Underworld released a new and free 2021 mix of their 1994 track Dark And Long. Ever since its first appearance back in 1994 Dark And Long has been mixed and remixed and played about with, a track that survives endless reinterpretation as long as that chugging techno rhythm keeps gliding forwards. They've reworked Dark Train (and Dark And Long) many, many times but still, it is what it is, ten minutes of transportation from Underworld for the first Monday in November.
Dark And Long (Drift 2 Dark Train)
Karl Hyde wrote the lyrics for the version that appeared on dubnobasswithmyheadman whilst travelling through the prairies of Minnesota with thunder clouds rolling in from miles away- 'thunder, thunder, lightning ahead/ Now I kiss you dark and long'. He was in the practice of noting down things he'd overheard on trains and on the streets which is where these lines must have come from- 'Me, I'm just a waitress she said/ I went 'and bought a new head she said/ I look at you I believe in you she said' and 'What a laugh/ You was done up there mate'. They work perfectly against the drama of thunder and lightning. Stream of consciousness poetry with sleek dub techno. This was the future made real in 1994.
No one has managed to fuse the human voice with the electronic so organically as did early Underworld, not even late Underworld.
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oops! just to clarify early underworld starts with the 'Dubnobass' period through to 'Hundred Days'. I'm not referring to the early synth pop Underworld.
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You're right SRC, dubnobass... especially. The voice is integral to those songs.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you learn Karl was in Minnesota when he wrote those lyrics? So fascinating!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great blog BTW!
I can't remember where I read that anon but it's stuck with me.
ReplyDeleteThanks as well BTW