Barking

Thirty years into their collaboration, Underworld's Rick Smith and Karl Hyde continue to sit at the forefront of dance music innovation. Barking is just further proof that Underworld isn't going anywhere.

Where Underworld was once a dark foil to what was generally a culture of peace, love and hedonism, in these grim times, Barking is a relatively upper's affair, and something of a techno's-greatest-bits.

Although this is hardly Underworld at their finest, the duo's songwriting fits the mainstream productions and results in a solid dance album for the 2010s--music for aging-raver activities like driving cars, pushing swings, or jogging on treadmills.

While each track sounds different to the one that preceded it, they all manage to fit together as a coherent whole. Barking is still a credible effort and a pleasant listen, but it is also unremarkable and, had it been released by artists whose fame didn't precede them, it probably would not have made any waves.

So Barking stays the course, with the added prospect of a fitter, happier Underworld on the horizon. It's about time.