Album Review: a collection Underworld

25 March 2012 | 10:17 am | Tomas Ford

As such, this CD sucks, only acting as a good comparison device to their just-released Anthology.

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What is this? Who is this for? Underworld are a band best appreciated in the long form of an album, or over the duration of a 12-inch mix. Yet here I am, listening to single mixes like a schmuck, saddled alongside collaborations with the hammy likes of Tiesto. This collection is not beat-mixed and is only vaguely structured, with no real build over its length. To add insult, the mastering is hyper-compressed to the point of being noticeably awful to anyone with ears. The packaging lacks any narrative or liner notes, instead opting for rudimentary photos of the Underworld live show, so I can only assume this compilation is intended for the first-time festival punter. Given Underworld's legendary status, one can only assume the uninitiated at this point to be the shirtless bogan masses; I personally would rather not share this band with them. As such, this CD sucks, only acting as a good comparison device to their just-released Anthology.