Underworld's 1993 debut album "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" is far deeper than their recent work and contrasts especially with some of their more famous songs. "Born Slippy Nuxx" and "King Of Snake", for example, would sound completely out of place on this deep, dark and generally ambient album. ... Read review
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Advantages: A trio of exceptional tracks and the rest are generally of high quality. Typically high Underworld production standards, even down to the inlay card. Great value at current prices. Disadvantages: A few duller moments and it's starting to age a bit.
Underworld's 1993 debut album "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" is far deeper than their recent work and contrasts especially with some of their more famous songs. "Born Slippy Nuxx" and "King Of Snake", for example, would sound completely out of place on this deep, dark and generally ambient album.
The majority of songs are composed from three simply yet highly effective elements: a deep, varied bassline, an ... ...There are exceptions, but for the large part "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" is constructed in this manner. Take the opening track "Dark & Long", a seven-and-a-half minute epic which progresses into a low-key climax with slightly seductive vocals built around a conventional 4/4 beat pattern. It is actually quite reminiscent of their remix of Bjork's "Human Behaviour", for those who have heard it.
Underworld's 1993 debut album "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" is far deeper than their recent work and contrasts especially with some of their more famous songs. "Born Slippy Nuxx" and "King Of Snake", for example, would sound completely out of place on this deep, dark and generally ambient album.
The majority of songs are composed from three simply yet highly effective elements: a deep, varied bassline, an unhurried beat, and the obscure, rambling lyrics of Karl Hyde. There are exceptions, but for the large part "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" is constructed in this manner. Take the opening track "Dark & Long", a seven-and-a-half minute epic which progresses into a low-key climax with slightly seductive vocals built around a conventional 4/4 beat pattern. It is actually quite reminiscent of their remix of Bjork's "Human Behaviour", for those who have heard it.
The exquisitely-titled "Mmm Skyscraper I Love You" is more vocal with some wonderfully rhythmic, if completely nonsensical, phrases - 'my ninja power, my number-cruncher' - and a variety of other vocal clips including computerised vocal samples (not as commonplace in 1994 as they are today) and big repetitive loops fading into the background.
From these two similar opening tracks the album progresses into more adventurous territory but never fully leaves the basic sound pattern upon which it is constructed. Indeed, it later returns to it entirely with the eighth track "River Of Bass", which unfortunately is one of the albums more forgettable and repetitive tracks.
The third track "Surfboy" is a welcome change of pace, a more upbeat and complicated rhythm which develops, distorts and echoes until the bassline finally sews the track together neatly at around the two-minute mark. There are some excellent samples used in this less vocal-driven track, and also an excellent break which gradually drains the bass and beat away and holds everything at a calm, ambient point until the beat finally kicks back in again. One of the highlights of the album.
There are two other truly memorable tracks on this album, the next being the exceptional "Dirty Epic" (track six), which features in my 'Top 10 Singles' opinion. Everything about this track suggests something sinister, from the slightly sleazy half-whispered lyrics that dominate and direct the speed of the track, to the distorted horn samples and extra-deep bassline (even by Underworld standards).
The seventh track, and last of the highlights, is "Cowgirl" which was re-released in 2000 with an excellent remix by Bedrock which has been one of the most popular parts of Underworld's awesome live performances (it is the lyrics from "Cowgirl" which give the name to the live album "Everything, Everything"). This is probably the most club-orientated track on the album, with wickedly repetitive and hypnotic vocals building into a fantastic, almost acid house crescendo. Stunning.
On the whole the age of "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" is starting to show a little, as the sounds and samples are a little tame and primitive by modern standards, but on the whole it is the clarity of vision and quality of production that shines through this album. Ignoring its few duller moments, this is a great album.
With only nine tracks listed on the cover don't be put off by the apparent shortness of the album - it actually weighs in at over 72 minutes (approximately 8m per track) and is thoroughly worth the ridiculously low prices I've seen it on offer for in HMV recently. It might not have the massive head-banging rush of more recent Underworld releases such as "Beaucoup Fish", but is more relaxed and easier to listen to. Unadventurous by modern standards, perhaps, but wholly enjoyable nonetheless.
Advantages: great music Disadvantages: they are no longer the trio that produced this album
Forget everything you know about Underworld. If your experience of the band is the pounding anthemic Born Slippy you will be in for a bit of a shock if you haven't yet heard this amazing debut.
Produced to perfection at a time when simplicity was the key to successful dance music, this pioneering album showed the rest of the UK dance fraternity that Underworld were set to do 2 things. 1) Kick UK dance square up the backside.
2) And do it well.
... ...programming, basically everything in the studio); Karl Hyde (vocals, guitars, further studio meddling); and Darren Emerson (vibes, contacts, more studio meddling) created a fantastic collage of the multiple influences. Therefore this album is not a throwaway collection of techno anthems, although it does have its pounding tunes, it is a fantastically woven blend of electro, dub, blues, rock, pop, house, etc, etc..
Some people will be disappointed ...
baloo 01.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Dubnobasswithmyheadman - Underworld
...do a second thing buy Dubnobasswithmyheadman - its wicked"
To conclude a naff film with a very purposeful meaning this album in parts is poor in other areas you will understand the meaning of dance music and most probably the meaning of life !!!!
P.s the last guy must have got the album title wrong What a FAN... ...
Eatcha 20.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Dubnobasswithmyheadman - Underworld
Product Information for "Dubnobasswithmyheadman - Underworld" »
Product details
Title
Dubnobasswithmyheadman
Performer
Underworld
Genre
Electronic
Sub Genre
UK Techno
Release Date
11/05/1998
Recomended Retail Price
10.99 GBP
Original Release Year
1993
Label / Distributor
Junior Boy's Own / ADA/Cinram Logistics
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
5033197019925
Additional notes
Album Notes
Underworld: Karl Hyde, Darren Emerson, Rick Smith. After a spotty and rather undefined beginning in the hedonistic '80s, the older and wiser Rick Smith and Karl Hyde teamed up with wunderkind DJ Darren Emerson to produce dubnobasswithmyheadman. After a successful 1993 single under the name Lemon Interrupt, the trio returned to the Underworld name that Smith and Hyde used during their UNDERNEATH THE RADAR days on Sire records. The songs feature Hyde's lyrics over alternatively throbbing and shuffling beats and melodies, peppered with the occasional guitar line. Song structures start from almost nothing, building to towering intensity with the drop-dead breaks and crescendos that have come to define the group's sound. Highly processed vocals and meandering rhythm tracks saturated with reverb ("Mmm, Skyscraper I Love You," "Dirty Epic") coexist with the low-end throb of "River of Bass," the ecstatic "Spoonman," and "Cowgirl"--a track that found its way onto dozens of mix compilations all over England.
Album Reviews
Q (12/99, p.82) - Included in Q Magazine's "90 Best Albums Of The 1990s." Alternative Press (5/00, p.120) - Included in AP's "10 Essential Dance Albums That Rock" Alternative Press (7/95, p.116) - "...this British conglomerate brought critics and listeners to their knees with a sprawling epic of guitars, muttered vocals and subtle, intricate beats..."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Dark And Long
2.
Mmm Skyscraper I Love You
3.
Surfboy
4.
Spoonman
5.
Tongue
6.
Dirty Epic
7.
Cowgirl
8.
River Of Bass
9.
ME
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Listed on Ciao since
01/09/2000
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