They are one of the most consistent groups in electronic music history, and after 15 years of making albums, producing Pop-Dance tunes, film and TV scores, Orbital has decided to call it quits and leaves the music scene with a final album called The Blue Album. The two brothers who have worked together to produce now seven albums, seem to be in top form for this latest LP, combining different types of music to complete each track of electronic music.
An example of the combination of genres is the first track on the album, “Transient,” where they combine a classical symphonic string sound with their electronic expertise. The meshing of elements works well to create a very mellow production that kicks off the LP in an elegant form. “Lost” is another example of this type of feel, however this track has much more of an electronic base.
“Tunnel Vision” is a song that is a more up-tempo production that seems to be a song that could be used in some type of fighting or chase scene in a movie. The track keeps pretty much the same tempo throughout the song, with a couple of different pieces of production thrown in to add to the intensity of the overall song. “Tunnel Vision” is definitely one of the better tracks on the album.
The Blue Album is definitely a great way for Orbital to go out on to end their career on their own terms. Longevity is a great way to describe Orbital’s tenure in electronic music and this album in no way tarnishes that label. With the songs mentioned above as well as a few interesting collaborations, Paul and Phil Hartnoll produced a well put-together final album for any electronic music fan. |