why don't you poll me I feel like flying to... the UNDERWORLD Poll Results thread -- produced by Smith & Hyde for ILM Artist Poll #102

I didn’t vote because there’s way too much I haven’t heard but I feel it’s safe to say I would have #1’d dark train

i just glanced at my ballot to get a sense of what tracks were remaining and hoo boy *cranks up the volume on the bangers*

I have listened to Rez and Cowgirl for over 25 years, including the live version on Everything Everything and have never even considered that they are versions of each other

I’m still not convinced

I didn’t vote for Nuxx because although I like it I never need to hear it again.

Not that it would've ranked high enough for my taste, but I similarly think of "Tin There" as it's own discrete song but hey, it's sic's poll.

Yeah, not a complaint, it’s kinda a unique feature to their catalogue!

the whole point of counting sibling tracks both separately and together is to represent the broadest spectrum of opinions, and to enjoy nearly as many versions as possible along the way. PLUR!

i just glanced at my ballot to get a sense of what tracks were remaining and hoo boy *cranks up the volume on the bangers*

let's. crank. those. bangers.

http://ghostfood.uk/public/ilx/underworld/u013-floofxiii.png

13. Chonky Floof
1199 points, 18 votes, 1 #1
2003 exclusive track for Raubkatze Tierheim covermount

audio

Embarrassed I had to google that in case it was some web only deep cut I’d missed

ok who #1'd this reveal yourself

Yeah, Rez and Cowgirl are definitely discrete tracks imo xps

oh, sorry, we accidentally started posting DJP's ballot

http://ghostfood.uk/public/ilx/underworld/u013-299028.png

13. Banstyle/Sappy's Curry
1215 points, 19 votes, 1 #1
1996 album track from Second Toughest In The Infants

Banstyle video by Dylan Kendle
full length audio
audience audio 2000

oh hell yeah

I often think that Banstyle/Sappys Curry is my favourite track of the '90s. Bland is the last thing I'd describe it as. The first half hour of that record I think are amongst the best half hour of music I've ever heard. Not to worry, we're obviously looking for different things in it.

― KeithW, Friday, January 28, 2005 5:07 AM

I can empathise a bit with those who found Second Toughest a bit too sleepy, I did too at first, but I think you just need to listen closer...the section where Banstyle gradually morphs into Sappy's Curry is probably the most organic sounding bit of machine music I can think of ever, anywhere.

In fact, I think I've just convinced myself - the reason underworld are better is that orbital, for all their greatness, still always sound like they're making music with computers. Underworld manage to transcend that.

― JimD, Wednesday, November 3, 2004 12:19 AM

that opening line..."if they don't know, they don't know, they're gonna find out soon enough"

it's so hot

Should've been top 10

as if!

http://ghostfood.uk/public/ilx/underworld/u012-278778.png

12. Rowla and Cherry Pie
1226 combined points, 25 total votes
R: 1996 album track from Second Toughest In The Infants
CP: rewritten from Rowla or vice versa, released as a 1996 B-side: would have placed at 37 on solo votes

Cherry Pie audio
live audio 1996
Rowla Everything Everything DVD-only live audio

fave part of Cherry Pie is when those echo-ing cymbal crashes come in towards the end and it's somehow super emotional

13. Chonky Floof
1199 points, 18 votes, 1 #1
2003 exclusive track for Raubkatze Tierheim covermount

lmao

ICYMI:

Things are kind of overwhelming right now so I decided to make up some fake Underworld song titles to distract myself:

Chonky Floof
Two of Clubs/Go Fish
Mizerayray
A Floating Paper Bag
It's A That
Hatch
Frenumy
Bonivavirus
Sue City
Glimmerglass Menagerie

— DJP (@djperry1973) May 29, 2020

It's A That was robbed

^^^ secretly my favorite

I would like to rescind my #1 vote and transfer it to Glimmerglass Menagerie. i am brought to tears by the repeating 3-note vibraphone part on that track when it kicks in at 14:38 EVERY TIME

i feel as though i can tell what album each of those tracks is on

my only complaint: none of these songs have "thing" in the name

(really evenly split: 600 pts and 13 votes for Rowla, 626 pts and 12 votes for Cherry.)

I think I completely forgot to put Cherry Pie on my ballot

― DJP, Saturday, June 13, 2020 4:09 AM

https://i.imgur.com/YVpnv5p.jpg

Their masterpiece. Underworld could not improve on this track

This is one of the best records in the world for me. The jewel in the Underworld crown!

One of my favourite tracks of Underworld. With this song, the first thing I think of is Tetrisphere on the N64. xD

This tune sounds like a train! The squeep of the wheel flanges on the track at 1:06, the clack of the wheels on the rail joints, and even the train horn, with the train having come to a halt at the end. A great deal better than Rowla, the track that this tune uses as the backing track. All the extra sounds greatly improve it and stop it being tedious as Rowla was

This is a perfect song

https://i.imgur.com/llIgmm0.jpg

Easily one of the greatest techno tracks of all time

Thanks Dad in heaven, for somehow keeping the car on the road on long country drives when I played this!

Karl Hyde with his droning voice and whacky stream of consciousness narratives is so often the focal point of Underworld's keynote tracks, it's lovely to hear a short little instrumental where Darren Emerson can really shine.

pretty sure Squeep Of The Wheel Flanges is the album that Bonivavirus was on

The more STITI tracks that miss the top 10, the higher my hopes are that voters concentrated on pushing "Juanita" to #1.

Not really, I know the top 3 will all be from dubnobass.

The US primaries have broken Eric's spirit

"Tin There" for VP!

forgot about Chonky Floof, I'm back on Team Openers

http://ghostfood.uk/public/ilx/underworld/u011-639262.png

11. Appleshine Continuum
1259 combined points, 26 combined votes
2019 47 minute 18 second free-to-mailing-list MP3 by Underworld & The Necks as part of Drift

video by Simon Taylor
radio edit audio
fan edit of 3 different Appleshines

damn this got really high

With 897 points from 17 votes, Continuum would have placed at 19 without a boost from the Neckless version.

another collab with The Necks. it's 47 minutes long. and it's really good. a lot more going on than the other collab they did on Drift EP 1. the middle kinda reminds me of the Beastie Boys jamming out in the mid-90s

― frogbs, Friday, February 22, 2019 2:43 AM

that is fantastic. i need to start keeping up with these

― BradNelson, Friday, February 22, 2019 3:37 AM

ok i'm listening to drift 1 rn and this is fantastic

i love feeling like i made the right decision being an underworld fan

― BradNelson, Friday, February 22, 2019 3:51 AM

i'll get back to y'all when i can describe music as anything other than "fantastic"

― BradNelson, Friday, February 22, 2019 3:51 AM

Wow this is actually the best thing ever?

― Tim F, Tuesday, March 5, 2019 6:57 PM

https://i.imgur.com/0QeQYkt.jpg

it's 47 minutes long

Nope.

I promise you, it is!

Since nearly all of us have learnt about or had revelations regarding Underworld records during the poll, it's possible that plenty of folks aren't familiar with The Necks per se. Formed as an improv side-project by three Sydney-based jazz musicians, they've released about two dozen albums in the last three decades. Nearly all of their live shows consist of the three of them sitting down with nothing prepared, building a stirring and emotive storm of music out of listening to each other make a few tiny sounds, and winding down or resolving dramatically after 60-70 minutes. (Then doing it again after a wee break.)

Their records are sometimes made the same way, sometimes improvised from pre-discussed ideas, sometimes intricately crafted and layered with extensive studio work, and occasionally bring in other players.

Like Underworld, their approach to sounds, structures, rhythm and repetition has changed over the years, as the three men have changed and explored other musical interest outside the group.

Karl Hyde first crossed paths with them in Brian Eno's Pure Scenius improv project for the first Vivid arts festival at the Sydney Opera House in 2009. This blogger attended, and embedded some clips in his write-up.

Seven of The Necks studio albums, one live album, and a live quadruple album are on their Bandcamp for easy investigation.

(Vivid is having its first year off since then riiiight... now. This performance of Eno's Music For Airports was streamed live from the stage, without the audience attending, two days ago.)

https://media.giphy.com/media/KZNTPN1mKSHY2rlVTa/giphy.gif

crazy crazy crazy crazy crazy

if pearl's girl is placing next it's way too low

Even discounting Tin There, at whatever length or title, votes for Pearl's Girl ranged across versions and saw double-ups. The plain old title would have placed at 10 all by itself; let's listen here to the (Carp Dreams... Koi) mix, which received one lonely bollock vote.

CAN YOU FEEL IT?

https://i.ibb.co/4fV5hrf/karlhands01.gif

WHO IS READY FOR

https://i.ibb.co/pKJMBhV/karlhands02.gif

THE! TOP! TEN!

https://i.ibb.co/Vqd94MQ/karlhands03.gif

meeee

yeah I'm very curious