A series of DJ mixes started in 1996 by Andy Horsfield and James Todd. Initially released on Boxed Records, it eventually superseded its parent to become its own record company.

The series was responsible for bringing the role of the DJ to prominence. From Website/ThatOtherWiki: "Billboard has recognized Global Underground as the first DJ mix compilation to place high-quality photographs of [=DJs=] on the album covers. This, it further asserted, played a part in turning [=DJs=] into superstar figures within the culture of electronic dance music." Prior to this, most electronic music artists (such as Music/AphexTwin) were somewhat reclusive.

A few other aspects feature prominently on the releases. First, the releases are numbered. Initially not considered important, as GU 002 was skipped (some accounts say the item supposed to be GU 002 was a t-shirt, others say it was the cassette version of GU 001). When Thrive Records was contracted to handle the US releases of some early installments, they changed the numbering scheme. Since GU 012, the numbers have been consistent between UK and US versions.

Another prominent part of the branding is the location. Each release is a retrospective on a performance by a globe-trotting DJ ([[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness though the first few were recorded live]], this was quickly scrapped), and the exotic location features heavily in the liner notes, frequently including a description of the local nightlife by Dom Phillips, editor of Mixmag. To date, Global Underground [=DJs=] have released mixes on every continent except Antarctica. [[note]]Asia was first (Tel Aviv, Israel), followed by Europe (Prague, Czech Republic), Australia (Sydney, New South Wales), North America (UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity), South America (Sao Paulo, Brazil), and finally Africa (Cape Town, South Africa).[[/note]] The formula of highlighting a location with each mix has been copied by other [=DJs=], including {{Music/Tiesto}}'s ''In Search of Sunrise'' series (starting with volume 3 and continuing through Richard Durand's tenure from vol. 8 on) and Music/MarkusSchulz's yearly (2005-2013) mix series.

All the mixes in the series have been 2 [=CDs=] in length. In the initial live mixes, this merely meant a slight break in the set. On later mixes, this allowed [=DJs=] to craft [[DistinctDoubleAlbum two separate mixes, often of vastly differing character]]. For the most part, mixes are house and trance, though there are a few deviations into breakbeat, ambient, and DrumNBass (both of Paul Oakenfold's mixes have dipped into DrumNBass). The format of two CD-length mixes has been adopted by numerous [=DJs=] since.

!Releases

[[folder: City Mixes]]
The original. A series of 2-disc mixes featuring a globetrotting DJ crafting a mix in an exotic clubbing location.
* [=GU001=]: Tony De Vit in Tel Aviv, Israel
* [=GU003=]: Nick Warren in Prague, Czech Republic
* [=GU004=]: Paul Oakenfold in Oslo, Norway
* [=GU005=]: Tony De Vit in [[UsefulNotes/{{Tokyo}} Tokyo, Japan]]
* [=GU006=]: John Digweed in [[UsefulNotes/{{Sydney}} Sydney, Australia]]
* [=GU007=]: Paul Oakenfold in [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity New York City, New York, United States]]
* [=GU008=]: Nick Warren in [[UsefulNotes/SaoPaulo Sao Paulo, Brazil]]
* [=GU009=]: Sasha in [[UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco San Francisco, California, United States]]
* [=GU010=]: Danny Tenaglia in Athens, Greece
* [=GU011=]: Nick Warren in Budapest, Hungary
* [=GU012=]: Dave Seaman in Buenos Aires, Argentina
* [=GU013=]: Sasha in Ibiza, Spain
* [=GU014=]: John Digweed in UsefulNotes/HongKong
* [=GU015=]: Darren Emerson in Montevideo, Uruguay
* [=GU016=]: Dave Seaman in Cape Town, South Africa
* [=GU017=]: Danny Tenaglia in [[UsefulNotes/{{London}} London, United Kingdom]]
* [=GU018=]: Nick Warren in [[FreestateAmsterdam Amsterdam, the Netherlands]]
* [=GU019=]: John Digweed in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles Los Angeles, California, United States]]
* [=GU020=]: Darren Emerson in UsefulNotes/{{Singapore}}
* [=GU021=]: Deep Dish in [[UsefulNotes/{{Moscow}} Moscow, Russia]]
* [=GU022=]: Dave Seaman in Melbourne, Australia
* [=GU023=]: James Lavelle in Barcelona, Spain
* [=GU024=]: Nick Warren in Reykjavik, Iceland
* [=GU025=]: Deep Dish in [[UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}} Toronto, Ontario, Canada]]
* [=GU026=]: James Lavelle in Bucharest, Romania
* [=GU027=]: Danny Howells in [[UsefulNotes/{{Miami}} Miami, Florida, United States]]
* [=GU028=]: Nick Warren in [[UsefulNotes/{{Shanghai}} Shanghai, People's Republic of China]]
* [=GU029=]: Sharam in [[UsefulNotes/{{Dubai}} Dubai, United Arab Emirates]]
* [=GU030=]: Nick Warren in [[UsefulNotes/{{Paris}} Paris, France]]
* [=GU031=]: Dubfire in Taipei, Republic of China
* [=GU032=]: Adam Freeland in Mexico City, Mexico
* [=GU033=]: Layo & Bushwacka! in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
* [=GU034=]: Felix da Housecat in Milan, Italy
* [=GU035=]: Nick Warren in Lima, Peru
* [=GU036=]: Darren Emerson in Bogota, Colombia
* [=GU037=]: James Lavelle in [[UsefulNotes/{{Bangkok}} Bangkok, Thailand]]
* [=GU038=]: Carl Cox in Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
* [=GU039=]: Dave Seaman in Palanga, Lithuania
* [=GU040=]: Solomun in Hamburg, Germany
* [=GU041=]: James Lavelle in Naples, Italy
* [=GU042=]: Patrice Bäumel in Berlin, Germany
* [=GU043=]: Joris Voorn in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
* [=GU044=]: Amelie Lens in Antwerp, Belgium
* [=GU045=]: Danny Tenaglia in Brooklyn, New York, USA
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Samplers]]
A series of 1-disc mixes highlighting a selection of tracks from the most recent GU mixes.

* [=GUSAM001=]: ''Departures''
* [=GUSAM002=]: ''Arrivals''
* [=GUSAM003=]: ''Destinations''
* [=GUSAM004=]: ''Locations''
* [=GUSAMUS001=]: ''Passport''
* [=GUSAM005=]: ''Exposures''
* [=GUSAM006=]: ''Synchronised''
* [=GUSAM007=]: ''Synchronised 2''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Nubreed]]
A series of 2-disc mixes highlighting up-and-coming [=DJs=].

* [=NU001=]: Anthony Pappa
* [=NU002=]: Danny Howells
* [=NU003=]: Steve Lawler
* [=NU004=]: Sander Kleinenberg
* [=NU005=]: Lee Burridge
* [=NU006=]: Satoshi Tomiie
* [=NU007=]: Jim Rivers
* [=NU008=]: Sultan
* [=NU009=]: Habischman
* [=NU010=]: Oliver Schories
* [=NU011=]: Theo Kottis
* [=NU012=]: Denney
[[/folder]]


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