Underworld

Released as a solid half-hour mp3 plus graphics and a slightly spooky slideshow, this is the third in a series of paid download-only releases from underworldlive.com. Freeing themselves of the album format is obviously a move to a bigger artistic canvas and as such, isn’t without the usual consequences. Meaning, it does tend to wander a bit. Especially from about the 20-minute mark; the title track bit seems endless as marimbas pound away over distant chanting and float-y synths. On the whole this is probably the most experimental Underworld have been — there’s nothing truly dance floor-oriented here — but yet it still works, especially in the first ten minutes. Sure it gets long in the middle, but in the end, out come the pianos and everything looks up. A very interesting diversion while we wait for a "proper” album.