The much-anticipated day has finally arrived, Electronic Music pioneers Underworld has unveiled the yearlong DRIFT Series project. Starting in November 2018, Underworld’s Karl Hyde and Rick Smith began their ambitious undertaking; they would release a new track every Thursday for a year which would then culminate with a monumental album.
“DRIFT Series 1” is an outstanding collection of Smith and Hyde’s most profound work. This release is a compilation of audio and visual work which features a broad range of sounds, styles, and genres. Each song brings its own flavor to the album but fits neatly next to each other. The music is an array of eclectic melodies and takes you from one end of the musical spectrum to the other. A master of reinvention, Underworld uses this talent to surprise the listener at every turn.
The album comes out of the gate bangin with “Another Silent Way” with driving bass beats and an atmospheric techno flow. It soon takes a softer turn with “Low Between Zebras” a spoken word track that experiments with different otherworldly sounds. The release continues to surprise you with tracks like “Molehill” which showcases beautiful piano melodies and minimal vocals.
The song “Appleshine (All of the Lights)” was exceptional with throbbing driving bass, a fresh underlying groove, and haunting lyrics. “Doris” is an all-instrumental track that is beautifully and elegantly put together. “Border Country” which is a collaboration with Ø [Phase] is an intense fast throbbing gem. Its chilling lyrics and dark bass beats create the perfect soul-stirring ambiance. These tracks are only a minuscule taste of the entire brilliant album.
The whole release is a masterpiece and shows you the depth and supreme talent of Smith and Hyde. This album takes you on a journey and pushes boundaries with their sound. Since coming onto the scene in the 80s they have influenced countless musicians and continue to surprise the world with their genius.
“DRIFT Series 1” is out now as a seven-disc CD box set which also includes a Blu-ray of all the films and a full-color book that documents the year of work that went into making the album. Also, available is a smaller version, single-disc CD or a sampler edition.
Not only are Underworld releasing this outstanding yearlong project but they have also announced new live tour dates. This tour will feature phenomenal production and the DRIFT Soundsystem. Each show will have a unique performance that will bring the music of “DRIFT Series 1” to life. Although there are no dates for The States announced just yet, I am hoping 2020 will bring Underworld across the pond. You can sign up for presales here and we will keep you updated when any new tour information becomes available.
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*Featured photo | via Artist Management*
