A Hundred Days Off

A Hundred Days Off
Studio album by Underworld
Released	24 September 2002
Recorded	2001–2002 at Lemonworld Studios in London
Genre	Techno, progressive house, progressive trance
Length	61:57
Label	V2
Producer	Karl Hyde and Rick Smith
Underworld chronology
Everything, Everything (2000) A Hundred Days Off (2002) 1992–2002 (2003)
Singles from A Hundred Days Off
"Two Months Off" Released: 2 September 2002 "Dinosaur Adventure 3D" Released: 20 January 2003

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	71/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Alternative Press	[3]
The Guardian	[4]
Mojo	[5]
NME	8/10[6]
Pitchfork Media	6.9/10[7]
Progressive-Sounds	[8]
Random.Access	7.9/10[9]
Release Magazine	[10]
Resident Advisor	[11]
Rolling Stone	[12]
Spin	8/10[5]
Stylus Magazine	B+[13]
UNCUT	[14]

A Hundred Days Off is the sixth album by Underworld. The album produced two UK Singles Chart entries: "Two Months Off", which reached no. 12 and "Dinosaur Adventure 3D", which reached no. 34. Although this was the first album since Darren Emerson's departure from the group in 2001, the album is not a huge stylistic makeover as the focus is still techno, although without the thumping beats that defined their previous longplayer Beaucoup Fish.

Sound

As with any Underworld album, the songs are generally long (over five minutes in length) and full of synthesizers, drum machines and stream-of-consciousness poetry sung/spoken over the beats. The album is considered to be less aggressive than their previous album, Beaucoup Fish, often more open to ambient music and lounge music aesthetics than solely techno.

Critical reception

A Hundred Days Off received generally positive reviews from music critics. It has a score of 71/100 on Metacritic based on 18 reviews indicating as "generally favorable reviews". NME gave the album 8/10 describing it as "Their best album since their 'Dubnobasswithmyheadman' debut, Karl and Rick have pulled off a comeback in fine style and laid some demons to rest" and also stating that "Underworld prove that you're only as old as the technology you use". Rolling Stone gave the album 3 out of 5 stars saying that "The beauty of A Hundred Days Off is that it pumps and churns so suggestively; it somehow evokes the blues of the otherwise successful modern man, who goes out every night and dances alone in his head". Uncut gave the album 4 out of 5 stars saying it is "A very fine album--Underworld don't make any other kind...a beautiful and baffling enigma."

Promo version

In the Spring of 2011, an alternate version of the album was distributed by a fan who was previously unaware that it was not widely heard. This version of the album was called "Ansum", and was apparently an early un-mastered cut of the album burned onto a CD-R for internal use at V2. Most of the tracks are very similar, if not identical, to the final album version; however, the track order is changed; "Little Speaker" is omitted; "Mo Move" is doubled in length and shares its second half with a re-worked version of the b-side "Ansum"; "Twist" contains an extended drum outro; and "Ballet Lane" and "Trim" contain minor percussion differences.

Track listing

All music composed by Underworld.

Promo version track listing

1. "Two Months Off" — 9:08
2. "Twist" — 8:46
3. "Sola Systim" (Different spelling) — 6:12
4. "Ess Gee" — 2:17
5. "Mo Move" — 13:48
6. "Trim" — 3:18
7. "Dinosaur Adventure 3D" — 7:55
8. "Ballet Lane" — 3:26
9. " Luetin" — 7:06

Charts

References