Average Rating: 4.18 Rating Variance: 0.14 Objectivity Score: 46% (Poorly Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name4.5 superbAndy Stott We Stay TogetherEllen Allien & Apparat Orchestra Of BubblesThis is an amazing album. I heard the cd version first and later bought the vinyl to hear things clearer, not only are they much clearer, there are several extended moments throughout, and the unique track-listing keeps the bubbles popping better than the cd does. The extended opening on 'Way Out' is one of the most amazing delay fixtures on the album. Tailored to the dance floor, but also for your ears. rEither way this is pure gold form the duo.Grimes VisionsOrbital Times FlyOrbital would empty your bank account if you began to collect their vast amount of singles. One of the best is this 2x7' EP. The small fragile records only add to the aged textures throughout, and that's exactly what it's done, aged. All too well in fact. The two 'Times Fly' tracks closely imitate the clockwork cover and maintain a steady pace that neither rises too high or too low, giving them all a more relaxed feel and feeds into the rest of the songs. One could almost see the slow clockwork bursting into full motion on the latter version and run right into a ride-out of glassy pings and ticking clocks. Separating them is an alternate version of 'Sad But New' that accents the appearance of Goldfrapp's vocals cutting in more dramatically than the album version, appearing after the first third of the duration, circling back onto the earlier mumbles and twangy guitars. The EP elegantly concludes with playful beeps from the rust-turned digital beeps of 'The Tranquilizer,' containing some of their best sine wave work to date. (If you like this song then check out some Ulrich Schnauss.) These old rusty cogs frozen in time across the artwork definitely shine again from the gradual pacing and like- ability; which in this case is so much a part of why the EP seems to fly by, and when it ends you want to rewind the clocks and hear it all over again... and again... and again. Timeless electronica from the great Orbital.Plastikman Artifakts (BC)On his previous albums, Richie's always had the plastikman image guiding him, but then he presented the bridge between 'Musik' and 'Consumed' with nothing but a faint, imprint ghost of the plastikman and notes as to it being a form of closure for the previous alums, disappearing into 'Consumed' and on. It's a transitional album, but more of an understanding about how the sounds that we associate the plastikman with change overtime. It gives us a chance to remember and look foreword in a length of space. Like a good dream, but when you wake up, he's no where to be found.Trentemoller The Trentemoller ChroniclesListen as Trentem?ller takes you on a journey into the forest. Side A is an obvious choice to bring in some listener's attention, smooth club grooves and yummy textures. I get lost on trying to get through the Mathias Schaffhauser remix, it's utterly disturbing and I only wonder what he was thinking at the time. But we are eventually presented with "Feeling Good," an intense ride into the deep dark trees where he prepares us for his glorious remix (starting Side C) of "What Else Is There?" by Royksopp. I didn't much like the original version and this feels like one of those remixes that was simply meant to be. After that we get one of his older club tracks, which also is one of his best reverb savvy tracks taking us even deeper into the earth. Only then are we ready for his nasty version of "We Share Our Mother's Health." You'd think the Knife's music was far enough into a fascinating nightmare, but that's why Trentem?ller is great. He takes it into new territories. The album is more of a DJ collection, in which i'd prefer listening to the 2xCD for the assorted flavors. Either way, he's collected some gems here. A very rewarding listen.4.0 excellentAmon Tobin Chaos Theory RemixedIf you love the originals then you'll love these three dimensional twists on all those great themes.Tycho Past is PrologueTycho Dive3.5 greatHoly Other With UOne of my favorite new artists, perfect music for a rainy day. The mysterious shapes beneath the sheets is a really interesting aesthetic choice, especially where the image on the back side gives us a little more of the image. Perfect album cover for such a mysterious sound.Orbital The Middle Of Nowhere My favorite track by far is the haunting "Know Where to Go." If you can pick it out, they sample an ashy train whistle as a textured transition that ties the beat together and then proceed to toy around with it like a snare drum they occasionally let breathe a bit before quickly cutting it off. It also contain's one of my favorite collaborations with Allison Goldfrapp in the 2 part 'Nothing Left.' I've always envisioned a row of crows laughing in the first part of that song, and always enjoy listening to the beautiful non-sensicle ramblings. But I agree with lunarfix, the production is really together and fresh. To me it's not as good as Brown and not even close to In Sides, for the same reason Snivilisation suffers, those few songs that tend to get tedious and feel like a 90's British sic-fi, i.e. 'Style' or 'Spare Parts Express,' which, after all, attribute to the charm, but thank Orbital they've given us a complete side to 'Nothing Left.' Just over 16 minutes of blissful synths and Allison's looping harmonies. (2xLP track listing differs from the other releases.) p.s. it's, again, very easy to get lost looking for the text in the vast space of the blurry artwork and gatefold cover of white space they give us to play in, containing a boy playing in an ocean-fountain of blue. Very unique.
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