Unknown Mortal Orchestra IC-02 Bogotá
Unknown Mortal Orchestra's IC-02 Bogotá arrives as a sunlit, instrumental detour that foregrounds polyrhythms, jazz-inflected improvisation and globe-trotting grooves more than conventional songs. Critics note that the record's strongest moments - notably “Earth 1” and “Underworld 6” - stake out sprawling, percussion-led terrain, while other entries such as “Earth 5” and “Earth 3” explore psychedelic cumbia, disco and space-jazz textures.
Across four professional reviews the critical consensus lands at a 68.25/100 from reviewers who praise the band's virtuosity and ensemble interplay but also flag unfinished ideas and sketch-like passages. Reviewers consistently point to the best songs on IC-02 Bogotá as extended jams where flute lines, electric piano and dubby low end cohere into immersive grooves; Pitchfork and The Line of Best Fit both single out “Earth 1” and “Underworld 6” for their narrative power, while DIY and Under The Radar applaud the record's crate-digging, tropical influences even as Under The Radar questions the album's tendency toward ambience over development.
The collection will read as essential for listeners drawn to instrumental exploration, polyrhythmic ambition and collaborative improvisation, and more mixed for those seeking fully realized songs with vocal hooks. For readers searching for an IC-02 Bogotá review or wondering what the best tracks on the record are, the consensus points to “Earth 1”, “Underworld 6” and “Earth 5” as standout moments that capture the album's strengths and its occasional incompleteness, setting the stage for deeper takes below.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Earth 1
4 mentions
"“Earth 1”, the 11-minute opener to IC-02 , draws on South American sounds, with flutes ever-present"— The Line of Best Fit
Earth 3
3 mentions
"“Earth 3” meanwhile finds a sweet spot between jazz and electronic influences"— The Line of Best Fit
Earth 5
3 mentions
"“Earth 5” is more of an out-and-out electronic track yet as with the rest of this project feels unorthodox"— The Line of Best Fit
“Earth 1”, the 11-minute opener to IC-02 , draws on South American sounds, with flutes ever-present
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Earth 1
Earth 2
Earth 3
Earth 5
Heaven 7
Underworld 1
Underworld 4
Underworld 6
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Unknown Mortal Orchestra's IC-02 Bogotá aims for mood and atmosphere but too often settles for ambience rather than revelation. The reviewer's tone is wry and observant, noting that the best tracks - “Earth 1” and “Underworld 6” - offer promising polyrhythms and enthralling drum patterns, yet fail to develop fully. The record's strongest moment, “Heaven 7”, is praised for its minimal percussion and dreamy synths, but even that is compared to a shuffled Mac DeMarco outtake. Overall the album feels like interesting sketches that do not quite become vivid pieces, making readers ask which are the best songs on IC-02 Bogotá and why the ideas feel undernourished.
Key Points
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The best song is "Underworld 6" for its enthralling drum pattern and regained intrigue.
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The album's core strength is its evocative instrumental textures and atmospheric motifs, though many ideas are underdeveloped.
Themes
Critic's Take
Unknown Mortal Orchestra's IC-02 Bogotá pivots around extended jams where the best songs - notably “Earth 1” and “Underworld 6” - stake their claim through relentless percussion and sprawling textures. The reviewer's ear lingers on the way “Earth 1” thrusts you into the melee with a circular flute refrain and Li's electric piano, while the colossal “Underworld 6” returns as an ominous, dubby bookend. Lesser but still compelling pieces like “Heaven 7” and “Earth 5” show how Bogotá could yield proper UMO songs, blending funk and groove into memorable moments. Overall the album reads as a successful extension of the IC concept, a record that foregrounds virtuosity and polyrhythmic possibility without Ruban's vocals getting in the way.
Key Points
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“Underworld 6” is the standout for its colossal, dubby culmination of the album's rhythmic and textural ideas.
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Bogotá's core strengths are its virtuosic ensemble playing, polyrhythmic grooves, and successful expansion of the IC improvisatory concept.
Themes
Critic's Take
Unknown Mortal Orchestra return with IC-02 Bogotá, a curious, sunlit instrumental set where the best tracks - like “Earth 1” and “Underworld 6” - unfold as long, rewarding journeys. Chris Connor’s prose celebrates the record's jazz and Latin inflections, noting how “Earth 1” luxuriates with flutes and bass while “Underworld 6” distils the album's textures into a compelling finale. The review frames these best songs as both playful and serious, bridging the band’s full-album sound and their exploratory instrumental lineage. This makes the album essential listening for fans seeking the best tracks on IC-02 Bogotá and for those curious about its standout moments.
Key Points
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“Earth 1” is best for its expansive, flute-led jazz-inflected textures and sustained momentum.
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The album's core strength is its adventurous fusion of jazz, Latin/world influences and electronic experimentation.
Themes
Critic's Take
Unknown Mortal Orchestra's IC-02 Bogotá is presented as a sun-soaked instrumental detour where the best songs - particularly “Earth 1” and “Earth 5” - trade UMO's funk for balmier, groove-laden textures. Sked leans into the crate-digger appeal, describing “Earth 1” as a ten-plus minute melter and naming “Earth 5” a joyous fusion of psychedelic cumbia and disco. The review highlights how “Earth 2” and “Earth 3” lift off into intergalactic, tropical moon territory, while the Underworld pieces return to a more groove-centred mood. Overall, he frames IC-02 Bogotá as a worthy sequel that offers blissful, mind-bending exotic escapades rather than a return to UMO's staple ballads.
Key Points
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“Earth 1” stands out as the opener: a ten-plus minute melter that sets the album's flute-laden, percussion-heavy acid-jazz tone.
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The album's core strengths are its tropical, psychedelic fusion and successful shift from UMO's funk into ambient, groove-laden instrumentals.