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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Connected

Stereo MC's

1992

Connected

Album Summary

Connected is a 1992 album by Stereo MC's. The tracks "Connected", "Ground Level", "Step It Up" and "Creation" became hit singles.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.94

Votes

15621

Reviews

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Apr 05 2021
2

Reckon I could have waited until I died to hear this one tbh

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Jul 08 2021
4

I imagined a backstory that this album was created for babies. Specifically for babies on their morning commute to finance jobs in London, wearing navy blue baby business suits, and all listening to Connected on big (for babies) over ear headphones. With that clearly established, this album is perfect. It's stone cold 5/5 star British business baby breakbeat. Minus 1 star for adult content. A

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Jan 24 2021
2

A good album... but I am struggling with why it's in the 1001.

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Aug 01 2021
2

It’s like a mix of moby and smash mouth except not a good combination. They have that 90s feel to it but it’s in no way a rap album. Nothing special here. 5.1/10

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Oct 24 2024
5

SEE???? Electronic music CAN be good! All it has to do is not be the same looping beat for 12 minutes to be good.

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Sep 16 2021
4

Someone called this "dated". It's not. It's got all the features that were eventually taken over the top and turned into cliches in the 90's. But Stereo MC's have kept their cool and the result survives time better and sounds very effortless.

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Mar 07 2021
4

This album is straight good vibes. The Bari sax on Connected is great. Also, funk flute? That's a definite yes for me. The album was great to run to and for some reason it reminds me of summer. It does kind of feel like workout music but in the best way possible. It's just a really fun album and while I suppose there's nothing incredible about it and most of the songs are quite repetitive, I still really like it. Favorite songs: Connected, Ground Level, Step It Up, , Pressure, Creation, The End Strong 8/10

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Mar 22 2021
2

I remember the opening track "connected." Very of it's time. Some of the lyrics really grate on me. Not really offensive or anything but I wouldn't want to listen this again for any length of time.

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Mar 11 2021
5

Cool album!!! I enjoy it a lot :) :) :) 1992 was an inspiring year :P

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Apr 17 2025
1

This is an intriguing group I've never heard of. Electronic-hip-hop? Interesting combo. Lets see if it pans out. My first thought as I start listening is that the title track kinda goes on too long. After the first few tracks, I noticed the trend seems to be some slow-to-medium rapping over a kinda slow beat with some female backing vocals. There are some occasional flutes. Some record scratches. Oh, a couple notes on a guitar? Predominantly drum and bass. It screamed early to mid 90s to me, and its an electronic dance type thing so that tracks at least. The whole album continued in this fashion. This album didn't really pump me up, or bring me down, or really do anything to move me one way or the other. Was it phoned in? I' m not really sure how this album landed on this list. Even going through the band's wikipedia, there's just not much about them. Was this some super influential UK hip hop deal? I'm in the dark here. Standouts for me were: "Connected," "Step It Up," and "Creation." Honestly I added them as highlights as I was going through, but every song sounded so similar to every other song it was hard to pull these apart. Overall, I could do without this album. It wasn't like some horrible experience, it just didn't feel like it had any soul. Just some mediocre raps that all went on for way too long. I got to the end, fittingly titled "The End" and I was happy to stop listening and go about my day. There wasn't enough variety in any of the songs to make any part of it compelling. I don't really want to listen to any of it again. This is probably like a 1.5 out of 5, rounded down to a 1. At the end of the day it was just boring Β―\_(ツ)_/Β―

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Apr 16 2025
1

I don’t think I’m gen x enough to like this record

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Aug 30 2024
5

This is a quintessential 90's album. It's great to re-listen and revisit an old memory, full of jenko jeans, motorcycle boots, frosted tips and colored contacts.

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Jun 08 2024
5

Any album that lends a track the soundtrack of the 1995 Angelina Jolie & Johnny Lee Miller fillum "Hackers" has to be a great album. HACK THE PLANET!

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Jan 09 2021
5

Never heard of them before and had negative preconceptions based on the band name but there's no two ways about it: I loved it. I'm not sure why I loved, since it's very rare that I enjoy electronic music and even rarer that I enjoy rap/hiphop. Somehow this album hits my sweet spots for both genres. I found myself dancing along on my chair from the first track. Will definitely spend the rest of the afternoon listening to more by Stereo MCs.

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Apr 13 2021
5

I really should have owned this cassette, damn

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Sep 23 2020
5

I liked this album - it felt old-school.

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Mar 17 2025
4

I'm really glad (and a bit surprised) that this album made it into the collection. I saw them live back in 1993 (part of the impressively eclectic HFStival lineup), and really enjoyed their live act, enough to buy this album not long afterwards. I'll admit it doesn't hold up as well as I imagined it would--listening to it now everything sounds like it's in slow-motion--but I still enjoyed revisiting this beat-and-rhyme-heavy collection of tracks. I think my favorites are the title track (although the video is a bit embarrassingly dated), "Fade away", "Step it up", "Pressure" and "Creation". It would be easier to give them a full-throated four stars if the album wasn't quite so long and meandering (and perhaps a few fewer flutes), but I still feel like it's considerably more than a three-star album, and there's the nostalgia factor....

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Aug 27 2021
4

Ah, I was worried I was in for another techno garbage album. I know the first song, and it's a relief that they clearly have the skills of those bands like Boards of Canada, but know how to make a song too. Connected is a great song. Good beat, strong production. Love it. I'm pleased the album doesn't fall off after that stellar first track. Ground Level has the feel of 70s funk/soul mixed with this new techno jazz sound. That being said, the lyrics of these songs so far have not been my focus. I like the vibe, and have no clue really what, if any, message there is to these songs. I do sense an anti-war sentiment at the start of Everything, but then when the rap starts, it makes no sense. Overall, this was a surprisingly fun and enjoyable album.

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May 12 2021
4

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I didn't like the first song, but I liked all of the rest of the songs and I can see myself listening to most of them again. 4/5 stars.

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May 19 2023
3

Overlong, but good, even if it does now sound a little dated. A bit of judicious pruning would have made for a tighter, more exciting album.

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Jun 05 2025
2

Having commercial success doesn't make something a must hear, despite the heavy volume of albums included in this project that are trying to argue otherwise. This is another forgettable, tedious album, and it makes you question if it's really so difficult to come up with 1001 essential albums. If you can name me 3 artists that wouldn't sound the way they do if this album/artist never existed, then maybe you can justify its inclusion. I suspect, however, that you can't.

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Mar 17 2025
2

I do like the song "Connected" but the only way this album would get a five from me would have been if they'd sampled Tammy's song from the KITH (1988, S3E3) on their song "Creation" which disturbingly sounded a lot like that. Start at a minute in to get straight to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDfH4BVHN6w

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Apr 21 2023
2

Voor mij zijn dit one-hit-wonders uit een telecomreclame. Na wat me de afgelopen dagen is aangedaan is dit prima om te luisteren, maar voor mij hoort niet niet thuis in dit soort lijsten. Erg 90's, huismerk Moby gecombineerd met The Streets. Het voelt wat kaal aan en dan heb ik het niet over Moby.

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Dec 22 2021
2

Staid and respectable. Lyrics a bit think piecey and therefore a bit irritating. Vocals nasal. Contemporary comparisons are Sault and Self Esteem--artists who send middlebrow critics into headstands because they act edgy while successfully courting a suburban listenership who can no longer hang with raucous irreverence. Get past the initial novelty and it smells suspiciously like zombie funk.

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Nov 14 2021
2

Connected actually sounds good, with is no small thing for a dance record. That's thanks to liberal use of horns, flutes, electronic piano, in addition to scratching and basic hip hop drum beats, and no horrid synths. In addition, the elements really are tastefully layered, and the textures are varied throughout the album. The vocals are pretty white bread and the raps are bland, but who knows, many that helped Connected cross over to a more general audience--it's not a deal-breaker for me. There really isn't all that much more to this music, but it's enough really. After all, nobody is actually going to listen to this, they're going to dance to it, right? Right? This stuff has a danceable beat, and sonically speaking, it doesn't make you want to hurl. What more do you want? I dunno. How about an album that doesn't bore you to tears?

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Feb 26 2025
1

Maybe put the first track on the 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die list and forget the rest.

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Jul 13 2025
5

This was surprisingly good and I've added it to my library for future listening

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Jun 05 2025
5

Almost shutbitboff, but then I loved it

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Jun 05 2025
5

Not a single skip..if you want a 10/10 jam session, look no further than this album. & this was also my first album using this site. & I had so much fun with it! Listened to this at like 6 in the morning, & it had me energized lol

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May 01 2025
5

I love this stuff. Absolutely superb work. This is right down my alley. Totally my vibe. Anything that sounds like Massive Attack with that electronic trip hop style immediately wins me over. That’s the second time I’ve made a comparison to them already going through this list with the first to Keep On Movin’, another record I really enjoyed. This is certainly on another level of quality though I feel like. It’s groovy af. Screw it yeah this gets a 5.

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Apr 17 2025
5

Fantastic album. Every song a banger

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Mar 28 2025
5

I've always loved Stereo MCs, and Connected stands out as their finest work. I'm thrilled to give it another listen and glad to see it recognized on the top 1001 album list. This album is proof that electronic music can be not just goodβ€”but great. Favorite songs: Connected, Step It Up, and Ground Level are the big hits, but there are also some excellent hidden gems like Everything, Pressure, and Playing with Fire. Least favorite: Honestly, there isn’t a bad song on the album. Album artwork: The cover is very cool and perfectly reflects the vibe of the music

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Mar 15 2025
5

Got me hitting moves I didnt know were possible

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Mar 05 2025
5

5 stars. For a band I have never heard of, I really enjoy this album.

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Dec 02 2024
5

Ohhh haven't heard Connected in ages. Totally holds up. Every track is a banger that takes you to the club or just bopping around the kitchen. I miss the 90's.

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Nov 20 2024
5

Not usually my kinda thing but this was great. Loved it.

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Oct 06 2024
5

I didn't realise I had heard so many Stereo MC's tracks. It is a greatest hits!

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Sep 02 2024
5

10/10. W O W!!!!! I really didn't expect this album to be THIS good!!!!! :) Hip hop music isn't my cup of tea. However, something about this album in particular just hit me in all the right spots, and scratched all of the right itches in my brain. It's nothing short of absolutely enjoyable. The instrumentation is dope, and so were the vocals. The album did not get dull over time. While I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Rage Against the Machine's self-titled album, it's pretty freaking close to being as enjoyable as that album. I certainly plan on re-listening to this album in the near future. :)

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Jul 03 2024
5

I knew 1-2 songs from this album, but it was great to dig into the whole thing. β€œDon’t let up” was playing as I was on a tough hiking trail, the perfect motivation music.

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Jun 28 2024
5

I absolutely loved this one. Made me nostalgic for a time I didn't really get to experience because I was so young.

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May 15 2024
5

Loved it! Best surprise album I’ve gotten by far.

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May 01 2024
5

Saw these this month, they were great live! Fantastic album.

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Feb 16 2024
5

Fun album! Great to discover it :-)

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Jan 12 2024
5

funky electrΓ³nico y fuera de mi estΓ‘ndar pero estΓ‘ genial

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Dec 01 2023
5

Just love the beat. Was something new when it came out and still pops up on the radio.

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Nov 23 2023
5

5 Erstes mal von der Band was gehΓΆrt, aber irgendwie komplett GefΓΌhl. Geile Mischung.

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Nov 23 2023
5

Awesome! Never heard of it. Like the 80s hiphop crossed with electronic vibes! Personal top3 in no order: Connected Everything Sketch

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Oct 20 2023
5

"Am I on an episode of Fresh Prince?" "Am I walking down a California boardwalk with a boombox on my shoulder?" "Bro can I borrow this tape to listen to on my Walkman?" Phrases that might have been uttered while listening to this album. Does it get any more '90s?!

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Oct 20 2023
5

if i were asked to describe what the 90's sounded like, this would be it.

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Jul 31 2023
5

Epic album! I am so glad for this site, for 1001. One of the Best things I have discovered in my life. Thank you <3

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Jul 05 2023
5

I've always liked the title track to this album, although I was never really aware of Stereo MC's as a band. It was good to hear the rest of the album, and the early 90s cool funkiness really grew on me as it went along.

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May 18 2023
5

What a nice album. This shake my chicken:)

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Feb 05 2023
5

Acid jazz. Me ha gustado bastante. Vinilo, incluso.

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Nov 02 2022
5

Acid jazz. Me ha gustado bastante. Vinilo, incluso.

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Aug 26 2022
5

Sorry bruv, but I can’t stand listening to Brits rap. I was out after 4 or 5 tracks.

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Jun 23 2022
5

I really like this music, it’s clean and funky. I might buy this vinyl. It’s smooth and transitions well, has good quality music, great instrumentals, and overall great presentation.

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Apr 25 2022
5

Had never heard this other than the title track. Absolute gold. I enjoyed every single track on here. What a fun early 90s vibe

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Apr 13 2022
5

This is the first album that I haven’t heard that blew me away. Loved it.

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Mar 09 2022
5

What an outstanding slice of 90s dance music this is. Listening to it is like time travel to a more carefree time.

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Jan 24 2022
5

Loved the album. Certainly a work of its time. "Connected" is an absolute classic.

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Oct 29 2021
5

Really liked this and will definitely listen again.

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Oct 07 2021
5

Great memories from Summer 94 when we played this CD over and over sitting in the sunshine in County Kerry. Shame they didn't do more. I remember it was so refreshing to have good dancy music after all the SAW purportedly dance shite of the late 80s. Enjoyed immensely

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Apr 26 2021
5

Felt like a breath of fresh air on the first (partial) listen and overall really nice beats and sound.

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Jul 23 2025
4

Well, there is a good bit of nostalgia with Connected. I forgot about Step it Up, too. Other than those, I had never heard this album. It's groovy early 90's dance and British hip pop. Cool music, nice raps. Repetitive, but smooth. I would be fine listening to this every so often. 4.

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Jul 22 2025
4

Fun hip-hop grooves, little bit of funk flavor, solid energy, I can see why the singles were picked to be singles against the other songs on the album. A couple songs feel like they sit on a groove and don't really go anywhere with it. Probably a 6 or 7 out of 10 while still listening mid-album.

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Jul 08 2025
4

At school a girl who liked me gave me a copy of this but as I didn't like her I didn't give it a chance which shows how stupid kids are. It's actually pretty good, bolstered by having four big UK hit singles on it which I know well from extensive radio play at the time. But the rest of the tracks are strong, with good grooves throughout. Worth a go if you are in a 1992 mood.

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Jul 07 2025
4

Bien, bastante disfrutable, Al saber que era electrΓ³nico y noventero no me dio buena espina, pero la mayorΓ­a de las canciones estΓ‘n padres y sirvieron para una buena caminata dominical.

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Jul 07 2025
4

Not my cup of tea stylistically, but has some catchy tunes and is generally pleasant to listen to

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Jul 06 2025
4

I really enjoyed this album! Very fun songs.

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Jul 02 2025
4

Solid 4. Great album. Aged ok for something that had a « sound » pretty typical of its day.

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Jul 02 2025
4

I really liked the first half of the album a lot more than the second. Starting out, the songs had a really full sound with great samples, but maybe the novelty diminished as I listened for longer. Still a solid album. Almost a 5 star for me had it stuck the landing.

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Jun 27 2025
4

In year 2000 or so, my big brother had gotten his first cd burner and being a poor student he gave me a mix cd for my birthday. He labeled it "Good music" and one of my favourite tracks he had included on it was the title track of this album. To me this still sounds fresh albeit with a distinct early 90's vibe. Might be it goes on for a bit long but it really is an interesting album.

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Jun 27 2025
4

Definite 90’s vibe but I liked it.

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Jun 26 2025
4

Actually really enjoyed this, Manchester vibes

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Jun 26 2025
4

Funky, upbeat, great for a workout and a smooth vibe. Loved it.

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Jun 25 2025
4

I was in the mood today for this alternative hip-hop/trip-hop album from the early 90s. The good vibes were there from start to finish. I enjoyed this!

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Jun 23 2025
4

This one snuck up on me... I'd forgotten how good they actually are...

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Jun 22 2025
4

I loved this record, it sounds super fresh and fun. It definitely feels ahead of it's time, I originally thought it was from the 2000s, and I feel like even if it was released now it would be great (maybe with a cleaner mix). It's more of a triphop record than anything else, it feels very chill but also funky and danceable. I also liked the jazz-y moments they have. The vocals are excellent, but the highlight is the excellent production. It's super groovy and well crafted. The rap is interesting enough, but they're definitely not the best MCs out there. I don't feel it's necessary though, they serve the songs very well and for this record I feel that's perfect. My only criticism is that it feels a bit uniform, like all the songs sound a bit the same. Even though they're great, some sonic or tone variation would've been great. Most of the tracks were excellent, but my favourites were "Connected" and "Pressure". Overall, it's an excellent vibe, super groovy and well made record. This one feels like a 9 to me, missing that last point only because I'd love it to have a bit of more variety. But maybe if I keep coming back to it I'll edit the review and give it 5 stars. It's 4 for now.

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Jun 11 2025
4

known album, pop meets hip hop, nice raps

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Jun 09 2025
4

Loved dancing to this when it came out. Still love dancing to it!

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Jun 02 2025
4

Really enjoyed this album. Would be great for a wind down evening after a few drinks at a weekend.

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May 26 2025
4

Absolutely banging rap/house/pop from the mid-90s. How you cope with Rob's sarth London drawl will probably determine how many stars. Me - 4.

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May 24 2025
4

Laid back and not too loopified. Nice to chill to.

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May 15 2025
4

01) Connected - 10,0 02) Ground Level - 10,0 03) Everything - 8,0 04) Sketch - 8,0 05) Fade Away - 8,0 06) All Night Long - 7,5 07) Step It Up - 10,0 08) Playing With Fire - 7,5 09) Pressure - 7,0 10) Chicken Shake - 7,5 11) Creation - 10,0 12) The End - 7,0 TOTAL: 8,38 (84/100) Current ranking: 118/548

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May 10 2025
4

This is one of the ones I wish I liked less.

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May 09 2025
4

- sick album cover first of all - right off the bat I think this is one I’m going to save - the picture coming to mind is a very cool restaurant. for some reason - start of β€œeverything” is spectacular. I don’t know what I’d do!! - β€œno originals everything’s reproduced” in a song from THIRTY TWO YEARS AGO is extremely keanu reeves smoking - superb album

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