Orblivion

Amazon.com
It's the end of the world as we know it, and Dr. Alex Patterson is feeling just fine. Returning with his seventh release under the moniker of the Orb, the grandfather of ambient house and the master of transcendental techno has made the cheeriest album about millennial tension and apocalyptic craziness that you're likely to hear. Not since Prince's 1999 has the beginning of the end sounded like so much fun. With music industry institutions from MTV to Billboard rushing to proclaim that electronica is the next "next big thing," the contributions of veterans like Patterson and Richard James (a.k.a. the Aphex Twin) are being overlooked, while relatively slight talents such as the Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers are being lauded. Meanwhile, Patterson is at his turntables leading a new version of the Orb with Andy Hughes and Thomas Fehlmann, and the group is making some of the best music of its career. Over the ominous sounds of "S.A.L.T.," a paranoid Scottish preacher predicts that the number of the Beast described in The Book of Revelations is showing up on our credit cards. Elsewhere, a solemn voice intones, "The rocket is waiting," and a perplexed weather girl stumbles when she reads that temperatures tomorrow will be sub-zero, "continued mild." Throw in a snippet from Joe McCarthy's red-baiting Senate hearings and an hysterical commercial jingle with a bouncy chorus about "the youth of America on LSD," and you may find yourself rushing in a panic to the bomb shelter. Considering the subject matter, it's ironic that "Delta MKII," "DJ Asylum," and "Toxygene" contain some of the Orb's happiest hooks ever, as well as the uniquely fluid and jazzy mid-tempo grooves that have come to characterize the combo's live performances. Like the ravers who throw roof-top parties to greet the aliens in Independence Day, Patterson is going out dancing, and judging from the pleasantly disorienting swirl of sounds in his patented Orb mixes, he's probably high as a kite. And why not? In his warped but wonderful vision, the end of the world is just one more groovy trip. --Jim Derogatis

Tracks:

Delta Mk II
Ubiquity
Asylum
Bedouin
Molten Love
Pi
S.A.L.T.
Toxygene
Log Of Deadwood
Secrets
Passing Of Time
72

Amazon.com

It's the end of the world as we know it, and Dr. Alex Patterson is feeling just fine. Returning with his seventh release under the moniker of the Orb, the grandfather of ambient house and the master of transcendental techno has made the cheeriest album about millennial tension and apocalyptic craziness that you're likely to hear. Not since Prince's 1999 has the beginning of the end sounded like so much fun. With music industry institutions from MTV to Billboard rushing to proclaim that electronica is the next "next big thing," the contributions of veterans like Patterson and Richard James (a.k.a. the Aphex Twin) are being overlooked, while relatively slight talents such as the Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers are being lauded. Meanwhile, Patterson is at his turntables leading a new version of the Orb with Andy Hughes and Thomas Fehlmann, and the group is making some of the best music of its career. Over the ominous sounds of "S.A.L.T.," a paranoid Scottish preacher predicts that the number of the Beast described in The Book of Revelations is showing up on our credit cards. Elsewhere, a solemn voice intones, "The rocket is waiting," and a perplexed weather girl stumbles when she reads that temperatures tomorrow will be sub-zero, "continued mild." Throw in a snippet from Joe McCarthy's red-baiting Senate hearings and an hysterical commercial jingle with a bouncy chorus about "the youth of America on LSD," and you may find yourself rushing in a panic to the bomb shelter. Considering the subject matter, it's ironic that "Delta MKII," "DJ Asylum," and "Toxygene" contain some of the Orb's happiest hooks ever, as well as the uniquely fluid and jazzy mid-tempo grooves that have come to characterize the combo's live performances. Like the ravers who throw roof-top parties to greet the aliens in Independence Day, Patterson is going out dancing, and judging from the pleasantly disorienting swirl of sounds in his patented Orb mixes, he's probably high as a kite. And why not? In his warped but wonderful vision, the end of the world is just one more groovy trip. --Jim Derogatis

Customer Reviews:

Lots of sounds.......2007-01-26

My friend with good taste told me the Orb "made all the sounds." So I bought a few. Live 93, Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld. They were OK but I wasn't hooked, I sold em. I'm not into the sample thing too much. I'm not into the genre too much really. Too many cliches.

Lot's of kids are easily amused by this kind of stuff, but most of this genre is not so good.

Then I got this one and I understood what my friend meant. It's headphone music. Lots and lots of sounds. I liked it right away and it's grown on me. I like the whole thing. It's cheap too.

An experienced musician on autopilot.......2006-03-13

This album is not terrible, it is quite adequate and even sophisticated in a background music sort of way..It is just not very engaging on the forefront though..We all know Alex is a masterful programmer, but the famework that surrounds his beats this time generally does not hold the listeners attention, the album is mostly a showcase for the spastic and weird, rather then evolving beats that engulf a listener into the most immersive experience techno has to offer..You could definitly track this artist's waxing and waning of artistic zeal, with this album continuing Patterson's return to his more dancy, breezy roots, while incorporating the more twisted, dark elements of his post ultraworld releases..

Absolutely Mindblowing !!!.......2006-03-09

I'd say this is The Orb's best album. Although their debut work 'Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld' comes in a close 2nd. This album reminds me of the 1st time I listened to Future Sound of London's 'Dead Cities' or 'Isdn'. Its a journey you can only experience through good speakers or headphones. The sonic textures are rich with vitality and a sense of exploration. Like observing a metropolis as a child or having a dream that you didn't know you could have. Its hard to even classify this album in a genre. Its ambient,idm,trip hop,dub all mixed into one uncontrollable fluid mass. If you want to expand you're musical horizons start by buying this album.

Love it!.......2006-03-02

Let's be honest, this genre of music can be very hit or miss. This is a definite hit and well worth the 6 bucks you can get it for on ebay.

Ahhhhh, I love this!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-05-25

Ahh, I think this is my favorite Orb album. VERY trippy, very creative, wildly swings your psyche back and forth to and fro, I'm not even sure what else to say about it that hasn't already been said.. it's perfect!!!!! Of course, like any Orb album, this CD is a story, and must be listened to from beginning to end (including the hidden track) to be appreciated! Also, it took a few listens for most of the other Orbs to grow on me... but I loved this one from the very first listen.

Album Review:

Album Review

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Album Review

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