Tweet

Album Details

• Artist: Underworld
• Album: 1992-2002
• Label: JBO / V2
• Year of Release: 2003
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2004-02-23

If I was Underworld I would probably want to forget my 80s existence as well. For those in the know, Rick Smith and Karl Hyde were responsible for the semi-hit "Underneath The Radar" in the latter part of the 1980s. In 1992 they hooked up with Darren Emerson, a fine producer and subsequently released some of the most defining electronica of the 90s. On Underworld's last output, A Hundred Days Off, Smith and Hyde were back on their own after the departure of Emerson. For this compilation we take the last 10 years of the duo/trio's output and take the best 12 inch single to compile one of the best double discs ever by one artist. I'm sitting here rocking out to "Rez", what should be the most monotonous songs ever but there is something about it that builds up into a powerful track. Just taking album versions of the songs would have yielded a 4.5 star review but to get 12 inch versions of all Underworld's best material in one spot is totally unreal. I have only been on board for really the past three albums so a lot of these tracks are new to me. I found out that the opening track, "Big Mouth" is one of their earlier tracks actually recorded as Lemon Interrupt. It's a great track too with it's unconventional use of a harmonica in dance music. No, not Cotton-Eyed Joe style. This is actually classy and amazingly agile too. Even the 12 inch of "Two Months Off" is better than the album version, and I didn't like that one to start with. 1992-2002 is an essential album, not only for Underworld fans but anyone interested in electronica music from the 90s.

User Reviews and Comments

Log In or Register to Rate Albums