Sonicnet Music News

Underworld will follow up its recently released live project, "Everything, Everything," with "a more rock and roll" studio album due next year, said Rick Smith, the group's programmer.

Smith, who founded the seminal techno act with vocalist-guitarist Karl Hyde in the late '80s, said the group -- now sans DJ Darren Emerson, who left in April to pursue a solo career -- has begun working in its studio on the upcoming album.

"One day I think it's going to be best thing ever; the next day, I think I'm never going to write a good song again," Smith said.

The album will be recorded in stereo and will not include any of the groundbreaking technological features -- including multiple-perspective video and interactivity -- found on the "Everything, Everything" DVD, which will be released October 10. (Its audio counterpart, which features nine live tracks recorded over the past two years, was released September 19.)

"I

may mix it in SurroundSound as well," Smith said of the upcoming album. "It's not like a step backwards. It's just like, 'Look, I don't want to tackle the technical problems we were having on the next record.' No images here, just sound."

Smith said he is continuing to develop sound installations for Tomato, the band's U.K. design company, while Hyde is completing several short film projects.

Underworld may perform in the United States this fall, Smith added, and show off some new custom-made synchronizing tools.

"The equipment we have onstage is a leap forward of what I wanted to do a long, long time ago," Smith said. "It allows me to mix even more abstractly. I have more options and possibilities."

The duo has also discussed a possible recording project with techno counterpart Orbital. "Never say never," Smith said. "We'll see."