''Connected'' is the third studio album by

Stereo MC's Stereo MC's are an English hip hop and electronic dance group that formed in Clapham, London, in 1985. They had an international top 20 hit with their single " Connected" and a UK top 20 hit with " Step It Up". After releasing eight albums for I ...

. The tracks "

Connected Connected may refer to: Film and television * ''Connected'' (2008 film), a Hong Kong remake of the American movie ''Cellular'' * '' Connected: An Autoblogography About Love, Death & Technology'', a 2011 documentary film * ''Connected'' (2015 TV ...

", "Ground Level", " Step It Up" and "Creation" became hit singles.

Critical reception

In a contemporary review, James Muretich from ''

Calgary Herald The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network. History ''The C ...

'' said that "the hour-long program does wear a wee thin but, hey, while the groove-mood lasts, it`s a blast". Music critic

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...

for ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'', wrote that, although its music is amiable and rhythmic, ''Connected'' is also "so multifaceted that its functionality is fungible and forgettable." In June 2000, '' Q'' placed ''Connected'' as #52 in its list of the ''100 Greatest British Albums Ever''. The album won ''Best British Album'' at the

1994 Brit Awards Brit Awards 1994 was the 14th edition of the Brit Awards, an annual pop music awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. It was organised by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 14 February 1994 at Alexandra Palace in London. It wa ...

, was shortlisted for the 1993

Mercury Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...

, and included in the book ''

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music criti ...

''.

Track listing

All songs written by Robert Birch (Rob B)/Nicholas Hallam (The Head), except where noted # "

" (Birch/Hallam/

H.W. Casey Harry Wayne Casey (born January 31, 1951), better known by his stage name KC, is an American record producer, musician, and songwriter. He is best known for his band, KC and the Sunshine Band, with co-founder Richard Finch (musician), Richard Fi ...

/ Richard Finch) – 5:14 #*Contains a sample from "Let Me (Let Me Be Your Lover)" by

Jimmy "Bo" Horne Jimmie Horace Horne Jr. (born September 28, 1949), known as Jimmy "Bo" Horne, is an American singer and musician, whose most successful singles include "Gimme Some" (1975) and "Dance Across the Floor" (1978). Many of Horne's songs have been used ...

. # "Ground Level" – 4:13 # "Everything" (Birch/Hallam/James L. Worthy) – 3:47 # "Sketch" (Birch/Hallam/Tuzé DeAbreu) – 5:44 #*Contains a sample of "Passarinho" by

Gal Costa Gal Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos (born Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos; 26 September 1945 – 9 November 2022), known professionally as Gal Costa (), was a Brazilian singer of Música popular brasileira, popular music. Twelve-times Bra ...

. # "Fade Away" – 4:25 # "All Night Long" – 4:07 # " Step It Up" – 4:59 # "Playing With Fire" – 4:20 #*Uses the piano progression from the introduction to Monkey Man on ''

Let it Bleed ''Let It Bleed'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 28 November 1969 by London Records in the United States and on 5 December 1969 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom. Released during the ba ...

'' by the

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

#*Contains a sample of "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" by

Pet Shop Boys Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide and were listed as the most successful duo in UK music h ...

. # "Pressure" – 3:50 # "Chicken Shake" – 3:50 # "Creation" – 5:03 # "Don't Let Up" (feat.

Mica Paris Michelle Antoinette Wallen (born 27 April 1969), known professionally as Mica Paris ( ), is an English singer, presenter, and actress. Her debut album, '' So Good'', was released in 1988, spawning the singles " My One Temptation" and " Where I ...

) – 3:09 # "The End" (Birch/Hallum/

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...

/Toni Stern) – 3:47

Personnel

Stereo MCs

*Robert Charles "Rob B." Birch – vocals *Nick "The Head" Hallam – DJ *Ian Frederick "Owen If" Rossiter – drums, percussion *Cath Coffey –

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...

Additional personnel

*James Hallawell – keyboards,

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

*Paul O. Kane,

Matthew Seligman Matthew Seligman (14 July 1955 – 17 April 2020) was an English bassist, best known for his association with the new wave music scene of the 1980s. Seligman was a member of the Soft Boys and the Thompson Twins, and was a sideman for Thomas ...

– bass guitar *Chicu Modu –

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to p ...

*Ivan Hussey, Johnny T., Anya Ulman, Laura Cochrane – strings *

Kick Horns Kick Horns are a UK horn section based in London. They have worked prolifically as session musicians with a wide variety of performers, and have also recorded as an ensemble. The Kick Horns were established in the 1980s by Simon C. Clarke and Ti ...

– brass

Singles

" (#18 in the United Kingdom, 14 September 1992) *" Step It Up" (#12 in the United Kingdom, 23 November 1992) *"Ground Level" (#19 in the United Kingdom, 8 February 1993) *"Creation" (#19 in United Kingdom, 17 May 1993)

Charts

Certifications and sales

References

1992 albums 4th & B'way Records albums 1993 albums Stereo MCs albums Brit Award for British Album of the Year {{1990s-electronic-album-stub