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

Connected

Stereo MC's

1992

Buy At Rough Trade
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

2.98

Votes

9995
Genres
Electronica
Hip Hop

Reviews

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Mon Apr 05 2021
2

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

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Thu 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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Sun Jan 24 2021
2

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

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Sun 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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Mon 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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Sun 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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Thu Mar 11 2021
5

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

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Sat 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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Wed 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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Fri 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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Thu 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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Fri 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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Sun 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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Wed 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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Fri 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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Wed Feb 10 2021
1

How is this album on this list?

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Wed Sep 23 2020
5

I liked this album - it felt old-school.

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Tue Apr 13 2021
5

I really should have owned this cassette, damn

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Mon 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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Thu 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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Fri Oct 29 2021
5

Really liked this and will definitely listen again.

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Mon Jan 24 2022
5

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

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Wed 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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Wed Apr 13 2022
5

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

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Mon 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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Thu 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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Fri 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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Wed Nov 02 2022
5

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

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Sun Feb 05 2023
5

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

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Thu May 18 2023
5

What a nice album. This shake my chicken:)

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Wed 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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Mon 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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Fri Oct 20 2023
5

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

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Fri 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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Thu 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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Thu Nov 23 2023
5

5 Erstes mal von der Band was gehört, aber irgendwie komplett Gefühl. Geile Mischung.

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Fri 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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Fri Jan 12 2024
5

funky electrónico y fuera de mi estándar pero está genial

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Fri Feb 16 2024
5

Fun album! Great to discover it :-)

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Tue Mar 30 2021
4

Well, this was an unexpected find. I loved it.

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Thu Apr 01 2021
4

Really liked this 90s electronic sound.

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Tue Mar 30 2021
4

this was such a cool mix of 80s hip hop and electronic music gr8 job

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Tue Apr 13 2021
4

That was the album I needed today.

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Wed Mar 10 2021
4

Pretty good trip-hop. Reminds me a little bit of Massive Attack's "Blue Lines," although I thought that one managed the style better.

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Tue Apr 06 2021
4

this is very good old hip hop

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Sun Jan 24 2021
4

I thought it was a great album with a nice vibe throughout.

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Thu Jul 08 2021
4

This was pretty vibey and cool

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Wed Feb 24 2021
4

Yeah! Eindelijk eens iets écht leuks wat ik nog niet kende!

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Thu Mar 25 2021
4

Great 90s music. Made me nostalgic.

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Mon May 17 2021
4

Tip top British funk, disco, jam

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Sat May 08 2021
4

I liked this. It is like 90's dance funk, but easy to listen to.

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Tue Jun 08 2021
4

Fun! A good bit of 90s UK club track.

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Sat Jun 05 2021
4

Wow this is just a GREAT dance album, worthy of many more listens. A very good discovery. 4 stars 🌟

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Sun Jun 20 2021
4

Man!!! Just a really really really good dance album. I loved listening to this. I think they must have had an influence on Massive Attack. Not quite in that category but close 4 stars

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Tue Jul 13 2021
4

Surprisingly good, kinda kitch but good.

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Wed Aug 18 2021
4

A lot of the songs are fairly repetitive but I still really enjoyed the album! Just has good vibes all around and Connected is a great song. 3.5

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Tue Aug 31 2021
4

It was no bad decent for background music

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Wed Oct 27 2021
4

Some wicked sounds couple of duds but top overall

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Wed Sep 29 2021
4

This album is a pleasant surprise. Funky with clever lyrics. I'd heard of Stereo MC's, but hadn't spent any time listening to their work.

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Fri Nov 12 2021
4

really cooool one of the songs near the end kinda sucked though

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Thu Nov 25 2021
4

Very very cool album. Ending's a bit weak but overall really good.

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Fri Dec 03 2021
4

These guys were contemporaries with Happy Mondays, but I like this way better. I think I’ve heard a few of these in commercials or similar. Groovey stuff.

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Mon Dec 06 2021
4

surprisingly good! had me dancing from the start - rap was very 90's - in a good way

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Thu Dec 16 2021
4

This was an awesome album. Some 90's hip hop from a a very diverse group based on the album cover. I enjoyed almost every song and a few I saved. These are the albums I'm looking for with this list!

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Wed Dec 22 2021
4

-A very weak 4 honestly. Generally pleasant to listen to, but not a lot really drawing me back. Songs are catchy and fun but just not very exciting

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Sun Jan 02 2022
4

Cool album. I think it's possible that my nostalgia for this era is causing me to overrate it but I really think this is one of the best examples of this style of music out there.

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Thu Jan 06 2022
4

Cool sound. Connection is a great song. Similar vibes for the othe rings in the album, overall I really enjoyed the majority of the album

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Wed Mar 23 2022
4

Smooth, takes its time. Rapping sounds dated, but pleasant.

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Thu Apr 07 2022
4

I had minimal expectations for this album. I mean I do like the title song "Connected" but... This album is actually not bad at all and the style of music still sounds pretty good. That style of music being called English hip-hop/house/electronic. I think I would put this more into the electronic or dance category with its dance beats and groove. The hip-hop is some rapping and sampling. The album sounds of its time, earlier 90's, but the production is quite good. The goal is simple: Dance, Party and Have Fun. Goal met. The song structure is basically led by the beat and filled in with vocals(lead and backing), samples, keyboards, synthesizers and horns. Besides "Connected", other songs that stood out were "Ground Level" - more laidback groove and more a soulful feel, "Fade Away" - faster dance beat, "Creation" - love the "Ring My Bell" vibe and rapping and "Step It Up" - their other hit single. This album may not be as cutting-edge techno-wise as some of the other mid-to-later 90's artists would be but appears to be influential (Hi early Gorillaz) and sounded fine today.

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Wed May 11 2022
4

Early 90's fun, gets a little tired towards the end but great opening 3.8

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Sun May 22 2022
4

Þetta er 1992 bara í einni plötu. Legendary.

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Mon May 23 2022
4

5/21/2022 - ALBUM #114 Today's Album: "Connected" by Stereo MC's - This is the most impressive album I have heard in quite a while. This band does an absolutely stellar job mixing 90s Hip Hop/Rap with the new-age electronic aesthetics that started in the late 80s. First, the band is absolutely stellar. Each track has an amazing, memorizing groove to it that just make me want to move. The vocals in both the rap verses as well as the choruses are both really well done. I really enjoyed a more laid back approach to rap and the main vocalist has a really smooth, yet mysterious tone. Speaking of the choruses, each of them are so incredibly catchy and likeable without being really poppy. I like a lot of the background vocal performances and each track feels so unique while maintaining a really consistent quality. The track Everything stands out as a really great fast rap sequence with an incredibly groovy funk beat and just a ton of goddamn personality. The production and of the instruments sound good throughout the entire project and I particularly like how the project is mixed. Everything comes through really clearly and plays off of each other so well. Some songs are a bit boring compared to others, but even if I don't like a song's songwriting, it always impresses me enough to hop onto the highlights list and the rap verses are structured in a way to where it doesn't get as stale as some of the songs off of the NWA record I reviewed earlier. Overall, this is easily the best 90s rap album the generator has given me and given how early in the 90s it came out, it feels way more like an influential album than a collage of clichés. Nothing I could say in this review would describe how colorful and fun these songs are, so it really should just be experienced for yourself. Give this one a listen PLEASE if you are into R&B, Rap, or Electronica and you'll see what I'm talking about. Highlights: Connected, Ground Level, Everything, Sketch, Fade Away, All Night Long, Step It Up, Playing With Fire, Pressure, Chicken Shake, Creation, The End Score: 8.5/10 Crazy fun electronic hip-hop

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Wed Jul 13 2022
4

Interessante opção de trip hop com mais animação.

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Fri Jul 22 2022
4

I was definitely a fan of the title track when this came out. I may have listened to a couple of other songs back then as well because they kind of seemed familiar but I definitely thought of Stereo MC's as one hot wonders. You know what though? I really liked this, it was better than expected.

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Wed Jul 27 2022
4

This rocked more than I thought it would. Excellent listen.

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Fri Aug 05 2022
4

Listened Before?N This album made me miss the 90's! I really enjoyed it. It got a bit repetitive sounding the further it went, but overall not bad. I'll consider putting some of this in a party rotation. That first track is an absolute iconic banger! Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Connected

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Wed Aug 24 2022
4

I remember it well. Good stuff.

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Wed Sep 14 2022
4

Legitimately interesting sounds that made this worth listening to. Songs and Lyrical acumen not spectacular but the sounds were intriguing.

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Fri Oct 07 2022
4

Favourite track(s): Everything; Sketch This albums takes a sound similar to that of my favourite tracks from Massive Attacks Album released one year prior, employs it in almost every song, adds clean and chill lyrics and still manages to mix it up here and there. It may become kinda same-y by the end and The End is certainly not the most exciting track. But it is still a cool album all in all and makes for a chill listen.

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Wed Oct 12 2022
4

Normally don’t enjoy hip hop but liked this album.

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Sun Oct 16 2022
4

Actually surprisingly good, groovy, 90s ravey vibes. Great to work to. Sorta corny from time to time. A bit jez from Peep show. Encapsulates the age well and zips along very digestibly.

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Mon Oct 17 2022
4

Definitely one of the better hiphop albums we've had recently, sounds a bit like massive attack in a good way

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Wed Oct 19 2022
4

Honestly not quite as great and cohesive as their decade-later followup LP Deep Down And Dirty, but still great fun to listen to.

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Wed Nov 16 2022
4

very nice grooves and overall had nice structure and coherence

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Mon Nov 21 2022
4

That's who made all those songs then!

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Wed Nov 23 2022
4

I didn't know who this band was when it popped up here, but once "Connected" started playing I recognized it immediately. It got a lot of radio play when it came out, but it was a song I couldn't wait for to be over. I kept an open mind while listening to the album and was pleasantly surprised. I get why "Connected" was released, but I like every other song on the album more. Right or wrong, these songs make me think of a party version of Massive Attack. I'm on the fence between 3 and 4.

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Thu Nov 24 2022
4

Great album. Connected is such a good song

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