20. Eclipse (1992)
Eclipse, released under the alias Lemon Interupt, is a less complex track compared to the music that Underworld later became famous for. In the early 1990s dance scene, it was classified as a progressive house song, but it exemplifies the genre with its steady beat, dreamy quality, and Balearic influences. The addition of female vocals and organ further enhances its appeal. It remains a rare gem in the world of music.
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)
Much of 2003’s A Hundred Days Off is subtle and subdued, but Dinosaur Adventure 3D bucks the overall mood. A relentlessly full-on techno-tinged banger, it’s proof that Underworld didn’t lose their dancefloor focus after the departure of Darren Emerson, the DJ who helped introduce Hyde and Rick Smith to 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)
Iggy Pop was not the sole dance artist to enlist the assistance of Underworld as a guest singer. He had previously collaborated with Death in Vegas and Fatboy Slim, but their joint EP stands out as the most impressive. Bells & Circles showcases Pop’s powerful vocals over dynamic breakbeats and haunting electronic sounds.
15. Doris (2019)
The online music and video project, Drift, spanned over a year and featured collaborations with various artists such as Black Country New Road and Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty. Despite the large amount of content to sift through – equivalent to seven CDs – it is consistently rewarding. The track “Doris” begins with a comforting and gentle atmosphere, but gradually becomes unsettling.
14. 8 Ball (2000)
Danny Boyle has had a long-standing relationship with Underworld, which began when their song Born Slippy became a huge success on the Trainspotting soundtrack. When Boyle later adapted Alex Garland’s novel The Beach, Underworld provided him with the soothing and mellow 8 Ball, featuring shimmering acoustic guitar. This song was rightfully included on their greatest hits album spanning from 1992 to 2012.
Thirteen. “Shudder/King of Snake” from 1999.
Shudder/King of Snake Underworld’s version of a classic piano house anthem could be seen as unique. It moves quickly with a frenzied bassline reminiscent of “I Feel Love” and is complemented by Hyde’s echoing vocals. The result is both uplifting and disorienting.
12. And I Will Kiss (2012)
Caliban’s Dream was the standout performance among Underworld’s many contributions to the 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony. However, And I Will Kiss, which featured 1,200 musicians in its recording, including renowned percussionist Evelyn Glennie, was the standout track. It was a grand and stirring combination of choral vocals, synthesisers, brass, and other orchestral elements.
11. Ova Nova (2016)
The splendidly titled Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future was a return to peak Underworld form after a couple of coolly received albums. Its standout track, the delightful Ova Nova, opened with the line: “I’m chilled, I’m fresh, I’m home,” befitting its softer, warmer interpretation of Underworld’s sound.
10. Dune (2019)
Underworld’s latest musical venture showcases their unique take on an R&B slow jam, highlighting their continued creativity even after years in the industry. Dune, in particular, stands out with its unconventional spoken-word portion and slow, creeping beats, giving the impression of a smooth, fluid soundscape.
9. Denver Luna (2023)
It could be argued that Underworld’s latest single has echoes of Born Slippy in its pulsating drums and blissful synths. However, the track is too exhilarating to be classified as simply revisiting past successes. The mood transitions from foreboding to euphoric, culminating in a fierce climax. The a cappella bursts of Hyde’s layered vocodered vocals are truly impressive.
8. Dirty Epic (1994)
The change that Underworld underwent, shifting from a failed popular music group to something fresh and distinctive, was a remarkable artistic transformation. While there are hints of a conventional pop song structure in Dirty Epic, including a chorus, it has been deconstructed and reconstructed into a mesmerizing nine-minute track of unconventional, atmospheric, disjointed, and driving music.
Hmm… “Skyscraper I Love You” (1993)
The band’s debut single introduced a unique style, diverging from typical 80s pop, through their use of “tribal electronics” inspired by London’s Canary Wharf, a rhythmic influence from a David Morales remix of the Thompson Twins, and fragmented lyrics depicting New York.
Juanita wrote a book titled “Kiteless: To Dream of Love” in 1996.
There’s something impressively uncompromising about the successor to Underworld’s 1994 breakthrough album, dubnobasswithmyheadman. Second Toughest in the Infants’ opening suite lasts nearly 17 minutes, a length its shapeshifting fully warrants. The journey from its pulsing opening to its twinkling beatless conclusion – via a burst of New Order-esque guitar – is completely enrapturing.
5. Pearl’s Girl (1996)
The influence of drum and bass was evident in a large portion of Second Toughest, particularly in the exhilarating track Pearl’s Girl. The slow buildup of its intro is very thrilling, and when Hyde’s vocals finally come in, they begin with the creatively unconventional line “Rioja, Rioja, Reverend Al Green.”
4. Jumbo (1999)
The band Underworld has shared their hesitations about their top-selling record, Beaucoup Fish. Lead singer Hyde complained that it felt a bit too polished. However, the track “Jumbo” is truly remarkable, with a captivating blend of fast-paced 140bpm beats, dreamy electronic elements reminiscent of Kraftwerk and Philip Glass, and snippets of Americans talking about buying a vest. Hyde’s vocals are also beautifully melancholic.
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)
For all the Beefheartian weirdness of Hyde’s lyrics – randomly cut up by Smith to fit the music – Underworld can also provide straightforward euphoria, as on Two Months Off. The music surges, chatters and peals like church bells; Hyde’s vocals are pared-down, repetitious and love-struck.
1. Rez/Cowgirl (1993)
Underworld consistently transformed songs in a manner that surpassed traditional remixing in dance music. Their music was more like a fluid collection of concepts rather than a fixed set of individual tracks – evident in how elements from their 1992 release, Eclipse, resurfaced 24 years later in Nylon Strung. Rez and Cowgirl serve as the prime example. While these tracks share similar origins and are often performed together as a medley, they each have a distinct approach and mood. The instrumental Rez exudes both euphoria and intensity with its rising keyboard line, while the vocal-driven Cowgirl is hypnotic and evokes a dark power. It’s difficult to choose – both are truly exceptional.
Source: theguardian.com
