Underworld – Dirty Epic

This truly is a classic. Those soaring strings and “filthy zapping noise”! Just builds and builds with breakbeat kicking in. It’s also on German label, but for the collector, it has to be the single sided UK limited white label. A real treat and timeless.

Plays at 45RPM on side A and 33RPM on side B.

All three versions of the band's proof of concept, all on one disk. First released in 1992, 'Dirty' was produced under the 'Lemon Interupt' name, and proved the band's ability to write and create some damn good music. Rather than review each track in the order of the disc, I'm going to order them by their release date, which is essentially moving backward on the disc.

First, we have 'Dirty'. This, even now, is in my top 10 all-time favourites, probably around number 7. The Emerson percussion, the driving bass, the twinkly piano, all the little effects, it's a perfect track that unfortunately gets overlooked often in Underworld's catalogue. The best part is by far from around 6 minutes onwards. The track loses the snare and the kick, brings in a synth pad, and finally a guitar riff. Underworld's signature technique, at least in their early days, of sampling guitars is defined here, with this pattern. It's great, and follows through when the drums are re-introduced. This section doesn't feel like a beat drop, there isn't a rising snare or anything, but it still can act perfectly well as one. As it continues, more percussion flies around your ears, jumping from one to another, and creating an almost hallucinogenic experience, which they haven't even gotten started on yet. The track breaks down a final time, and disappears into strange beeps and communication sounds. If you're listening to the track on Spotify, Apple Music, or any streaming service, the song ends here. However, if you do track down the original, as featured on this disk, you discover the true genius of this track which accelerates it above and beyond any techno around at the time. The synth pad fades back in, accompanied by a strange vocal. As the pad surges over and over, the sounds from earlier still flowing all around, the track takes you to another plane entirely, sending you into a hypnotic trance. I have never heard any other song that has pulled this off, let alone this well. As someone who's never done it, this is what I imagine dropping acid feels like. An expert way to close a DJ set, as demonstrated by Sasha and John Digweed on the original Renaissance Mix Collection, a seminal piece of electronic music history.

Not long after 'Dirty', the group sat down and remixed it. The remix, later named 'Dirty Guitar', is a much more progressive take on the original. The 'Guitar' part likely comes from the reverbed guitar line, absolutely sampled from a live recording of Smith or Hyde, which drives the whole track. This track, rather than following a set structure like 'Dirty', seems to just have a continuous vibe going for all 10 minutes of the track. The guitar line, Hyde's random sayings played through what sounds like a radio, the nice prog synth pads, it's a solid track, and a good variation on the original 'Dirty'. Worth seeking out considering its rarity of white label only in the UK.

And finally, 'Dirty Epic'. The final remix of the track, releasing nearly two years after the original in 1994, appearing on 'dubnobassinmyhean'. This track, while not as club-suitable as the others, is certainly something. It feels almost depressing, like a night drive at three in the morning. I, however, am always reminded of when I first heard it. After buying '1992-2002' shortly before a trip, I had brought it with me to listen to. Playing off a discman, I heard the track while staring out the plane window in the early morning, cruising 30,000 ft above the Earth. The whole track from start to finish is completely mesmerising, like the effect from the final section of 'Dirty' stretched over 10 minutes. Hyde takes the mic well and proper here, although those strange radio-sounding vocals from 'Dirty Guitar' also make an appearance. My favourite part is the haunting, distant repeat of, "I get my kicks on channel six, I..." Just like the original, 'Dirty Epic' creates an effect that no other song, at least that I've heard, ever has. Underworld solidify themselves with one song in three versions, unknowing of all the songs they were yet to produce, and the fame yet to come. While it's not an early peak, it's the steep incline before it.

I got this a long long time ago, Sits proudly in my vinyl collection from back when i was a DJ, My version is also white label and has Lemon Interrupt "Dirty Remix" hand written in marker pen. Absolute classic of a tune.

I picked this up from a little independent record store (Covert) in Brighton when it first came out.
My copy does not have a sticker on the label but is handwritten and only states: "Lemon Interupt Emmerson Remix" on the playing side.
Great tune.

I can still my excitement at picking up this ltd single sided 12" from Zoom Records. IMO the best version of this track by a margin. The loose funky guitar and soaring string taking you into the stratosphere while Karl Hyde's monologue and the filthy zapping noise befuddle your few remaining braincells. This is house music history and £3 is a complete steal! Get on it...

Dirty Epic (Dirty Mix), just a beautiful piece of music to get lost in and remind you of the early days of dance when it was all a bright new world. First heard it on a Darren Emerson mix tape and it blew my mind. I personally don't think it has dated in over 20 years but I am biased.