Underworld live @ Roseland Ballroom
Photo by Andrew Parks
Have a listen to Underworld and David Lynch live on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic” show from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PST today. That is all.
Tag: Underworld
Photo by Andrew Parks
When it comes to underappreciated LPs, Barking ranks as one of 2010′s finest return-to-form full lengths. Like Underworld’s best work (the mid-’90s run of Dubnobasswithmyheadman and Second Toughest In the Infants), new songs like “Scribble” and “Between Stars” highlight two very different sides of the human condition—blinding bursts of happiness and hope, and bleak shades of darkness and despair. Both of which are draped in heat-seeking synths and bleeding-edge beats that work dancefloors like the ’00s never happened.
For an in-depth look at Underworld’s past, present and future, be sure to read our lengthy interview with frontman Karl Hyde here. As for his thoughts on the year in general, they’re below, including an excerpt from our new issue, a special Soundcloud playlist, and some bonus content for our daily site…
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As if creating some of the greatest mind game movies of all time wasn’t enough to keep us guessing, David Lynch has released a single that wouldn’t sound out of place on a morbidly depressed Daft Punk album. Or Underworld, as some listeners of KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic” thought when Jason Bentley unveiled the song’s robot love vibe recently.
Due out today through Rob Da Bank‘s Sunday Best imprint on iTunes, “Good Day Today” is backed by the bruised blues of “I Know” and will be released with a series of remixes in January.
“In all my films, I have always been very involved with all that one hears,” Lynch said in a press release. “The creation of this record was a natural extension of my love of sound and music…This feels like a good partnership and I’m looking forward to everyone having a good day today.”
“If I hadn’t just pinched myself, I’d swear I was dreaming that we’re actually putting out a record by David Lynch,” Rob da Bank added. “It proves that not only is he a master director responsible for many of my favorite films, but he’s also a talented producer with an innate sense of how powerful music is and can be. I can’t wait to unleash this fantastic record on the world.”
Sample both of the single’s sides after the jump…
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Check the tracklisting (via Mad Decent) after the jump…
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Words and Photos by Andrew Parks
“I want to feel your love!” shouted Karl Hyde, as he eased into the middle section of Underworld‘s nearly two-hour set at Roseland Ballroom on Wednesday night. The request was rife with nostalgia for anyone who lived through the peak era of rave culture in the ’90s. Or if you’re like us, anyone who learned about songs like “Pearl’s Girl” and “Born Slippy Nuxx” through the Trainspotting soundtrack and MTV’s shortly-lived/dearly-missed Amp show.
Setting that nostalgia aside, the highlights of Underworld’s performance were mostly from their new Barking album, including the bleak midnight drive beats of “Grace” and “Between Stars,” the euphoric head rush hooks of “Scribble” and “Always Loved a Film,” and the abstract, steady build of “Bird 1.” As Hyde told us in an exclusive interview yesterday, these songs have established the foundation of a “new Underworld.” Considering they’ve survived several decades already, as many young electronic artists come and go on a monthly basis, this has to be a good thing.
And now, some more photos…
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Karl Hyde at his first solo painting exhibition
We’re not sure what’s more shocking to people: the fact that Underworld‘s been around since the early ’80s, or what those early records—the group’s “MK1 phase”—actually sound like. Let’s just say they’ve got nothing in common with the Trainspotting song that introduced most of America to one of the most important dance acts of all time. That said, the story of Underworld’s early days is a compelling one, so we asked singer Karl Hyde to relate the entire experience along with how the multi-medium artist recently came full circle with his first solo painting exhibition. The Tokyo show (What’s Going On In Your Head When You’re Dancing?) opened in late August, just a week before the release of Underworld’s latest LP, Barking. Easily the most rewarding Underworld record in years, it’s the duo’s first effort to feature a rotating cast of collaborators, a highly-diverse lot that includes Skull Disco‘s co-founder (Appleblim) and such major floor-fillers as Dubfire, Paul Van Dyk and High Contrast.
Discussed: Quadrophonic sound installations, collage art, free-form house painting, John Cage and Merce Cunningham, accidental albums, Debbie Harry, drum & bass, darkness and light, Freur, and much, much more
J Dilla
We sift the ‘net for today’s top stories so you don’t have to…
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Underworld‘s latest LP finally has a title and tracklisting. Due to drop in September, Barking (yes—Barking) is the dance duo’s first guest-driven record, featuring such A-list producers as Skull Disco’s dearly-departed co-founder, Appleblim, and Dubfire of Deep Dish. We haven’t heard it yet but the group’s site describes the effort as “electronics wrapped effortlessly around songs; streams of consciousness lyrics that form indelible images; a perfectly balanced mix of melody and rhythm. Underworld’s sixth studio album is a thundering return to form, although it’s fair to say that the band responsible have never really been below par.”
True. Here’s the full breakdown and another look at the album’s first single…
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Underworld continue to tease their as-yet-untitled new album with YouTube clips. While the duo unleashed their drum & bass side with “Scribble” earlier this month, singer Karl Hyde shared a link to its ambient antidote this morning. It’s unclear whether “Alphabet” will see a proper release or not, but for now Hyde did say that the “new U/W album [is] playin’ loud between the bones.” So we can assume that something‘s on the way soon. In the meantime, check out both songs after the jump…
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