Underworld

Underworld is the rare dance-music act that has it all: a distinctively idiosyncratic sound composed of a progressive house backbone spiked with elements of techno, breakbeat, ambient and splashes of pop and rock and roll. To that, Underworld adds genuine songcraft, ending up with great tracks that complement its monster dance-floor anthems; from there the act transmutes the pieces into mind-warping alchemical soundscapes during masterful live performances that deconstruct its recorded work. And if that's not enough, Underworld has ascended to elder-statesman status in the dance-music world by virtue of a career that spans decades and finds the group just as vital as it was at its peak of popularity, even if that popularity has waned. Underworld may no longer be the biggest name in dance music, but any DJ can send a crowd into spasms of joy by dropping its "Born Slippy/NUXX" or "Cowgirl/REZ" into a mix — and plenty still do.