Connected
Stereo MC's
1992
Album Summary
Connected is a 1992 album by Stereo MC's. The tracks "Connected", "Ground Level", "Step It Up" and "Creation" became hit singles.
WikipediaThis 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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Felt like a breath of fresh air on the first (partial) listen and overall really nice beats and sound.
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
Loved the album. Certainly a work of its time. "Connected" is an absolute classic.
What an outstanding slice of 90s dance music this is. Listening to it is like time travel to a more carefree time.
This is the first album that I haven’t heard that blew me away. Loved it.
Had never heard this other than the title track. Absolute gold. I enjoyed every single track on here. What a fun early 90s vibe
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.
Sorry bruv, but I can’t stand listening to Brits rap. I was out after 4 or 5 tracks.
Pretty good trip-hop. Reminds me a little bit of Massive Attack's "Blue Lines," although I thought that one managed the style better.
Wow this is just a GREAT dance album, worthy of many more listens. A very good discovery. 4 stars 🌟
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
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
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.
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.
surprisingly good! had me dancing from the start - rap was very 90's - in a good way
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!
-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
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.
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
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.
Early 90's fun, gets a little tired towards the end but great opening 3.8
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
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.
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
Legitimately interesting sounds that made this worth listening to. Songs and Lyrical acumen not spectacular but the sounds were intriguing.
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.
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.
Definitely one of the better hiphop albums we've had recently, sounds a bit like massive attack in a good way
Honestly not quite as great and cohesive as their decade-later followup LP Deep Down And Dirty, but still great fun to listen to.
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.
This was a surprise. I expected some more raw hip-hop or noisy electronica. But instead was an album full of funky beats. Even the rap songs were enjoyable. This is an album I would spool up again next time I'm in the mood for some beats. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - I enjoyed listening to it but wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.
Would you like to listen to smooth grooves for about an hour? Because that's what this is.
Enjoyable album from just before all the acid-jazz stuff Natalie and I listened to in the mid 90s. Nice grooves, chill but not sleepy, works in the background and on closer listening. Thoughtful and well delivered lyrics, with a strong vein of social commentary that is (alas) still relevant. No one song really stays with me, other than the single, but I’ll be back to spin this album again.
Somewhere between Happy Mondays and East 17, with a sprinkle of The Brand New Heavies. But obviously doing their own thing though. Nottingham, who knew? ‘92 - a simpler time when you could get away with this naff whiteboy rapping. A couple of really good singles on there and a lot of decent albums tracks, could benefit from dropping a bit of filler though, get it down to 40mins.
Like everyone else I knew the title track, “Connected”, going into this. It’s a hypnotic track with a driving beat that even those who have no inclination to dance at all can’t help tapping their foot to at the very least. The rest of the album keeps it up! I hear a Talking Heads influence here on some of the tracks. The music is upbeat, and the lyrics are interesting. They sound like they’re an awesome band to see live. I’m definitely going down the rabbit hole with their music after this.
I liked this more than I thought I would. You get past the "hit" first song, and the rest of it was pretty good. I liked the lead vocals, there was a smarminess to it that I really dug. For some reason t reminded me of the vocals to the way you hear "Puttin' On The Ritz." I thought I would have gotten bored with the songs, but as I went through each track, it was varied enough that I was surprised. Each song seemed like a refreshing change form the previous one, they did not blur together for me at all, which was a very pleasant surprise. "Chicken Shake" at first I thought was going to have vocals, I was surprised that it was a pretty decent instrumental for what it was. Favorite tracks: "Connected," "Step It Up," "Chicken Shake," "Fade Away"
The Groove was real, tinsel fringe on my brain cells makes me happy when the sun shines in
I actually enjoyed this album. I always thought they were a one hit wonder with Connected but after listening to the album, I feel it is pretty legit overall
The title track is the only one off this album that I'd ever heard, and it continues to be in rotation for me due to it being on one of the Hackers soundtracks. I enjoyed this album as it played in the background, and am feeling generous enough today to give it 3 stars.