The Orb in the new millenium, what's your favorite (if anything?)

"Bicycles & Tricycles" wasn't as good as "Okie Dokie" but "From a Distance" in its various versions (including the dub version on Speicher) was maybe their best single in this period?

I felt like I had to buy Okie Dokie because, hey, it's on Kompakt and what a title

From a Distance is great, but i have a soft spot for Metallic Spheres, embarassing lyrics and all. Does anyone rate the Transit Kings album?

I quite like it but I didn't want to put it on this poll. I wish they had done more.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

The Orb were mainly good in the 90s, but "Metallic Spheres" was an interesting project, so I am going for that one.

Bicycles & Tricycles is a really pleasant listen imo

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Is Cydonia as bad as I remember?

guess not a lot of people are fans here, but I figured Okie Dokie was going to win this

btw - Cydonia really isn't so bad, it's only really a disappointment when held against their 90's stuff, which was pretty much all ace. it's the first Orb album with some real filler on it but I would rank "Terminus" among the top 2 or 3 tracks they ever did.

My problem was that I only really know the Kompakt record. My review of the Komplott single here:

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/the_rubber_room/mum-the-orb-heircraft-totem-thread-pulls-irene-moonortho.htm

Playing the new Orb feat. Lee Perry - The Orbserver in the Star House album this morning and....it doesn't suck. I was worried Scratch would ruin this but he hasn't so far. Versions of Little Fluffy Clouds and Police and Thieves aren't bad. The backing tracks done by LX are actually pretty good and although Scratch is all over the place, he's not irritating like he can be. Wouldn't mind if they put out a dub companion with less Scratch and more effects. Anybody else listening to this?

Scratch never ruined anything even in post 80s ramble mode

A little Scratch goes a long way and this has a LOT of Scratch. It's definitely not annoying though. Kinda glad my expectations were so low because the longer this plays the more I'm enjoying it.

i think "Okey Dokey" is pretty over-rated now, hard to think of it as a Orb record, but i've been getting right into the post Live Evil 90s stuff so

I've got a lot of time for the Orb and have loved spending my Tuesdays listening to Alex DJ on FNOOB. Just bought a ltd ed. vinyl copy of UFORB with Patterns and Textures as the bonus 12". I actually really like Okey Dokey but for post 2000 Orb i've narrowed it down to a 10-12 song playlist.

i don't hate Okey Dokey it just feels more like a Fehlmann joint than a Orb one

Villalobos and Pole are doing mixes of Soulman.

instrumental version of this album reveals it's true worth. best Orb album since the 90s.

agreed on Okey Dokey but Fehlmann's stuff has always been great. still my favorite of the 00's

They are on tour?

They have been for almost a year. I saw them in Seattle in September (Fehlmann and Paterson playing a hits set, with Juan Atkins warming up), Sydney in January (Fehlmann and Paterson playing a loooong, darker set – eg Toxygene was the bassline from the Kris Needs remix, 30 seconds of the melody, and not much else from any version I recognised – and dubbing everything out, with LX DJing before, in the middle, and after), and a Coldcut Vs The Orb one-off in London in December (Black & More DJing, then Paterson DJing, then More & Paterson - mostly LX playing basslines and More finding something to fit over the top – and then Black coming in to add samples and whatnot as well).

No discussion of Moonbuilding 2703 AD? On listen #2, it's very much like Okie Dokie in that it's kind of a Fehlmann solo album, but it's surprisingly funky in places, and right now I think it may be their best since Orblivion, backhanded compliment as that may be

I love the new album - so laid back and mellow in a '94 groove.
but then again, I loved their last album for KOMPAKT, so I may not be the best critical voice.
also, the sleeve is rather special .. the random embossing is a nice touch.

Moonbuilding is excellent.

Kinda glad my expectations were so low because the longer this plays the more I'm enjoying it.

― brotherlovesdub, Saturday, September 1, 2012 8:27 AM (3 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

same, sorta disinclined to check out new Orb but this is nice. sunny and warm. checking out the dub version next.

Just bought the Kris Needs book and eager to dive in. Anyone read it yet?

My copy's en route so hopefully can compare notes soon.

I read it and enjoyed thoroughly.

Excellent. And yes, Ned, let's meet back here to discuss in a few weeks! (I'm a slow reader!)

Ha it may be longer for me, my book backlog is rather…extensive.

U.F.Off: The Best of The Orb and "Vuja De" are pretty much all i like of the orb but i did get History of the Future mainly for the dvd!

this is freaking amazing

https://theorb.bandcamp.com/album/the-heavens

wonder why that wasn't just released as an Orb album. it's just Patterson + whoever anyway!

having a close listen to Sedibus now and yeah this is really something

new album sounds very classic Orb. the singles don't reveal much because it's so all over the place. really good mix of old and new, plus some of the elements of The Dream which people didn't like so much. but it's really nice. most of their albums since 1999 I've *liked* but not as much as I really loved the old stuff. this one and the last one though definitely feel like I don't have to convince myself, they're just really solid. Chill Out, World too.

oooh

I remember COW being really good, but Guillotine Mixes of the last one are easily my favorite post 2k

Have listened to the new one maybe a half-dozen times, apart from "living in recycled times" I'll be damned if I can remember a thing. Maybe my fault.

Moonbuilding 2703 AD is by far and away my fav post 2000s release. That record bangs start to finish

Yeah Moonbuilding is great.

My tops are probably (in the order in which they occur to me):

Sedibus, The Heavens
The ORBSERVER in the star house
Abolition of the Royal Familia
The Dream

The long version of Why Can You Be... is so much fun.

uhh new album rules!!!!

new Chocolate Hills album out now too, a bit more floaty/classic Orb, really good as well

new Sedibus coming in 2024 presumably, this preview track sounds really nice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJr5jnsnbBQ

was gonna say it's crazy Alex and co. have been doing so much lately (what is it, 2 Orb albums, 2 Sedibus albums, Chocolate Hills, and the Metallic Spheres remake all in the span of like 3 years?) but I guess they've never really been inactive for any length of time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPlWoclnhEc

beautiful

heard nothing but good things about it so far. I played their first album a ton too. feel like Sedibus sounds more like The Orb than the current Orb do, though I've really liked their last two albums as well. they're really on a roll.

new album coming on 10/10, here's the lead single. suffice to say in a vacuum I'd never guess this was The Orb, ditto for the lead single off the last one. but it's good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k5AXYBzNrA