Big Sounds of the Drags

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Big Sounds of the Drags
Studio album by Junkie XL
Released 1999
2000 (reissue)
Recorded 1999
Genre Electronica, hip hop, big beat, electronic rock
Label Manifesto Records
Producer Junkie XL
Junkie XL chronology
Saturday Teenage Kick
Big Sounds of the Drags
Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin

Big Sounds of the Drags is the second album by electronic music producer Junkie XL.

"Check Your Basic Groove" has an unusual introduction. This portion begins with the sounds of various farm animals (cows for example), then more layers of sound effects are added (including a supercar) until the song segues to the music. The song that follows the opening track, "Synasthesia", lyrically has nothing to do about the topic of the same name.

"Future in Computer Hell (Part 2)" is intended to be a sequel to "Future in Computer Hell", a track featured on his 1997 debut album, Saturday Teenage Kick (1997).

"Action Radius" (written by Silver Surfering Rudeboy) has the same ending incorporated into the outroduction of "Check Your Basic Groove". The 2000 reissue of the album has a different tracklisting; "Disco 2000", "Bon Voyage" and a reintrepation of "Power of Big Slacks" were added, while "Action Radius" and "Dance USA" were excluded. At this move, "Check Your Basic Groove" had the ending of "Action Radius" added.

The reprise of "Power of Big Slacks" sounds different from its original form, and lasts 8 minutes and 34 seconds longer.

Among the packaging of Big Sounds of the Drags is the front cover, which had a photo of the 1978 version of the Black Magic Vega Fuel Funnycar, driven by the popular fuel racer, The Late DA Santucci performing the popular fire burnout. Besides the front cover, a sticker pasted on early copies of the album suggested that Junkie XL's remix of Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" (used in promotion of a Nike, Inc. advertisement campaign) was not created for all editions of the album. It read:

From the remix team of "A Little Less Conversation" as featured in the Nike commercial. (Not included on this album)

The lyrics were printed out of order, making listeners confused of its content.


Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars link

Released in 1999, it was well received by critics, and several songs were featured in various outlets, such as the inclusion of "Synasthesia", "Dance USA" and "Future in Computer Hell (Part II)" in Test Drive: Overdrive (2002), and "Action Radius" in Need for Speed: Underground (2003). "Action Radius" was released as a single upon its re-release in 2000.

Track listing[edit]

1999 edition[edit]

  1. "Check Your Basic Groove"
  2. "Action Radius"
  3. "Synasthesia"
  4. "Power of Big Slacks"
  5. "Zerotonine"
  6. "Love Like Razorblade"
  7. "Legion"
  8. "Dance USA"
  9. "Gettin' Lost"
  10. "Black Jack"
  11. "Next Plateau"
  12. "Future in Computer Hell (Part II)"

2000 edition[edit]

  1. "Check Your Basic Groove" (5:07)
  2. "Synasthesia" (7:42)
  3. "Power of Big Slacks" (3:25)
  4. "Zerotonine" (4:02)
  5. "Love Like Razorblade" (6:07)
  6. "Legion" (4:36)
  7. "Disco 2000" (4:26)
  8. "Future in Computer Hell (Part 2)" (7:16)
  9. "Bon Voyage" (7:05)
  10. "Power of Big Slacks" (11:59)
  11. "Gettin' Lost" (7:14)
  12. "Black Jack" (3:08)
  13. "Next Plateau" (4:51)