Coming off the back of the massive success of “Born slippy (nuxx)” from the Trainspotting soundtrack, Underworld released Second Toughest in the Infants in 1996. It was a pivotal moment where they proved they weren’t just a “singles” band, but masters of the long – form electronic journey. This album is a sprawling, ambitious piece of work that perfectly captures the energy of the mid – nineties dance scene while pushing it into much more experimental territory.

The sound is a brilliant mix of techno, house, and drum and bass, all tied together by Karl Hyde’s distinctive, stream – of – consciousness vocals. It doesn’t just feel like a collection of tracks; it feels like a continuous trip. There are long, evolving sections that build up slowly, creating a sense of hypnotic momentum. It’s gritty and urban, but there’s also a real warmth and humanity to it. It’s the sound of a city at 3 am – slightly chaotic, but strangely beautiful.

The opening epic “Juanita: Kiteless: To dream of love” is a staggering ten – minute journey that sets the tone for the whole record. Then you have something like “Pearls girl,” which is pure, high – energy breaks. It’s an album that is still incredibly fun to revisit because it feels so alive and spontaneous. It’s a reminder of a time when electronic music was really finding its feet as an album format, and Underworld were leading the charge with a lot of style and heart.