Rowla

The song *Rowla* by Underworld, with its duration of 6 minutes and 31 seconds, immerses us in a soundscape that the band explored thoroughly in the album *Second Toughest in the Infants*. This work, recorded with the lineup that included Darren Emerson, was characterized by an evolution in its musical palette, expanding its horizons while consolidating its distinctive style of powerful rhythms and melodies that evoke vast spaces. The album's title itself, *Second Toughest in the Infants*, has a curious origin, stemming from a comment by the nephew of Rick Smith, Simon Prosser, who was six years old, about his progress in primary school.

The name *Rowla* itself has a particular history. It emerged from a street in Romford called “Crow lane.” According to comments made by Underworld themselves in an interview for Dutch media, the limitations of the software at the time only allowed five characters for the name, hence the adaptation to “rowla.” This album also saw the release of singles such as *Pearl's Girl*, and in its later reissue, it included its best-known track, *Born Slippy .NUXX*. The remix and reissue of *Second Toughest in the Infants* took place on November 20, 2015, featuring expanded editions. The production of *Rowla* was handled by Underworld, with Rick Smith as the recording engineer.