Connected

Interesting album here as the New York underground hip-hop scene shines bright with the group and helps bring it to light in the early 90s.

Groovy and inoffensive

Had some catchy songs and thankfully not too repetitive, but certainly nothing special

Achei que seria meio merda… foi, na realidade, bem legalzinho até.

Fun dance trip-hop record. Not sure it's 1001-worthy? A pleasant if repetitive listen nonetheless.

2.6 // This is music Carlos would listen to while playing hacky sack. 90s British dance?/electronic music. It isn't bad, but does it need to be on this list? Eh, probably not

As a teenager the singles from this didn't really connect with me (no pun intended). Will h the distance of 30 years I like it more than I thought I would. I'd have it right on the border between 3 and 4 stars, but I'm going for the lower option because an artist called Stereo MCs shouldn't have an instrumental on the album. Seems a bit lazy.

It was alright although it appeared to me that all songs had the same melody

Pretty repetitive but not unpleasant

Nostalgiskt, var längesen jag hörde dessa. inget jag stänger av men kommer nog inte heller sätta på

Real middle-of-the-road early 90s hip hop album. Sounds good. Very typical of the era. I'm not sure where the influence of this album goes, but it's decent at the least.

At first when I looked at this beautiful cover art (it is). I though what is it? And when I heard first song I remembered that I heard this song when I was in my child years it was quite popular. And well yeah it's good. Other parts of the album well who knows. I like that this album is pretty chill and I can see this album as something that was released right around Massive Attack's Blue Lines. Which is not bad I think this album in some ways kinda has some interesting thing but also it doesn't lead me anywhere interesting. I also think that this album a little bit long should be little bit shorter. Fav. tracks Connected Everything Playing With Fire 2,5/5

2.8

Surprisingly fun!

Decent

Not to my tastes at all. But I didn't hate it.

Liked the album - sometimes found the songs a bit repetitive but I enjoyed the music and the vocals so it mostly didn’t bother me. Nice to have some references to where I grew up, gave it a bit of a nostalgic feeling.

Connect is a straight jam. The rest is an ok listen. 2.5/5

Bisschen einseitig

2.5

Arrested Development adjacent. Very good.

Kinda cool, kinda drags on Somewhere between 2 and 3

Está bien

No es mi tipo pero se disfruto!

You know, while it's definitely a solid, pretty pleasant listen, I don't really see what this album particularly brings vs artists from similar genres (Acid jazz - Jamiroquai, trip hop - Massive Attack/Portishead, hip hop - everyone). Can definitely hear a little influence this album had, particularly on the first two Gorillaz albums. At an hour long it's a bit long especially given that it kinda rides the same vibe throughout. But yeah, probably didn't need to hear this one before I died. Solid, but nothing special, and doesn't feel particularly influential or well known enough. Definitely an album that'll have it's die hard defenders though.

never heard of them! wasn''t bad as i didn't skip anything, but also didn't take anything away. was good to work to, honestly.

Connected es un temazo. Qué mal que la mejor canción sea la primera: le pone las cosas difíciles al resto del disco.

++: Connected, Ground Level, Everything, Fade Away, Step It Up, Creation, Don't Let Up, The End +: Sketch, Playing With Fire, Pressure +-: All Night Long, Chicken Shake 7,7/10

Not bad. All Night Long is very interesting.

This album opens hot with “connected,“ and then follows it up with 11 tracks of “meh.” 2.5* rounding up because making music is hard, and this was less annoying than most electronica (but not as good as a lot of hip-hop).

It’s dance music; it’s fine; the best parts are the samples; I’d rather listen to the originals.

Cool music. If I was rating this in terms of dance music, it'd probably be a 4*. But as a generic music rating, 3.5*.

aprobado

Tiene 3 hitazos pero demasiado repetitivo.

Oohhh. I've heard the ahh ahhh ahhhh ahha connected song a lot, and never had any idea who it was. They do dance music right with fun, good songs.

Much grooves, much enjoyment

Very vibey

Got a little repetitive after a bit but not terrible

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.

Very catchy beats. Was a fun change of pace from what I’d normally listen to. More background music to me tho. Maybe a fast walk soundtrack lol

As I said six days ago: "At least once a week, every week, I log on to see that a 90s British electronica album has been generated for me. They're all an hour-long, they're all filled with vocal loops consisting of like five words, and they're always the absolute lowpoint of my week. Please, I beg you, no more!" To be fair, this one's really more hip hop than electronica, and there's not a vocal loop in sight. It's too long and nothing really stands out, but it's pleasant enough. Things certainly could have been worse than this!

not my thing

they sounded very familiar even though i haven't heard of them before, wasn't a boring album but is it really a must listen?

Pleasant listen, lowkey 90s hiphop/dnb. Nothing really stood out but it was nice to get some work done while listening to this.

Great first song, decent overall

Mixing electronic sounds with hip-hop made for an interesting record. I enjoyed the mix of the two genres. At times, though, the vocals were grating to listen to. Favourite Track(s): Fade Away, All Night Long, Creation, The End Least Favourite Track(s): Sketch, Playing With Fire

# Album Name: COnnected # Artist: Stereo MC # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Open with a bang! Step it up is also a good one. Other than that, the rest was bang average, # Top Tunes: Step it up / Connected # Would I listen to it again? No

Kinda weird idk

Decent album to listen to on a sunny day while driving. By the end, it felt a tad repeititve.

Fun '90s trip hop. I enjoyed it because I love this kind of bullshit but it did kind of feel like shopping in a Gap back in the day instead of something that I really wanna come back to. But points for being fun and not being just more classic rock.

Rating (1-5): ✩✩✩ Higlighted songs: Connected, Step It Up, The End It was fun, but nothing crazy

Surprisingly fun.

I am surprised I am giving this a 3. Im not into rap but the has a real god R&B vibe.

An English guy rapping over acid house sounds like a nightmare but it weirdly works. An artifact of an optimistic experimental time in music as the quirky strangeness of rave culture blossomed and seeped into the UK mainstream . It's full of uplifting rhythms, pulsating beats, fun sounds, and hooky anthemic lines. Surprisingly great.

3 estrelas. ta bom. pra um disco de DJs

Album 815 of 1089 Stereo MC's - Connected (1992) Rating : 3 / 5 Decent album. Probably enjoyed more than most from the genre. Fuses acid jazz, alternative hip hop, and trip hop.

Great background music. Just straight up groovy and fun.

MDMA is a hell of a drug.

If you really love, like, one song by them then this is a great day for you because this album will basically give you that same feeling the whole way through, it's a pretty consistent and even experience The songs can run a little long but they're not so consistent across the album that it feels like the same thing over and over, and it's produced satisfyingly enough to enjoy a listen, even if it's not a super standout It also *might* sound exactly like what you expect it to sound like

Great opening track, fizzles out repetitively as the album continues

*** Not that Bad, althogh Not my pair of shoes

Nice music, I liked the sound even if it didn't really leave me wanting more.

Catchy.

This is alright enough. It's quite upbeat, quite 90's! But it's not a bad listen. I do wonder why this makes the list though - unless I'm missing something, I fail to see how this helped push things forwards or was otherwise influential. I doubt it's actually that celebrated these days.

Better than I had expected. Very fun

It's very 90s and I like it. The carphone warehouse kind of ruined the song Connected for me.

soul || soul but boring. I kind of like it but it doesnt belong on this list thats for sure

Hard to nail down exactly what genre this is. A mix of light rap, funk, soul and pop with some alternative flair. It’s certainly unique.

No opinion, not really my thing, pleasant but just background music

Нормальная танцевальная* музыка образца девяностых со всеми квирками того времени. Приятно и вот это вот всё, без раздражения, но может быть не очень интересно и ровно. Лучшая песня - Connected.

Sounded like weed itself

Solid album but nothing special really.

I haven't been giving good scores recently. Not correct ones at least. I have this one some extra time. And I enjoyed my time. Its nothing too special or even something I'll spin again but its good euro pop. Nothing that probably ever did anything here in the states but it should have got some attention. The cover did have me a hit worried. Its aggressively turn of the millennium. Just a fun time

Decent vibe but very repetitive. Probably won't listen again but not a bad experience

After a solid start, this album quickly seems to become aimless, lingering just a touch too long on each track. Each song on its own is relatively fun, but it's like a sweet treat—too much causes a tummy ache.

A pleasing blend of hip-hop, house, and alt-rock that reflects the UK electronic scene during the rave era, anchored by an instantly recognizable dance floor anthem.

It's alright. Not my type of vibe.

This album is so very early 90s. Not that that is bad. I learned my musical tastes in the early 90s. The title track is great. Then the album goes into a bunch of mediocre dance music with rap that is on the bad end of mediocre. None of the tracks are bad separately, but put them all together, and it's just too much.

Not really my thing, 90s electronica and wouldn’t necessarily seek out to listen to. But doing so today it was fine, not bad though not necessarily essential or required. 3 Star

It's alright

If you make sure you're connected Writing's on the wall But if your mind's neglected Stumble you might fall STUMBLE YOU MIGHT FALL!

Probably the best album that absolutely shouldn’t be on this list.

A fun listen, at least for the first half, that gets a bit old after awhile. Definitely didn't need to be on this list. 5/10

ha un po' di Jamiroquai

British techno-pop

A bit dated but pretty good. Some solid bass lines and an old school feel. Not perfect but listenable.

Some good songs, others got too repetitive

This is classic early 1990’s music. Stereo MC is categorized as electronic and hip hop on line, although to me there is some smooth jazz/rock here also. Overall all the tracks have the same feel, but they are easy to listen to.

I like this. It has a very similar sound palette to stuff that I already am into, like the Stone Roses and Black Grape. It is something that I'd keep around in my spotify and be happy about if it came up on shuffle. If I could give it a 3 1/2 I would.

Good album, but not anything that shone for me. Fun basslines, would listen for background noise while cleaning in the future.

quite enjoyed this, i js know the coolest mfs in the 90s listened to this, had it as charity shop background music and it was a successful trip so thanks stereo mc’s 😈

Funky fresh!

Fun bit of very 90's British rap rock

At times funky and groovy, at times tedious

I liked this one. It certainly didn’t feel like a typical hip hop album, but I really liked the groove that they got into, and it was fun trying to count the beats until a certain little lick plays again. The singing and rapping worked decently well too. Not too much to say on either direction, to be honest. Favorite Track: Connected

[7/10] Chillen

Got some chill grooves & fun electro dance vibes. Other parts comes off as cheesy trip hop.

After about the fourth time someone tells you that they’re not going to go blind you start thinking that they’re definitely going to go blind.

worst apostrophe in hip-hop

Op moment best fatoe en een chill sfeertje, maar voor een heel album gebeurt er gewoon te weinig en is het vrij eentonig.

I liked listening. It was indeed a product of the time it was made but I enjoy the ensemble element and what each person brought to the mix of the sound.

Some banger tunes, largely coherent, with quite a few lacklustre tracks.

This had a great vibe to it all the way thru. Connected is a classic.

Very vibey and works well as a whole but nothing jumps out to elevate beyond a 3. The End was a nice touch.

I didn't really connect with this one. Technically it's fine, and it doesn't sound bad. I just found it a bit bland Standouts Step It Up 3/5

This was fun. Real groovy and flowy. Definitely feels like the 90s. You'd have cool raps and then groovy beats and interesting samples. Probably not something I'd return to, but I enjoyed it!

liked this one, a little too mellow and complacent for my taste.

I asked my dad if he knew what this was, he did. I then asked him if it was good, he said it wasn't. Genuinely haven't heard anything from this group. I would say me and my dad differ slightly when it comes to taste in music, so I have no idea what to expect really. Looks offensively 90's. Hoping the music is better than the album art. Connected By far their most popular song, also the song my parents claimed to have clubbed to in the early 90's. Can't say I'm too excited by the prospect of my parents at the club tbh. Has some groove to it. The vocal sample loop creates some decent atmosphere. Is a bit flat, though the keys and sax add some depth. The female vocals do add some variety to the track. All in all overstays its welcome a bit, but seems a solid start to the album. Not suprised it's a hit to be honest. Decent. 3.5/5 Ground Level Strange jazzy instrumentation, still remains dancable. The vocals are kinda unispired, lacks character and depth. Pretty catchy despite the low-key performance. Surprisingly well composed. Pleasantly surprised. 4/5 Everything Decent energy. Family Stone references or a coincidence? The hook is pretty unispiring, and the rapping is a bit dated, though I find it kinda charming. Really like the groovy bassline. The brass instruments are also a pretty cool choice. The song kinda grew on me over the course of its runtime. Fun track. 4/5 Sketch Sort of mellow. Having fun with the instrumentation. Can't forget to highlight the fantastic accent of the singer, honestly think it adds some uniqueness to the music on display. Decent concept for a song, honestly sort of a fresh take on the idea. The rapping still isn't great per se, but can't say it ruins the song in any way, kinda charming actually. The chilled out energy is a vibe. Feels vibrant and colourful. Fun. 4/5 Fade Away Starting of pretty corny. The disco like female vocals is not something you'd hear today. The instrumentation carries the track. Don't really like the hook at all. The verses don't really connect either. Has good parts, has bad parts. 2.5/5 All Night Long Funky start to the track. Has good rhythm. Like the attention given to the bass. Really repetitive. The restart definitely came at a much needed time, honestly wished the track changed more after the restart. Goes nowhere, feels like it ran out of ideas really early. Fine. 3/5 Step it Up Good bassline. Moving into a more traditional dance track was a good move after the instrumental track. Has a bitvof a groove, could definitely see people dancing to this. Vocals seem a bit bored and unenthusiastic. Fairly decent chorus. Nothing spectacular, still pretty decent. 3.5/5 Playing With Fire This album keeps suprising me. Immaculate vibes. For this type of music the instrumentation is really solid. The vocals are extremely basic, but it works somehow. Transcends the critical thinking center of my brain. Just fun, can't explain why. Good. 4/5 Pressure Love the bassline, sort of infectious. Bouncy song that really moves along with some decent flair. Doesn't do anything special, but again has immaculate vibes. Decent. 3.5/5 Chicken Shake Whoever picks these instrumentals deserves a lot of credit. Decent loop, but wish it varied a bit more. I like the keyboard at the end. Sort of kept building on itself into a solid instrumental track. Could use a few more points of engagement. Decent. 3.5/5 Creation The bad thunder effects are kinda charming. Fub drum beat, and some decent bass playing on top of it. The keyboard sequence goes on for a bit too long. The lyrics on the hook are pretty bad. Really cheesy. Does have sequences where it sounds a bit empty. Was not expecting the drum breakdown at the end. Fine. 3/5 The End Decent bassline. The rapping style doesn't fit the energy of the instrumental. A bit too sparse, feels like it's lacking something. Nothing chorus. Doesn't go anywhere. Carole King motif in the sax at the end is a fun touch. Disappointing closer. 2/5 Honestly thought this was going to be horrible, but turned out pretty alright. Found myself having fun with plenty of the tracks. Really enjoyed the energy, and found the dated rapping style and the bombastic female vocals to be quite charming. Love how they've chosen to implement a series of very good samples, really liked many of the imported basslines. Found the production solid overall, never having any complaints about the mixing or the quality. Didn't pay too close attention to the lyrics, but they seemed pretty forgetable, will definitely pay more attention on a relisten. The rapping is a bit basic and in some songs the style gets a bit boring, or have a tendency to not work. Vocals in general lack a bit of variation. Still the album managed to exceed my expectations, and I found myself having loads of fun with it. 3.5/ leaning closer to a 3/5. Fave track. Sketch Least fave track. The End

was füres albumcover hahahaha connected isch en rechte banger! ground level wird gecarried vom bass poah bin zwar au abgschweift aber es isch eifach sehr fest vor sicher her gloffe ooofff d drums am schluss vo creation sind sexy gsi puuuh ja ich hans sicher au nöd unglaublich ufmerksam glost aber us de socke ghaue hetsmi nöd spass hani trz gha!

Great breath of fresh air when it came out but a little boring to today's ears.

Fine. Too long.

A decent album led off with an early 00s banger that was ubiquitous for an age.

Täähä oli kova! Hyvät beatit ja letkeet räbät! 3/5

Letkeää hoppia ysäriltä, ja kivasti myös vaskisoittimia mukana. 3/5

I was surprised to see Stereo MCs on the list! I had a cassingle of this in high school, but never actually listened to any other songs aside from Connected, which I thought was great. In truth, I probably wouldn’t have appreciated this in high school. College, on the other hand, I would really dug this album. I found that some of my favorite tracks were closer to the end, like Chicken Shake, which had a really cool groove to it and Playing with Fire. However, I’ve been hard-pressed to ever find a song called The End that I didn’t like, this one included. It only took me a couple of decades-we don’t need to talk about that-to listen to the rest of the album, but I’m glad I did.

Will forever remind of call centres. Not a bad album but it does sometimes feel like they reworked the same idea on a number of tracks

I remember this one from when it came out. New job new residence. Same friends and new friends. I liked this!

this was a good change and decent enough but I found I enjoyed the other 90s stuff Spotify played afterwards more

Before I talk about this album, I just need to ask one question. Why does this group's name spell MCs with an apostrophe? I just have to acknowledge grammatical errors in band names when I see them, okay? Anyways, Connected is a solid album. There's things to like here. The vibes are just kind of nice. I actually really like the opening title track. It's great. The other songs are pretty good, just not as good. The lyrics are okay. Nothing super thought-provoking, but nothing embarrassing either. The rapping is kind of bare bones, but it does the job. The album's a bit long. There are certainly things to like and dislike about the album. I'd say I had fun with it, but I can understand why others may not enjoy it as much as I did. Solid 3/5.

I'm a "Supernatural" (and "33-45-78") guy, so their third album, "Connected", while their commercially most relevant release, was a bit of a let-down for me. Too heavy on the sing-a-long and dance-a-long simplicities for my taste and somewhat formulaic. Check their first two albums for their best. Still some great moments though of course. Must have played "Step It Up" (together with the "Ultimatum Mix" of "Lost In Music" from the previous album era) a million times in the early to mid 90s and would still put them on any wedding party or 50th/60th etc birthday playlist.

Very '90s, albeit very enjoyable music to just jive to in the background. Some enticing fusions here, primarily in the realms of hip-hop, funk, and afrobeat - just listen to the song 'Step It Up' to know exactly what I mean. There's a large focus here on establishing and then effectively maintaining this very jovial mood on each song. And I'd say that's what this album is ultimately about: mood. Admittedly, I wasn't a huge fan of the vocals here, at least not the lead vocals. I think it would've worked better as this entrancing '90s dance album without them (I did still enjoy the rapping here occasionally, especially on 'Playing with Fire'). I really liked the largely instrumental string-backed and luxurious sounding 'Chicken Shake', a song accompanied by this huge bass tone. In the end, this album still manages to achieve the '90s-dance music-in-its-purest-form-and-sort-of-disco thing, vocals or not, and I ultimately enjoyed it.

3.0

Not bad

Not unpleasant, but not my cup of tea and 56 minutes is too long!

There's just something about this that's missing. The music was fine, but it was just too subdued and missing a punch or soul. Hard to put my finger on it honestly. it's just kinda boring

Instant reaction "Oh shit this is that one song!". Interesting for the time, it reminds me a little bit of the first Gorillaz album (which obviously came way after this), mixed with some Beck.

Fun and groovy

This album is fun at first, but it gets sorta samey after a while. I think just a little more variation in the music would have gone a long way here 3/5

Good but not great. Seems a bit more thoughtful than a lot of the similar dance stuff of the time. Couple of catchy singles helps too, even if one now always makes me think of a mobile phone ad.

Decent grooves, though I've always had a strange feeling from the Stereo MCs, like their lyrics are half finished or something. Never realised there were 4 singles on this record though.

I don't know if this record had any kind of legacy, whether it was influential forward from 1992. To me it sounded like proto-Brit Pop / -Trip Hop / -Electronica / -Lounge / -Post Rave. Archaeologically this will probably be conflated with the Beatles.

It sounded like a cross between disco of the 70's and later rap music.

This was a lot more fun and cohesive than other stuff from this genre and era. Nice production, could hear the sample layers better than some of the other mush. Good for one listen through. Hearing “Connected” was an “oh THAT song” moment.

"Step It Up" was my favourite song for about a year or two, after hearing it on The Rhythm Volume 7 compilation in 1993, which I had on high repeat. I still love it. The whole album has a pretty good jazzy hip-hop 90s feel which I do love, but I found I really liked about a third of the tracks, a third were "fine", and the other third I didn't like. I considered giving it 4 stars due to the good tracks but I think as a whole this album just nudges down to a 3 for me. Step It Up is still a GREAT track though.

I'd heard these guys' names back in the day but had never really listened to them before. A strange but sometimes soothing mix of early 90s house and rap. Not really unlike a lot of house that often had a verse of rapping, only this lasts a whole album, and the album is consistent rather than just one or two radio singles then a bunch of filler. It definitely has a kind of Lost in Time type feel to it. But it's definitely unique.

The album might not be the peak of musicianship, but it's damn fun to listen to. I've listened to it on repeat for the whole day, it's also cool for work, and doing stuff around the house, due to it's easy-going grooves. Nice beats, nice rhymes, having a good time, reminds me of old school hip-hop in my country. Definitely something I will listen to again.

the most 90s thing I have ever heard

Very pleasant album to listen to, but no songs really left a huge impression on me. Very British.

Groovy stuff

6.5

Pretty smooth and groovy, I enjoyed this. Kinda reminded me of Smash Mouth

Fun sounds! Weird that they were rapping

I feel like this is music i have no context for … i needed to live thru the 90s to understand this

I know the band name. I don’t know if I know any of these songs. Ok. I know the first song “connected”. This is a really good record. I could listen again.

Dance tracks with some rhymes Hip hop label is a stretch Chilled out all the same

6/10

Background og electro

Interesting blend of genres

As one half of iconic UK electro hip hop duo Houmous & Chutney I know a thing or two about electro hip hop. 3.2

Was leaning towards a 2, but there were genuinely some good tracks when they went more in the dance direction rather than hip-hop. Definitely wouldn't call this an essential though.

I enjoyed the beats more than I thought than I was going to when I saw that this was in the trip-hop camp. But I also think that an important element of hip-hop is trying to sell the audience that on some level, even if its ironically, you have some level of cool to you - and these guys are a bunch of fucking dorks.

Klinkt lekker, maar voegt niet zo veel toe. Ook veel van hetzelfde.

Not sure what to make of this album: Wikipedia gives the genre as Acid Jazz / Alternative Hip Hop / Trip Hop which doesn't help, but it reminded me a bit of Faithless. The title track was a big hit which I vaguely remember but it's a bit repetitive after a while.

Mid, don't know why it's hear except historical context

Dated

To be fair, I didn't have high hopes for a jazz, electronic, and hip hop album. Connected was a breath of fresh air! I sensed a seventies funk influence but Stereo MC's made it sound more modern (even if Connected came out in 1992). And the saxophone popped up every so often to make this album so, so smooth. I've said this on other reviews, but it bears repeating: repetitive sounds and I don't mesh well, so much so that they can ruin an entire album for me. Connected sounded so unique because the Stereo MC's weren't too reliant on electronic sounds or samples. 3.5

De grote hit "connected" kan ik wel. De rest is wat minder bekend, maar klinkt helemaal als de jaren '90 break-beat pop-muziek. ***

The dance scene has been, and probably forever will be, an integral part of the UK’s culture. It even managed to persist through raves being banned in the 90s. And throughout the number of albums I’ve heard from that scene, none of them have really clicked with me. I like some dance and electronic albums. But the picks for the list have been pretty consistently uninteresting. There isn’t a lot out there to find regarding this group, other than their biggest hits. So I can’t say for sure whether or not this had any impact on the scene itself. But it seems to contain their most popular material. And I guess I don’t completely hate this. I wouldn’t call it amazing by any stretch of the imagination. But it definitely has more going for it in comparison to the other dance adjacent slop I’ve heard. The group combined alternative dance with a more traditional UK hip-hop sound. And it feels much less repetitive and stale. Which I think probably has to do with the presence of actually decent vocals for once. Singing never seems like the strong suit of these English gentlemen. But I like the main guys voice on this. But again, this still isn’t the best. There are a select few instrumentals I enjoyed, but not enough to remember after finishing the album. I think the way I score these just comes down to personal tastes for me. I’m not a huge fan of this genre or sound in general, so an artist would have to pull something really impressive to make me come back. Sort of like what Happy Mondays did with Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches. Rating: 5/10

Inoffensive most of the time. Lame raps. Not my thing.

Large sound EDM. That British flare is exciting and fun. The music plays well in the background, and rarely draws attention.

A few tracks in and I was sure I've listened to this before, but I have no idea where or when that would have been. Good vibes and grooves.

Very interesting experience! It has a very nice groove to listen to! Although the percussion and beat make the 53 minutes of this album a bit tiring, it works very well as a sound background for some other activity... I'm giving it 3 stars today!

It was fine.

Its like KLF and the Streets had a mad bastard baby. I quite liked it initially but got a bit bored towards the end

About as 90s as it gets - the beats, the raps, and especially the backing vocals. Sometimes works (title track) sometimes not (Everything).

Une solide incursion dans le hip-hop/rap des années 1990. Assez pop mais ne m'a pas semblé aussi daté que d'autres albums de l'époque

While the music is alright, I found it to be a bit repetitive.

Never heard of these guys or any of the songs from this record. Came out in 1992 and it sounds like maybe they were at the forefront of this early 90s alternative dance type music. It’s fine. Didn’t move me.

3.75

Heard it too many times but the songs are class they do take you back

Ok.

That’s a bit of all right.

Decent old-school hip-hop, but nothing special. Some songs overstayed their welcome a bit in my opinion.

Probably sounded better back in the day. Not great but not terrible.

3/5

Classic Early trip hop....

I wanted to give it a lower rating but those damn funky beats and 90s nostalgia won me over in the end.

nice sound, dreamy, interesting but can be monotone

The title track got me through most of my first year at Uni. The rest of the album though, is largely forgettable if I'm honest. It's a shame really, but there you go. Two stars normally, but an extra one for 'Connected'. I see through you, I see through you...

I did not expect to see this album on the list! I loved it back in the day but almost forgot it existed. It’s probably in a box in the garage somewhere. Really enjoyed listening to it again. It’s decent enough throughout with no bad tracks. The energy and momentum keeps going. A high 3 stars! I can’t rate it higher as I’d had enough when it was finished, as it is a bit samey. Won’t be hunting it out of the garage any day soon.

If released today, this would undoubtedly be called "vibesy," and one likes the positivity, generally, but wonder how many minds were elevated in any meaningful or lasting sense. Yes, it's decently cool, and one wants to like it more than one actually does. Seems rather more run-of-the-mill than anything like essential at this point.

I suprise fly enjoyed that. Sounds like Alex from the artic monkeys

Fun album

Surprisingly enjoyable for the most part

okay

Very 90s

6/10. Pretty good but got to be a bit mundane.

I enjoyed it a bit. Nothing else to say.

Average album. nothing really stands out. Connected was obviously a massive hit in the day, but outside of that the album is very monotonous

Nice. Not bad.

Their famous track has the same beat as the Sopranos opening song. This is fine. Not amazing.

2-3

I actually enjoyed most of this, and may return in the future. Connected was by far the best song, but this wasn't "single banger + hour of mindless filler" that I've seen a lot of this kind of music suffer from.

Every one of these songs sound like they could he found in the background of a 90s movie about tech or drugs. They're all catchy enough, but they're all the same. A little goes a very long way here.

I saw the album cover and took a deep breath, expecting the worst. However, this actually wasn't bad. The early 90s electronic/hip-hop combo works in this instance (for once). Nothing crazy, but nothing offensive. 6/10 (3/5)

2.5 rounded up a lot better than i was expecting white british hip hop would be, but still just generally middling. rambles on far too long for my tastes highlights: connected, fade away, playing with fire (feb 18 2026)

Very 90s, very alright.

Surprised that I enjoyed this even a little bit. Upbeat background music. 2.5

Mostly good songs, but I don't know if I'd go back for a second listen.

Yeah 90s whitexploition music. If shaft was from Manchester his ost would sound like this. Some good tunes but sounds early 90s 6/10

Loved it back in th 90s. Familiar but distant

Got that chill but upbeat Tony Hawk kinda vibe. Can't help but vibe a bit. Good use of funky horns over hip hop beats

Oh, that’s where Connected comes from. Rest is okay.

Time machine to older, simpler times, where everything was colourful, people more happy, and the music was terrible. Jokes aside, Connected has some redeeming qualities, few nice beats, but overall it's at best a relic of its times, which at least in music category, are gone.

Yeah, this is fine.

I enjoyed this, but I feel guilty about it for some reason. I don’t think there’s a lot of substance here, but every song is such a bop that I can’t not have fun. I’d listen to any of these songs again, but the whole album start to finish again. 3/5

The music has some tasty grooves (especially those bass lines) but the singer is really undistinguished. With a better lead vocalist this could have been a banger of an album.

Hasn't aged well, but enjoyed at the time.

Fun dance vibe but nothing special imo

Besides the well-known title track "Connected" and "Step It Up" nothing remarkable for me. Just 90s electronic music. 2,5

Connected is a good sample of some of the sounds of early 90s clubs in Great Britain. There was one hit from this record and good vibes throughout. Like many records on this list it doesn't exactly stand the test of time but I enjoyed it all the same.

Enjoyed this more than I expected. Glad I listened.

Alright, I think there's a lot better stuff in this genre

It was pretty fun! 3.4.

This album sounded like the 90s. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

Better than I expected

Mehh

I've heard of them but never heard then. Unexpectedly impressed 3.5/5

Enjoyed this more than I thought, the beats are funky and jazzy with plenty of influences and variety. I didn't really like the actual MCing which sounds very of its time and monotone, but decent overall

Mellow hip hop- a good driving album

It's a little corny but I like iy

Of its time

Gonna be honest. I heard Connected and thought “oh shit, I’m in for one hell of an album” Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out that way. With the exception of Connected, I think this album is a great “throw it on during a bbq for some funky vibes” and that’s about it. Nothing was quite as strong as the album opener in my opinion, but at the same time I didn’t dislike anything I listened to. Gonna keep this in my back pocket for the next backyard party I host, but it probably won’t be listened to much past that

I like the vibe. Groovy and chill - it’s definitely something I could put on at a party. There’s enough variety within each song and between songs to keep it interesting.

Decent 90s jam band vibes. That first song sounds really familiar but I can’t figure out from what.

I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Before my time in rap, but unlike a lot of early rap, this is not super in your face. It’s very much a vibe/background type music and i enjoyed listening to it without being fully invested in it. I felt that I would listen to it in the same situation that I would listen to LOFI.

Vibes for days. The only criticism I have is that when listening to the album all the way through some of the songs tend to blend together because the drum beat isn’t all that different from song to song. Hard to say this one doesn’t belong on the list because it feels like Connected has been in popular media and advertising forever. May not come back to the whole album, but I will with a couple songs.

This was a fun album. Not great, but it helped pass the time.

Funky nice music

I enjoyed this album. Feels VERY 90s. The title track is easily the best on the album.

Yet another album where there is one song that is vastly better than everything else. Makes me question what the author's definition of "essential" is.

Nostalgic…never listened to the whole album before

Not good, not terrible.

It's ok.

This was fine! Not all that groundbreaking, but. pretty good for 1990s hip hop album. There are so many albums that sound similar to this on this list though.

This and Elastica in the past week? My entire collection of "dance music." This CD gets played once every 2-3 years because of Connected. Cool sound, that lies at the edges of my tastes.

Connected is decent in places, it has a very 90s style and vibrancy to it and some of it is very well known, it just gets a bit samey after a while. Still, it's interesting and a bit of fun so a solid enough 3.

Music that makes you go "Yeah, that sure was music that I just listened to" after listening to it. ...Actually sort of grew on me the more I thought about it during the day. The title track is really good. Might have to give this one a 3/5.

it was fun but i wouldnt listen again

Sick flow

It was cool! I liked it a lot more than I thought I would

nothing earthshaking but it’s a nice vibe

I liked it but it wasnt my thing

Sounded like friendly hip-hop, a la Tribe Called Quest compared to NWA. I had a good time listening through this but albums like this show me that I prefer modern rap. I feel like a lot of complexity has been layered over the foundation of straight-forward beats and rhymes like the Stereo MC's are showcasing on this album, and that's a big reason I've been drawn to the genre.

Good songs but not a great album.

Was a little one dimensional but much better than I expected

Really Really good really well done, mad respect to everyone who worked on this album! just a little too slow and boring for met. Took me forever to get thru a single listen. like multiple tries

Recognised a few & enjoyed the rest of the album

#197. This isn't terrible or anything, but the thing of the thing is that I'm just not as nostalgic for weird obscure British nonsense as the maker of this list obviously is. To say that you need to listen to this before you die is a bit hyperbolic if you ask me. 3/5: fine

Two consecutive early 90's rave albums, both of their time but enjoyable

Hadn't ever heard of this. Pretty inoffensive alt hip hop/trip hop that blends in to the background. It was totally fine, not really my jam.

Generic music but not bad

not really a british rap fan or trip hop? as this is classified as. But it was surprisingly enjoyable. may revisit.

Perushyvä ja letkee. Sopivaa taustamusaa erilaisiin tekemisiin

I really enjoyed some of these tracks- they conjured up nights at the nightclub with flat beer and foxy babes and shadey guys in the corner I steered clear of. Happy days.

🦶

So I didn't think I would know any of these songs since I didn't recognize thea artist's name or any of the tracks, but I recognized the opener in seconds. It's one of those songs where I'd bet that if you're 30 or older in an English speaking country, you somehow just know the song? I can't remember ever hearing it in a specific place or at a specific time in my childhood but somehow I knew most of the lyrics and felt like it was just...around when I was a kid? Everything else sounded sort of like that song. So I suppose if you like it, the rest of the album will be bearable, if not the most interesting. I can't see myself returning to this, but I appreciate it as a sort of proto-Gorillaz type piece of music history. I'm tempted to be frustrated since really only the opening track stood out to me in any way, but I suppose music history is really littered with one hit wonders and isn't music history what we're all here trying to learn about?

*British people hear a type of music* https://giphy.com/gifs/hero0fwar-tim-and-eric-5wWf7GMbT1ZUGTDdTqM The blues, R&B, reggae, sure, but rap?! The audacity of these people. You almost have to admire it. And the worst thing is that this album is pretty good. A bit insignificant for inclusion on a list like this, but I figure the author wanted to be sure every single British person who was alive in the 90’s was on here somewhere. But when the guy starts rapping it is almost as ridiculous as that album cover. Is that the top of a set of headphones or some type of cerebro-like mind power amplifying helmet? “Oi bruv, we gotta snake and the earth and mushrooms and a volcano but it’s missing summit, innit?” “How about a lightning bolt?” “Brilliant mate!” This album wasn’t bad. I knew the single and liked it alright and the rest of the album is pretty similar to it. Kinda silly but not bad. Better than a lot of other stuff on this list but not essential in my opinion. Still, there are worse ways to spend an hour.

It didn't bother me to turn it off, but I didn't focus too much on it. I feel it is best that way.

This was really nice. Hadn't heard before.

mehhhhh. no real complaints here but it very much faded into the background

first listen cool beats but sorta underwhelming

2.8 - It was fine, nothing that amazing and felt very repetitive in parts. Just didn't give me any emotion at all.

Good album by somewhat repetitive overall.

The quality of this album swings between the funky beats and the goofy ass british MC. The score lands on a moderate 3

It's that early 90's club hip hop

Connected - 7.5/10 Ground Level - 7.5/10 Everything - 7/10 Sketch - 7.5/10 Fade Away - 7.5/10 All Night Long - 7/10 Step It Up - 7/10 Playing With Fire - 7/10 Pressure - 7.5/10 Chicken Shake - 7.5/10 Creation - 7/10 The End - 7/10 TOTAL - 80.5/120

Pleasantly surprised with this album, very funky vibe to it Top tracks: Step It Up, Pressure

This was a lot of fun. Nice triphop vibes and a lot better than the aggregate rating I say 3.5 out 5

Good 90s hip hop album. I found myself bopping along to several of the songs.

This was an album new to me: I played it four times. I really quite enjoyed the record, though I felt it overstayed its welcome at nearly an hour.

Funky muziek die geen vlieg kwaad doet.

Good

Not bad but extremely trapped in its time. 2.5/5

As a naive child in the early 2000s, I heard the title track quite a bit on local radio and just assumed it was from the 80s given its old-school feel. The LP as a whole has certainly aged better than some of its compatriots, but the crossover component that enables this is also the album’s downfall. Every track sounds like a slight variation of the title track, and at the end of the day I’m scratching my head trying to think of one song that registered with me. Not a bad listen per se, but not really an engaging one either.

Why does this album feel like it's 3 hours long? It's okay, but not sure it really belongs on this list. 3 stars.

Nice throwback dancy-Brit-hip hop joint that has held up surprisingly well.

kind of fun lovin' criminals

early triphop 1 smashhit…

Not really a classic in my book.

I was digging the groove on the first run through but it did start to grind by the end of the second listen. Connected is great, I also enjoyed Fade Away and Step It Up.

Interesting music - 3 stars

Catchy beats and melodies, but overall pretty boring and nothing special.

That's not my taste in musik. But ok

This was a great album, slightly overstayed its welcome with some very repetitive sounding tracks. Regardless, it was great to listen to whilst cracking on with some work - great vibe!

Was this great or well made music - no. Was it still lots of fun - yes! It was a bit long, but I really enjoyed it for the most part and plus I have a bit of a soft spot for dance music from the early-mid 90s (and rapping/singing with an English accent! ha ha) Great vibe for my morning walk today! Fave Track: Chicken Shake

Particularly groovy

Groovy, kinda like a laid back British Hip Hop album. Definitely feels like it’s from the 90’s which is a bonus! 3.4

Did Not Listen, but remember the title track fondly as one of my faves to dance to at CHAOS nightclub, Southsea.

Listened Before? No Honestly unsure where I've heard Connected, but it is one of those songs that I never knew the artist for, but randomly pops into my head occasionally. Similar energy to the Sopranos intro song in a sense. Acid Jazz is such a comfy sounding genre. Hard to dislike when it is done well like this. Ground Level is basically just a monotone vocal delivery over a drum loop with splashes of piano, whistling, synth horns, and vocal samples. Doesn't really go anywhere, but its still an enjoyable listen. Let this one drift into the background for the rest of the listen. I wanted to like this one more out of the gate, but it lost steam and novelty quickly for me. Its an enjoyable, laid-back listen to be sure, but there weren't many standout moments that grabbed my ear. I appreciate being reconnected with Connected, but did not need an hour of this. 3 / 5 for some solid Acid Jazz. Added to Library? No

This was much better than I expected going in. Definitely grooving just a little long for my taste

A 90s time capsule, chefs kiss

Elektronista tämmöistä loop hiphoppia. Ihan letkeetä menevää, mutta vähän toistavaa. Parhaat: Step It Up, Creation, Connected

3.5

This was way better than I expected! I thought it'd be the kind of electronic/dance that I'd not enjoy, but it was very cool. It had that baggy, Hacienda style, partly thanks to the female backing vocals, but also the use of brass and extremely funky bass. It was also lyrically quite inventive, especially on Sketch, which was a highlight. The genre means it's never going to get the really big marks from me, but it was such a pleasant surprise. I'd put this on when I had people round and it was late at night, should that ever happen.

Eh not for me

British people probably fucked to this.

Classy album. Nearly a 4.

It was the definition of OK, felt very safe.

Nicht schlecht, Herr Specht. 5.5/10