A Beginner’s Guide to Burial: UK Bass’s Ghost in the Machine

In the dim-lit corners of UK electronic music, where mood outweighs melody and rain-soaked streets echo into reverb chambers, one figure looms quietly large: Burial. The South London producer (real name: William Bevan) is one of the most influential yet elusive artists to emerge from the UK’s fertile underground music scene in the 2000s. With no live shows, no interviews (until years after his debut), and no social media presence, Burial’s mystique only enhances the immersive nature of his music.

But what makes Burial’s sound so captivating? Why do his tunes feel like foggy memories, half-remembered nights out, or solitary 3am bus rides? This beginner’s guide will walk you through the world of Burial, using 10 of his most powerful tracks as a compass.

By Jack - Tilley's Music Guidance

Burial in a Nutshell

Burial emerged in 2005 on Kode9’s influential label Hyperdub, releasing a self-titled debut album that melded the skeletal rhythms of UK garage, the heavy bass of dubstep, and a deep love for the emotional pull of ambient and jungle. But he really captured hearts and minds with his 2007 masterpiece Untrue, a record that defined an era — and redefined what electronic music could be.

Burial’s signature? Crackling textures, skipping beats, ghostly vocal snippets, and a raw, unpolished honesty. It sounds like music made at night, on an old PC, with a window cracked open to the city.

Let’s dive into the soundworld of Burial through ten essential tracks.

TL;DR Playlist

For newcomers:

🎧 Start with: “Archangel,” “Street Halo,” “Loner”

🌙 For late nights: “In McDonalds,” “Ashtray Wasp,” “Nightmarket”

🧠 For atmosphere: “Stolen Dog,” “Phoneglow”

💔 For the feels: “Hiders,” “Forgive”

1. Street Halo (2011)

A dancefloor in a dream, “Street Halo” came after a long silence following Burial’s acclaimed album Untrue. It marks a subtle evolution in his sound — still crackling with vinyl hiss and ghostly, submerged vocals, but with a tougher, more rhythmic punch. The vocal loop — “Running around… running around…” — repeats like an echo in your head long after the club’s shut. It’s a perfect entry point into Burial’s mid-period work, where emotion and movement intertwine. Unlike some of his darker, more abstract tracks, “Street Halo” feels alive, urgent, and filled with restless energy. The track captures the bittersweet feeling of urban nightlife, where loneliness and connection blur. It’s melancholic yet danceable, a bittersweet soundtrack to those fleeting moments on the dancefloor. This song is often seen as a bridge between the classic Burial mood and his more club-focused output, retaining that haunting atmosphere while inviting the listener to move. Whether you know nothing about electronic music or are a seasoned fan, “Street Halo” is a standout track that balances Burial’s signature texture with accessibility.

Best for: Newcomers who want to dance with the melancholy.

Street Halo by Burial

2. Loner (2012)

“Loner” is one of Burial’s most euphoric tracks, carrying a ravey, almost house-like energy that’s rare in his catalog. It surges with distorted kicks and chopped, stuttering vocals that feel alive and vibrant. This is Burial in full motion — not a distant observer, but lost in the heart of the club scene. The track nods to the UK rave lineage underpinning much of his music, drawing from jungle, hardcore, and garage traditions. Yet, it’s never just nostalgic; “Loner” feels urgent and present. The repetitive vocal samples create a hypnotic effect, simulating the way a phrase or feeling can loop in your mind during a night out. Despite its energetic beat, the track retains Burial’s trademark emotional depth, making it feel like a fleeting moment of joy amidst darkness. “Loner” invites you to lose yourself in the music, embracing the chaotic beauty of the dancefloor. It’s a reminder that even in solitude, music connects us to something bigger.

Best for: Feeling like you’re part of something fleeting and beautiful.

Loner by Burial

3. Stolen Dog (2013)

Bittersweet and strange, “Stolen Dog” is one of Burial’s most comforting yet mysterious tracks. It blends warm synth pads, chirping birds, distant voices, and a loose, almost absent rhythm. More an ambient sketch than a conventional song, it evokes a surreal, dreamlike morning after a long night. The track drifts in a hazy space where sadness and peace coexist. It’s like hearing a memory half-remembered — familiar but elusive. The organic sounds, like birdsong and muted chatter, ground the piece in reality while the synths provide a soothing emotional backdrop. “Stolen Dog” stands apart in Burial’s catalog for its gentle, introspective vibe. It’s less about beats and more about atmosphere, capturing a delicate balance between melancholy and warmth. This track is perfect for those moments when you want to retreat into your own world, headphones on, letting the outside fade away. It’s a sonic meditation on loneliness that somehow feels reassuring rather than isolating.

Best for: Headphones on the bus, watching the world blur by.

Stolen Dog by Burial

4. In McDonalds (2007)

One of Burial’s quietest and most emotionally devastating pieces, “In McDonalds” is a masterclass in minimalism. There’s no beat, only crackle, background noise, faint synths, and muffled voices. The track captures a profound sense of urban loneliness — imagine sitting alone in a fluorescent-lit fast food joint while the city pulses on outside. The soundscape is sparse but dense with feeling. The muffled conversations and ambient noises place you right in the scene, making the track feel intimate and almost voyeuristic. It’s a moment frozen in time, a snapshot of isolation in a crowded world. Despite its simplicity, “In McDonalds” communicates complex emotions without a single melody or rhythm to guide you. It’s a reminder that silence, space, and background sound can speak volumes. For many, it’s Burial’s most heartbreaking track, perfect for late nights when words fail and solitude is overwhelming.

Best for: When silence says more than melody ever could.

In McDonalds by Burial

5. Forgive (2006)

“Forgive” is a haunted lullaby from Burial’s self-titled debut album, floating in slow motion with dusty textures and aching melancholy. It’s the sound of a city winding down — beats clicking like clocks, and vocal samples whispering something just out of reach. The track’s sparse percussion and layered crackle create a nostalgic, intimate atmosphere. There’s a timeless quality to “Forgive” — it feels like a fragment of memory, distant and elusive. Burial’s use of vocal chops here is particularly effective, giving the sense of a ghostly voice caught in a moment of regret or longing. The track is simultaneously comforting and unsettling, inviting deep reflection on loss and forgiveness. Its slow, deliberate pace asks the listener to pause and sink into the emotions it stirs. “Forgive” showcases Burial’s unique ability to blend melancholy and beauty, creating a soundscape that feels both personal and universal.

Best for: Getting lost in thought at night.

Forgive by Burial

6. Hiders (2013)

“Hiders” reveals the hopeful side of Burial’s music. Unlike many of his more somber tracks, it’s melodic and almost uplifting. A steady piano progression builds beneath cinematic synth pads, leading to an emotional, expansive climax. The track feels like a sunrise after a long night — a moment of release and quiet joy. It’s cinematic in scope, evocative of a film’s final scene where the protagonist breathes freely for the first time. “Hiders” balances Burial’s trademark textures with a warmth and optimism rarely heard in his work. The lush arrangement invites the listener to feel renewal and peace, making it a standout track for late-night drives or moments of personal breakthrough. It’s music that understands sadness but also offers hope.

Best for: Late-night drives and emotional breakthroughs.

Hiders by Burial

7. Ashtray Wasp (2012)

A mini-epic in four parts, “Ashtray Wasp” is one of Burial’s most ambitious and beloved works. This 11-minute journey shifts between sparse beats and beautiful ambient interludes, creating a cinematic experience. The track feels like walking alone through a city, passing through memories, regrets, and fleeting joy. It’s sad, strange, and completely absorbing. Each section offers new textures and emotions, holding your attention without ever overstaying its welcome. The track’s ebb and flow mimic the restless mind, making it feel intensely personal. “Ashtray Wasp” stands out for its scope and emotional depth, rewarding listeners who give it their full attention.

Best for: A solo walk, start to finish. Just press play.

Ashtray Wasp by Burial

8. Archangel (2007)

The crown jewel of Untrue and Burial’s most iconic track, “Archangel” is where everything clicks perfectly. The skipping garage beat, chopped R&B vocal (“Holding you… couldn’t be alone”), and lo-fi crackle create a haunting London night vibe. It’s been hailed as one of the best tracks of the 2000s for good reason — it encapsulates Burial’s personal, raw, and utterly unique sound. The emotional intensity is palpable, mixing longing, isolation, and beauty. “Archangel” is the definitive Burial moment, essential for first-time listeners and longtime fans alike.

Best for: First listens. This is the Burial moment.

Archangel by Burial

9. Nightmarket (2016)

“Nightmarket” is a turning point in Burial’s discography — a quiet, beatless piece that feels more like a dreamscape than a traditional track. Gone are the garage rhythms and skittering percussion that defined his earlier work; instead, we get glimmering, detuned synths floating in an eerie stillness. There’s something both beautiful and unsettling about it. The title conjures visions of empty neon-lit streets and half-closed stalls, and the music matches that image perfectly: surreal, still, almost frozen in time.

The track feels like wandering alone through a strange city at 3 a.m., where everything is familiar but off-kilter — like a dream remembered just after waking. The synths drift in and out like headlights passing through fog, and the piece seems to stretch time, encouraging the listener to slow down and sink in.

“Nightmarket” marks Burial’s gradual shift away from club-rooted rhythms and toward ambient, textural storytelling. It invites introspection rather than movement, patience rather than momentum. While it may puzzle fans expecting drums or drops, it offers a new way into his sound — a cinematic, meditative experience that rewards quiet listening.

Best for: Deep focus, quiet nights, or exploring Burial’s ambient evolution.

Nightmarket by Burial

10. Phoneglow (2022)

“Phoneglow” finds Burial continuing the ambient direction he’s been exploring through the 2020s — all soft edges, blurred emotion, and hazy memories. There’s no beat, no pulse, just warm layers of synth and tape hiss drifting like fog. It feels intimate, like overhearing a quiet memory.

The textures are soothing yet distant, like a phone screen glowing in a dark room — the only light left after everything else has gone quiet. The melody is minimal but haunting, repeating gently beneath the surface, never quite arriving at a climax. Burial’s trademark crackle and ghostly touches are still here, but instead of emotional urgency, there's a calm resignation — a sense of acceptance, maybe even peace.

“Phoneglow” is less about storytelling and more about mood. It doesn’t build or resolve — it just is, floating in a timeless loop that invites reflection. It’s music for moments when you don’t want to be distracted, just accompanied. Perfect for long walks, sleepless nights, or late digital drifts, it captures the melancholy of memory and the strange comfort of solitude.

This track solidifies Burial’s role as a kind of sonic diarist of loneliness and stillness in the digital age. His newer work may be ambient, but it’s never empty — every tone is full of feeling.

Best for: Quiet introspection, dusk-lit rooms, or when the world feels far away.

Phoneglow by Bural

Burial’s music isn’t made for the charts, and it doesn’t ask for attention — it quietly earns it. His work lives in the cracks: between genres, between memories, between the noise of the world and the silence of your own thoughts. Whether you're walking through rain-slicked streets, lying awake at night, or simply searching for music that feels real, Burial offers something profound and deeply personal.

If this is your first time exploring his world, don’t rush it. These tracks are meant to live with you — to accompany your life quietly, like a ghost in the machine.

Start with a few songs, give them space, and revisit them later. Like city lights in the distance, the full picture only reveals itself over time.

Jack - Tilley's Music Guidance