A great solo album from one of techno's visionary artists and songwriters. Always an outsider, with his guitar and vocals (no-no's for many of the dance police), Underworld have always cut their own path. Here Hyde steps out from the comfort of musical partner Rick Smith to work with Leo Abrahams, who he met through Pure Scenius collaborations with Brian Eno (another promiscuous chameleon between electronic and organic worlds, man and machine). On Edgeland, Hyde concerns himself primarily with the "edge lands" of Essex and Outer London, working here more as a folk artist reporting from the salty earth, or river banks, if you like. All of the songs still have the circuitry and electron-manipulation you would expect from an Underworld band member, though here more anchored in Hyde's unique guitar playing and lyrical storytelling. The release to get is the Japanese Deluxe Edition, which includes all of the bonuses, like the fantastic "Out of Darkness" and "Final Ray of the Sun." The former builds like the first rays of dawn to morning glory while the latter lurks and twangs with the swagger of a wise cowboy, its infectious harmonica riffing out into quiet like the honking of laughing geese and crazy loons. The Japanese edition also includes the bonus tracks "Dancing on the Graves of Le Corbusier's Dreams" (a gleeful F-u of sorts to the French architect's modernist urban planning) and the Peter Gabriel-esque "Cascades of Light." Also great are Figures' dreamy tech remix of "Cut Clouds" and Brian Eno's sweet stripped-down remix of "Slummin' It For The Weekend," which highlights his friend's voice and emotion to timeless effect."Slummin' It For The Weekend" for me is the anchor of the whole album. The original is every bit as powerful as Underworld's "Best Mamgu Ever" or "Tongue." Its echoey guitar lilts beautifully, as it builds to a groove, chords trailing by like passing trains, Hyde's low to high singing and lyrics calling with hope, visions of humanity espied as the world slides by, station to station. Up it wrenches with shimmering strums and his chorus of "What are you doing tonight? What are you doing now?" repeating over its loving reflections. The song also forms the main thematic turn and motif of the Edgeland documentary included on the deluxe editions. The result, along with all the other idiosyncratic songs on Edgeland, makes it a vital document of Underworld's searching soul. Not everyone is going to get it. But one hopes.

If you know Underworld, you should know Karl.The album is by far the calmest and most lyrically driven album in Underworld's extensive catalog. This is the best opportunity to really discover who is responsible for Underworld's beautiful soft poetry side, Karl Hyde.I was very lucky to have pre-ordered one of the first 200 with the lithograph signed by Karl.

Surprisingly beautiful, this is unlike Underworld and Freur. This is an album of pastoral folk anthems that reminds me most of a male version of Judee Sill, especially on the vocals. I think this is the kind of album that will age well.