Global Underground

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Global Underground is a music label founded in 1996 by Andy Horsfield and James Todd. The label symbolized the international explosion of dance music during the 1990s and first manifesto for high-end DJs such as Sasha, Paul Oakenfold, John Digweed, Danny Tenaglia, Nick Warren, Dave Seaman, Darren Emerson, and James Lavelle.

Background

Global Underground refers to a series of electronic music compilation albums which reflect the performances of various DJs in venues around the world. The Global Underground series was released by a record label formerly known as Boxed which featured several sister series such as Nubreed and Electric Calm. Boxed closed in 2001 and was superseded by Global Underground Ltd. Since its first release in 1996, the series was well received and became a hallmark in the progressive house world. The dance music style featured is mostly Progressive House, but there is some House, Trance House, and Breakbeat included in the releases. The first five installments were live recorded from respective clubs, while the rest are mixed and recorded in a studio.

Conceptual Development

Each issue in the series is based on the idea that Global Underground would take DJs to play a party in one of the most unusual, exotic clubbing locations on Earth. The set is then released in a 2CD format that is formatted to capture the night of the party and the overall feel of the DJ visit in music, contemporary photography and extensive sleeve notes.

Features

There are consistent characteristics in almost every album in the series including:

Each album being mixed by a globe-trotting DJ.
The prominent influence of the location on the music and packaging.
Extensive sleeve notes describing local clubbing scene and/or venue often written by Mixmag Editor Dom Phillips.
Each album consisting of two discs.
The song list is edited from the complete set based on a retrospective view of the performance.

International Recognition

Billboard has recognized Global Underground as the first DJ mix compilation to place high-quality photographs of DJs on the album covers. This, it further asserted, played a part in turning DJs into superstar figures within the culture of electronic dance music.^[1]

Thrive Releases

Thrive Records was the US distributor for some of the early Global Underground releases which had a different numbering scheme for Global Underground albums. The releases came with different artwork, but were otherwise the same.

Catalog

This is the complete listing of available albums in the Global Underground main series which includes the sequential number of the album in the series, the performing DJ/producer, the location in which the performance took place and the official release date. The listed catalog numbers are for the British releases. The numbers on the albums distributed by Thrive in the United States are shown in parentheses - those without such labels do not have a differing release number. Global Underground also has several "sub-series" entitled Nubreed, Prototype, 24:7, Electric Calm, Afterhours, and most recently Global Underground DJ.

GU Official

This map shows the countries which have been featured in the GU series through GU038.

GU001 Tony De Vit, Live In Tel Aviv, Release Date: November 11, 1996
GU002 not released (In Thrive's release numberings, 002 is Oakenfold's New York mix.)
GU003 Nick Warren, Live In Prague, Release Date: March 24, 1997
GU004 Paul Oakenfold, Live In Oslo, Release Date: June 9, 1997
GU005 Tony De Vit, Tokyo, Release Date: October 27, 1998
GU006 (US: GU001) John Digweed, Sydney, Release Date: October 13, 1998.
GU007 (US: GU002) Paul Oakenfold, New York, Release Date: Jan 19, 1999
GU008 Nick Warren, Brazil, Release Date: October 13, 1998 ^A
GU009 (US: GU003) Sasha, San Francisco, Release Date: November 9, 1998
GU010 (US: GU004) Danny Tenaglia, Athens, Release Date: February 15, 1999
GU011 (US: GU005) Nick Warren, Budapest, Release Date: May 31, 1999
GU012 Dave Seaman, Buenos Aires, Release Date: August 23, 1999
GU013 Sasha, Ibiza, Release Date: September 20, 1999
GU014 John Digweed, Hong Kong, Release Date: December 14, 1999
GU015 Darren Emerson, Uruguay, Release Date: May 23, 2000 ^B
GU016 Dave Seaman, Cape Town, Release Date: August 22, 2000
GU017 Danny Tenaglia, London, Release Date: May 23, 2000
GU018 Nick Warren, Amsterdam, Release Date: July 25, 2000
GU019 John Digweed, Los Angeles, Release Date: February 27, 2001
GU020 Darren Emerson, Singapore, Release Date: July 3, 2001

GU021 Deep Dish, Moscow, Release Date: August 21, 2001
GU022 Dave Seaman, Melbourne, Release Date: May 21, 2002
GU023 James Lavelle, Barcelona, Release Date: October 1, 2002
GU024 Nick Warren, Reykjavík, Release Date: March 18, 2003
GU025 Deep Dish, Toronto, Release Date: June 10, 2003
GU026 James Lavelle, Romania, Release Date: March 9, 2004 ^C
GU027 Danny Howells, Miami, Release Date: March 29, 2005
GU028 Nick Warren, Shanghai, Release Date: July 18, 2005
GU029 Sharam, Dubai, Release Date: October 3, 2006
GU030 Nick Warren, Paris, Release Date: February 19, 2007
GU031 Dubfire, Taipei, Release Date: April 2, 2007
GU032 Adam Freeland, Mexico City, Release Date: June 7, 2007
GU033 Layo & Bushwacka!, Rio De Janeiro, Release Date: October 1, 2007
GU034 Felix Da Housecat, Milan, Release Date: May 12, 2008
GU035 Nick Warren, Lima, Release Date: October 13, 2008
GU036 Darren Emerson, Bogotá, Release Date: February 9, 2009
GU037 James Lavelle, Bangkok, Release Date: August 3, 2009
GU038 Carl Cox, Black Rock Desert Release Date: February 1, 2010
GU039 Dave Seaman, Lithuania Release Date: September 2010 ^D

^A GU008: Nick Warren - Brazil is set in São Paulo even though it was released as Brazil.
^B GU015: Darren Emerson - Uruguay is set in Punta del Este even though it was released as Uruguay.
^C GU026: James Lavelle - Romania is set in Bucharest even though it was released as Romania.
^D GU039: Dave Seaman - Lithuania is set in Palanga even though it was released as Lithuania.

GU Sampler Series Releases

GUSAM001 The Forth, Departures, Release Date: October 27, 1998
GUSAM002 The Forth, Arrivals, Release Date: 1999
GUSAM003 The Forth, Destinations, Release Date: January 29, 2001
GUSAM004 The Forth, Locations, Release Date: 2001
GUSAMUS001 The Forth, Passport, Release Date: 2001
GUSAM005 The Forth, Exposures, Release Date: 2004
GUSAM006 The Forth, Synchronised, Release Date: October 2005
GUSAM007 Dubfunk, Synchronised 2, Release Date: November 6, 2007

Anniversary Compilations

GUXCD GU10 10th anniversary compilation Release Date: May 15, 2006

GU DJ

GUDJ001 Nic Fanciulli, Release Date: April 27, 2009
GUDJ002 Plump DJs, Release Date: October 12, 2009
GUDJ003 Wally Lopez, Release Date: April 27, 2009
GUDJ004 Tom Novy, Release Date: November 15, 2010

Nubreed

Nubreed features mix albums from what Boxed considers "up-and-coming DJs", though it has featured experienced DJs such as Satoshi Tomiie.

NuBreed Series Releases

NU001 Anthony Pappa, Release Date: March 13, 2000
NU002 Danny Howells, Release Date: September 28, 2000
NU003 Steve Lawler, Release Date: October 9, 2000
NU004 Sander Kleinenberg, Release April 9, 2001
NU005 Lee Burridge, Release Date: August 13, 2001
NU006 Satoshi Tomiie, Release Date: July 29, 2002
NU007 Jim Rivers, Release Date: March 30, 2009
NU008 Sultan, Release Date: August 10, 2009

Prototype

PRO:001 Seb Fontaine, Release Date: April 29, 1999
PRO:002 Seb Fontaine, Release Date: November 2, 1999
PRO:003 Seb Fontaine, Release Date: April 18, 2000
PRO:004 Seb Fontaine, Release Date: May 29, 2001

24:7

24:7 is a series where DJs are asked to put together a set of two notably contrasting halves, based on the conceptual opposites of 'day' and 'night'.

24:7 Series Releases

GU247001 Danny Howells, Release Date: July 21, 2003
GU247002 Lee Burridge, Release Date: September 15, 2003

Chill out compilations

Electric Calm is a series in the chill or "calm" side of electronica while Afterhours is similar to the Back to Mine series. Both Afterhours and Electric Calm, along with GU "Sampler" CDs, were compiled and mixed by Global Underground themselves.

Electric Calm Series Releases

GUEC001 The Forth, Release Date: September 30, 2002
GUEC002 The Forth, Release Date: August 25, 2003
GUEC003 The Forth, Release Date: February 13, 2006
GUEC004 Dubfunk, Release Date: October 1, 2007
GUEC005 Trafik, Release Date: December 7, 2009

Afterhours Series Releases

GUAF001 The Forth, Release Date: November 11, 2002
GUAF002 Trafik, Release Date: February 21, 2005
GUAF003 Trafik, Release Date: January 29, 2007
GUAF004 Trafik, Release Date: July 16, 2007
GUAF005 Unknown, Release Date: March 30, 2008
GUAF006 Unknown, Release Date: July 28, 2008

Lights Out

In 2002, former NuBreed DJ Steve Lawler was given his own imprint on the Global Underground label that he titled "Lights Out". The concept of the series of mixed CDs was to bring the darker, grittier side of the dancefloor into the spotlight. Steve Lawler was allowed to dive into what were considered new territories of time including remixing tracks for his compilations. He also included music and methodology that had never been used on studio mixed CDs before.

Lights Out Series Releases

GULO001 Steve Lawler, Release Date: June 24, 2002
GULO002 Steve Lawler, Release Date: October 27, 2003
GULO003 Steve Lawler, Release Date: October 3, 2005

Fundacion

Fundacion Series Releases

GUFUN001C Sasha - Fundacion NYC, Release Date: June 13, 2005

GU Music

In 2003, the Global Underground franchise began their "GU Music" imprint. Up until this time, they were strictly a label that dealt in DJ compiled and mixed CDs. GU Music allowed Global Underground to get into full length artist albums and Vinyl/CD/MP3 single releases. The GU Music team commented: "Having nurtured some of the worlds finest DJs we have applied this expertise to original music, cherry picking the coolest future talent from across the globe..." They have featured releases from such artists as UNKLE, Lostep, and Trafik. In 2007, it expanded with the release of the compilation GU Mixed which started a series of the same name that consisted of music sought from GU Music.

GU Music Album Releases

GUMU001 Pako & Frederik - Atlantic Breakers, Release Date: October 20, 2003
GUMU002 Trafik - Bullet, Release Date: October 4, 2004
GUMU003 Lostep - Because We Can, Release Date: April 17, 2006
GUMU004 The Remote - Too Low to Miss, Release Date: June 26, 2006
GUMU005 Sissy - All Under, Release Date: 2006
GUMU006 Dark Globe - Nostalgia for the Future, Release Date: 2006
GUMU007 Trafik - Club Trafikana, Release Date: August 6, 2007
GUMU008 Roland Klinkenberg - Mexico Can Wait, Release Date: August 20, 2007
GUMU009 Eelke Kleijn - Naturally Artificial, Release Date: October 2, 2007
GUMU010 Pako & Frederik - The Alert, Release Date: November 5, 2007
GUMU011 Rogue Audio - Haphazard, Release Date: April 21, 2008
GUMU012 Alex Dolby - Psiko Garden, Release Date: June 17, 2008
GUMU013 The Last Atlant - A Cloudburst of Colors, Release Date: August 25, 2008
GUMU014 Anil Chawla & Dale Anderson - Roadhouse, Release Date: February 23, 2009
GUMU015 Trafik - None But the Brave, Release Date: June 21, 2010

GU Mixed Releases

GUMIX1CD CD1, CD2, CD3 In mixed and unmixed formats, Release Date: May 21, 2007
GUMIX1CDX CD1, CD2, CD3, CD4 Limited Edition in mixed and unmixed formats, Release Date: May 21, 2007
GUMIX2CD CD1, CD2, CD3 In mixed and unmixed formats, Release Date: September 3, 2007
GUMIX2CDX CD1, CD2, CD3, CD4 Limited Edition in mixed and unmixed formats, Release Date: September 3, 2007
GUMIX3CD CD1, CD2, CD3 In mixed and unmixed formats, Releae Date: June 16, 2008
GUMIX3CDX CD1, CD2, CD3, CD4 Limited Edition in mixed and unmixed formats, Release Date: June 16, 2008
GUMIX4CD CD1, CD2, CD3 In mixed format, Release Date: May 25, 2009

GU002

In Boxed's UK releases, GU002 was the never released second installment in the Global Underground series (in Thrive's US re-numbered releases, Paul Oakenfold's New York mix was released as GU002). Global Underground jumped directly from GU001: Tony De Vit - Live In Tel Aviv to GU003: Nick Warren - Prague, which resulted in a lot of controversy and rumours on the nature of GU002. However, GU002 does exist in form of the tape pack of Tony De Vit's Tel Aviv CD as the actual catalogue number of the release is GU002T. When Boxed started the GU series in 1996, they did not have a clear vision about the numbering scheme (later to become part of their image), which resulted in the "missing" release.

References

↑ Mason, Kerri (June 17, 2006), "BeatBox: Wink with a Nod to Compilations", Billboard 118 (24): 62, ISSN 0006-2510

External links

Global Underground's Official Website
GU Music discography at Discogs
Boxed discography at Discogs
[http://www.discogs.com/label/Global+Underground+Ltd. Global Underground Ltd.] discography at Discogs

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