Underworld’s Dubnobasswithmyheadman was a milestone in the history of electronic music. It was the first thing I’d ever heard that wasn’t top 40 pop radio and it blew my mind. If “Born Slippy” (aka "that song from Trainspotting") is all you know of Underworld, do yourself a favor and give “Dark and Long,” “Dirty Epic” and “Cowgirl” a solid listen. The most accurate term I’ve found for this album so far has been “progressive house” and if you follow the evolution of their sound from their synth-pop beginnings in ’78 to their stage play scores and Karl Hyde's collaborations with Brian Eno, you’ll see what I mean. Dubnobass has only gotten better with age.
Just as Lemon Jelly’s art is created by Airside, Karl pilots a similarly innovative design collective called Tomato. With an impressive global client base including Levi, Nike, and Coca-Cola, the team is also responsible for Underworld’s incredible typographical album art. The very first moment I saw this album I knew I had to pursue a degree in the field of graphic design, and I’ve never looked back. Over 400 Underworld releases later, it’s led me to delve deep into the history of ambient and electronic music, studying everything from Satie and Stockhausen to Cage and Eno and thousands of other artists. This album changed my life.
I've an archival copy of an issue of Melody Maker from 1994 which expertly describes the sounds of Dubnobass...
Quote:
|
"Scorsese's taste for tension, Jah Shaka's towers of dub, the radical spirit of Stockhausen, the seemless electro-streams of Kraftwerk, Arthur Rimbaud's poetry and pathos, Miles Davis' haunting beauty, and the serenity of Buddha... all in one record."
|
Check out my photos of the album's brilliant packaging here.