20. Eclipse (1992)
Eclipse, which was released under the fake name Lemon Interupt, is much simpler compared to the type of music that Underworld would eventually become famous for. It falls under the category of progressive house in the early 90s dance scene, but it stands out as a prime example due to its steady rhythm, euphoric vibe, and Balearic influences. The addition of female vocals and organ further adds to its appeal, making it a hidden gem.
19. Diamond Jigsaw (2010)
Barking was Underworld’s poppiest album and Diamond Jigsaw is as close as the band has come to traditional pop or rock, with Karl Hyde’s guitar to the fore. It’s a long way from Born Slippy, but it’s also a fantastic song; frankly, if a band released it as their debut single, people would go nuts.
18. Dinosaur Adventure 3D (2003)
The majority of A Hundred Days Off, released in 2003, has a subtle and subdued tone, but Dinosaur Adventure 3D stands out with its high-energy techno sound. This track proves that Underworld maintained their dancefloor appeal even after the departure of Darren Emerson, the DJ who initially introduced Hyde and Rick Smith to the world of dance music.
17. Dark & Long (1994)
One of Underworld’s key influences circa dubnobasswithmyheadman was Gil Scott-Heron’s 1981 single B-Movie. Smith in particular was captivated by the way it gradually stretched, building by tiny increments. You can hear its impact on the album’s superb, slowly unfolding opener Dark & Long, new sounds subtly appearing behind Hyde’s understated vocal.
16. Bells & Circles (2018)
The group Underworld was not the sole dance group to enlist Iggy Pop as a guest singer – he had previously collaborated with Death in Vegas and Fatboy Slim – but their joint EP is the most outstanding. The song “Bells & Circles” features his powerful vocals over energetic breakbeats and eerie electronic sounds.
15. Doris (2019)
The online project Drift, which spanned a year and included contributions from Black Country New Road and Aditya Chakrabortty of the Guardian, provided a plethora of content – equivalent to seven CDs! Though it may seem overwhelming, the effort put into exploring it is often rewarded. Doris begins with soothing, comforting ambiance that gradually transitions to a more unsettling tone.
14. 8 Ball (2000)
Underworld’s long association with the director Danny Boyle began when the Trainspotting soundtrack propelled Born Slippy to vast success. For his subsequent adaptation of Alex Garland’s The Beach, they gave him the dreamy, recumbent 8 Ball. Decorated with sparkling acoustic guitar, it justifiably wound up on their 1992-2012 greatest hits compilation.
Thirteen. The title “Shudder/King of Snake” was released in 1999.
Seen from a different perspective, one could describe Shudder/King of Snake Underworld’s interpretation of a classic piano house anthem as twisted. It moves at a fast pace, with a frenzied bassline reminiscent of I Feel Love, and features Hyde’s echoing vocals. The result is both triumphant and disorienting.
“Twelve, and I Will Kiss” (2012)
Of Underworld’s many contributions to the 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, Caliban’s Dream was the hit, but And I Will Kiss – which apparently involved 1,200 musicians in its recording, the famed percussionist Evelyn Glennie among them – is the pick: an epic, emotive swirl of choral vocals, synthesisers, brass and other orchestration.
11. Ova Nova (2016)
The album Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future marked a return to Underworld’s prime music-making abilities following two less favorably received releases. The standout song, Ova Nova, began with the lyrics: “I am calm, I am rejuvenated, I am at home,” reflecting the gentler and warmer approach to Underworld’s signature sound.
10. Dune (2019)
The hugely appealing sound of Underworld delving into new musical territory decades into their career. Dune is effectively their idiosyncratic interpretation of an R&B slow jam, complete with a deeply peculiar spoken-word section. The beats edge along; the whole track sounds as if it’s melting into a warm, oozing pool of sound.
9. Denver Luna (2023)
You could say there is an echo of Born Slippy about the pounding drums and beatific synths of Underworld’s most recent single, but it’s far too thrilling to count as merely revisiting past glories. Its mood shifts from ominous to uplifted, the climax is ferocious, the a cappella bursts of Hyde’s multi-tracked vocodered vocals amazing.
8. Dirty Epic (1994)
The metamorphosis of Underworld, from a failed mainstream pop group to a modern and distinctive entity, was a remarkable shift in artistic direction. While elements of a typical pop song, including a chorus, can be detected in Dirty Epic, it has been deconstructed and reconstructed into a mesmerizing 9-minute composition of unconventional, atmospheric, and dynamic sound.
7. Mmm … Skyscraper I Love You (1993)
The single that announced a failed 80s pop band had come up with a completely different, entirely original way of doing things: its “tribal electronics” intended to evoke Canary Wharf in London, its rhythm influenced by a David Morales remix of the Thompson Twins, its lyrics fractured vignettes of New York.
Juanita’s 1996 album “Kiteless: To Dream of Love.”
The follow-up to Underworld’s 1994 hit album, dubnobasswithmyheadman, is remarkably unwavering. The opening suite of Second Toughest in the Infants spans almost 17 minutes, a duration that is fully justified by its ever-changing nature. The experience of transitioning from its pulsating beginning to its serene, beatless ending – with a brief interlude of New Order-inspired guitar – is truly captivating.
5. Pearl’s Girl (1996)
A significant portion of Second Toughest was influenced by drum and bass, particularly evident in the exhilarating track Pearl’s Girl. The gradual progression of its extended introduction is highly thrilling, and when Hyde’s vocals enter, they kick off with the intriguing line: “Rioja, Rioja, Reverend Al Green.”
4. Jumbo (1999)
The band Underworld have expressed hesitations about their top-selling record, Beaucoup Fish. Lead singer Hyde complained that it felt too polished. However, their song “Jumbo” is exceptional, blending together fast-paced, 140 beats-per-minute rhythms with dreamy electronic sounds reminiscent of artists like Kraftwerk and Philip Glass. The track also features samples of Americans talking about shopping for a vest, along with Hyde’s beautiful and melancholic vocals.
3. Born Slippy .Nuxx (1995)
The most uncommercial single ever to reach No 2 – a hammering kick drum, distorted vocals, some heavenly synth chords, but no melody line – Born Slippy was also widely misinterpreted, an oblique examination of Hyde’s troubled relationship with alcohol taken as a hedonist’s rallying cry thanks to its “lager, lager, lager” refrain.
2. Two Months Off (2002)
Hyde’s lyrics in Underworld are filled with Beefheartian oddities, which Smith has cut up in a random fashion to match the music. However, amidst this quirkiness, the band also delivers straightforward euphoria in songs like “Two Months Off.” The music pulsates, chatters, and rings out like church bells, while Hyde’s vocals are simplistic, repetitive, and filled with love.
1. Rez/Cowgirl (1993)
Underworld always reinvented songs in a manner that surpassed the typical remixing found in dance music. Their collection of tracks seemed to be more of a fluid concept rather than a static compilation, as evident in the recurrence of elements from their 1992 album “Eclipse” in their 2016 release “Nylon Strung”. The tracks “Rez” and “Cowgirl” are a prime example of this. While they share similar origins and are often performed together live, they possess distinct approaches and moods. “Rez” is an instrumental piece that exudes simultaneous feelings of euphoria and intensity, thanks to its ascending keyboard line. On the other hand, “Cowgirl” is driven by cut-vocals and has a hypnotic and darkly powerful essence. It’s difficult to choose between the two as both are exceptional in their own right.
Source: theguardian.com
