the same dance act that spun off "Rez" and "Pearls Girl," most might be disappointed by the lack of glazed-eye trance on display throughout this mix album. (Theyd also be forgiven for assuming from the title that it was a Global Underground mix recorded in the Greek clubbing hotspot.) A chillout date to be sure, Athens is an "influences" mix date that shows Karl Hyde and Rick Smith to be fans of spiritual jazz and jazz-rock of the past and present, beginning with the classic "Journey to Satchinanda" by Alice Coltrane with Pharoah Sanders and taking in a range of 70s fusion from Soft Machine and Mahavishnu Orchestra as well as present-day work from Squarepusher and the Detroit Experiment. Hyde and Smiths tastes are exquisite, and the first half provides an enchanting (read: not danceable) half-hour of music. During the last half, Underworld finally introduce house music, beginning with mellow Detroit phenom Moodymann and African house specialist Osunlade, plus tracks from Laurent Garnier and an uncompiled track from Underworld themselves, "Oh." The final track is pure bliss, a collaboration between Hyde and Brian Eno titled "Beebop Hurry." | ||
 | Album: 16 of 22 Title: iTunes Festival: London 2010 Released: 2010-07-22 Tracks: 6 Duration: 49:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Always Loved a Film (06:25) 2 Two Months Off (08:13) 3 Scribble (06:59) 4 Rez/Cowgirl (10:28) 5 King of Snake (08:00) 6 Born Slippy Nuxx (09:08) |
 | Album: 17 of 22 Title: Barking Released: 2010-09-02 Tracks: 9 Duration: 53:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Bird 1 (06:50) 2 Always Loved a Film (06:52) 3 Scribble (06:58) 4 Hamburg Hotel (05:18) 5 Grace (05:11) 6 Between Stars (06:06) 7 Diamond Jigsaw (05:36) 8 Moon in Water (05:42) 9 Louisiana (05:05) |
| Barking : Allmusic album Review : Underworlds eighth album found the duo seeking outside production, which came in the form of a half-dozen dance heavyweights who pull the aging duo in several different directions, mostly pop, trance, and, occasionally, their native techno. The opening "Bird 1" is a glorious return to form, featuring a production from Dubfire that recasts the duo in the gritty, rain-soaked techno of 1993, a dead ringer for Dubnobasswithmyheadmans "Dark & Long." Underworld have rarely revisited old ground, making this a startling and excellent track. Still, Barking doesnt spend much time there, instead visiting much brighter territory on the single "Scribble," with a production by High Contrast that should have creative directors rearranging their budgets to license. The biggest name here is Paul Van Dyk, whose "Diamond Jigsaw" is as straight-ahead as techno can get -- and also sounds like it could earn its share of advertising dollars. Although this is hardly Underworld at their finest, the duos songwriting fits the mainstream productions and results in a solid dance album for the 2010s -- music for aging-raver activities like driving cars, pushing swings, or jogging on treadmills. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 22 Title: RA.EX043 Underworld Released: 2011-06-24 Tracks: 1 Duration: 57:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 RA.EX043 Underworld (57:00) |
 | Album: 19 of 22 Title: A Collection Released: 2011-12-04 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:08:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The First Note Is Silent (03:39) 2 Scribble (03:48) 3 Bebop Hurry (03:08) 4 Downpipe (03:19) 5 Crocodile (03:50) 6 To Heal (02:33) 7 Two Months Off (03:55) 8 Jumbo (04:06) 9 Born Slippy (Nuxx) (04:21) 10 Dark and Long (Dark Train) (2011 edit) (06:14) 11 Mmm Skyscraper I Love You (2011 edit) (07:45) 12 Pearls Girl (04:21) 13 Cowgirl (live 2000) (03:38) 14 Rez (2011 edit) (05:59) 15 King of Snake (03:50) 16 Moaner (04:08) |
| A Collection : Allmusic album Review : This one-disc run through Underworlds 20-year career serves a purpose, yet newcomers should know this prime techno act already has a couple of necessary albums (Dubnobasswithmyheadman and Second Toughest in the Infants), plus theres a companion release to this set (1992-2012) that features the "real" full-length versions of most of these cuts, although you do have to shell out for a second disc. On top of this all, folks intrigued by Underworld generally fall in love with them, so this gateway drug will likely become redundant. All that being said, the strength of this material is undeniable, and when you put "King of Snake," "Born Slippy NUXX," and "Pearls Girl" all on the same set -- even in their single edits -- youd have to be the king or queen of nitpicky to not award that set gold status. Even if A Collection is by the numbers, they are great numbers and rounded out by some intriguing collaborations (with Brian Eno, High Contrast, and such) along with powerful live cuts. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 22 Title: 1992-2012: The Anthology Released: 2011-12-04 Tracks: 25 Duration: 3:38:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Bigmouth (10:08) 2 Mmm Skyscraper I Love You (13:16) 3 Rez (09:59) 4 Cowgirl (08:32) 5 Spikee (12:31) 6 Dirty Epic (10:00) 7 Dark and Long (Dark Train) (10:51) 1 Born Slippy .NUXX (07:35) 2 Pearls Girl (09:41) 3 Jumbo (09:12) 4 8 Ball (08:58) 5 Moaner (10:23) 6 Two Months Off (09:11) 7 To Heal (02:35) 8 Crocodile (06:31) 9 Scribble (07:03) 1 The Hump (08:54) 2 The Big Meat Show (09:08) 3 Minneapolis (10:05) 4 Why Why Why (12:16) 5 Oich Oich (08:35) 6 Second Hand (09:04) 7 Parc (live) (03:32) 8 Simple Peal (04:34) 9 JAL to Tokyo (05:45) |
 | Album: 21 of 22 Title: Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future Released: 2016-03-16 Tracks: 7 Duration: 44:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Exhale (08:10) 2 If Rah (07:12) 3 Low Burn (06:44) 4 Santiago Cuatro (04:00) 5 Motorhome (06:23) 6 Ova Nova (05:31) 7 Nylon Strung (06:51) |
| Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future : Allmusic album Review : In the six years since the release of their merely good effort Barking, electronica veterans Underworld were tied up with big things, like solo projects, Eno collaborations, film scores, and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where they were musical directors for the opening ceremony. Take all that into consideration, and this excellent 2016 LP seems more closely linked to its predecessor, and acts like a natural swing-back-into-action after getting the too-busy-/tries-too-hard/return-to-form album out of the way. Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future is also an album longtime fans will instantly embrace, but its an evolution as well. Bookended with excellent surprises, it opens with a dark, half-tempo track thats got Gary Numan in its veins ("I Exhale") and closes with a masterful work that mashes Kraftwerk, classical music, and the blissful Underworld found on their 1999 album Beaucoup Fish ("Nylon Strung"). The title "Low Burn" captures the albums mood while the songs lyrics "Be beautiful, be free" capture the spirit. Vocalist Karl Hyde proves to be a master of the cut-up style of writing throughout, reaching a high point on the acid house throwback "If Rah," where his layered words and phrases make him the optimists version of William S. Burroughs. Member Rick Smith co-produces the album with the help of the group High Contrast, and the results are a lean effort that flows as well as their early albums, with the new age-y interlude "Santiago Cuatro" best taken in this context, and coming off plain and puzzling otherwise. Near perfect and a step forward as well, Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future belongs on Underworlds top shelf. If its considered to be "late-era," it must also be considered "miraculous." | ||
 | Album: 22 of 22 Title: Live at Summer Sonic 2016 Released: 2016-09-02 Tracks: 6 Duration: 50:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 If Rah (06:13) 2 Two Months Off (08:08) 3 Ova Nova / Nylon Strung (12:03) 4 Low Burn (06:52) 5 King Of Snake (07:03) 6 Born Slippy (Nuxx) (09:55) |