The sound of musicians with nothing to prove and everything to give.
If years in dance music are like dog years (and they are), then Underworld might as well have come bouncing into the world a few minutes after the big bang. Barking is their first album in three years, almost an hour of new music, and it’s welcomed indeed – it may underwhelm some fans, but it shouldn't.
It's a collective effort, in keeping with Underworld's history of collaboration, featuring an eclectic cast of co-producers including Lincoln Barrett aka High Contrast, Dubfire (half of Deep Dish) and trance maestro Paul Van Dyk. Barrett hauls the techno duo into the realm of drum'n'bass, and there are moments of Pendulum-ish fist-pumping, particularly on lead single Scribble. Always Loved a Film, meanwhile, is heavily redolent of lovable Canadian prog-house beastie deadmau5. Once leaders who sounded like nothing else, they're now content to mingle with the pack, soaking up influences and paying homage to their peers.
Lees de rest van deze review op BBC CD recensies (Engels)
Bron: BBC Music