30 Days in 60 Minutes: December 2024 (Part II)

Featuring Skee Mask, Loidis, upsammy and the long tail of "Endless Summer"

[click here for part I, playlist at the bottom]

Underworld - “Stick Man Test”

How can I possibly stay mad at AI when it’s responsible for the single greatest piece of art in the 21st century?

Anyways, the new Underworld album had its moments, even it’s not quite at the level of the previous one (or, as these things happen, maybe the moments are harder to find this time around because it’s over 70 minutes long). I do find it interesting that neither this nor the most recent Chemical Brothers album (quite good!) was reviewed by Pitchfork, though I imagine that’s something along the lines of 40-something rock fans complaining that they didn’t review the new Pearl Jam album.

Kinda fitting how the peak 90s work of Underworld and the Chemical Brothers were held up as proof of concept for “electronica” replacing rock music as the sound of youth culture and now chatting up their new work feels kinda rockist. Even if I have to grit my teeth through it, my favorite part about new Underworld is hearing Karl Hyde do this thing and feel the same way I do when Busta Rhymes or Snoop Dogg pops up on a track - “wow, they’re still rapping like that in 2024.” Also, keep forgetting that one of their kids is in Black Country, New Road.