Straight Sun.

[legspin]

Loving this. If you aren't at least tapping your feet at 2.57 on you need either new feet or new ears.
My seven year old did ask though, 'Why is it called Straight Sun when all you can see is clouds'?

[shadyboy]

Its a belter allright....sounds like Forever with breakbeats...

There's a preview of New France on Soundcloud & Pitchfork - its class

[legspin]

It's taken a few listens to get New France properly. It's quite radio friendly so I can see why it is the first single.
Straight Sun was automatic

[Pirtek]

I agree with both things you said Legspin

[stranstringulon]

Anyone recognize where the video was shot?
<edit> The lake at the beginning i meant. I thought it looked a bit like wastwater, but it so long since i went! </edit>

[Loopz]

Video was shot at Wastwater in the Lake District, Llanberis in Wales, and Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park and Waterloo Bridge in London.

[stranstringulon]

Marvellous!

Thanks very much

[memly]

Hmm... cant really say I'm feeling the new tunes yet.

"New France" sounds the best I have heard so far out of the 3 (Wonky/Straight Sun/New France), but oddly its quite a cold and emotionless song, not too enamoured with the vocal break in it either.
Straight Sun does nothing for me. I certainly cant see the similarites between that and Forever, when I first heard it, I thought it sounded like a bit of a filler, with the drums turned down.
Wonky (radio edit) sounded like it would be good live, but I was still left a little disappointed after hearing it...
I wonder whether these are the final mastered copies...
From the 6mix they did recently, I thought the drum elements to both Straight Sun and Wonky were so far back in the mix.
This may be because the stuff I listen to nowadays has the drums right at the front of the mix, but I could just about make out the kick drum in Wonky & Straight Sun... maybe this is Floods style?
"Never" is the only new track where the kick is nice and loud and bold, with a real superb attention to percussion.

Not that this is the main factor as to why I havent warmed to these songs yet... I was just hoping that the hiatus and the new approach/producer would yield better results; for me none of the tunes have that epic nature to them, I get the feeling "New France" is trying to be epic, it just doesnt quite reach it for me...but I do still realise there is lots I havent heard yet.

I suppose I was so blown away by how good "Dont Stop" and especially "The Gun is Good" was, that I was just expected the new album to be a materpiece... where as now I am thinking it will be a mixed bag.

"Never" is the best song I have heard so far, without a doubt, I really like it.
I am still looking forward to the realease of Wonky, but I cant help feeling that this is not the return to form I was really hoping for.

[legspin]

Interesting Mem.
Having an in-your-face kick drum has never been a pre-requisite for me. Indeed, for a long time it was a reason to stay away.
Straight Sun is the best one for me so far but the rest of the album is shaping up nicely too.

[memly]

I think its the drums in general, it seemed to lack a decent low range, the kick doesnt have to be loud in the mix, just loud enough to hear it. In my opinion it makes the drums more solid and I couldnt hear that too well in Wonky or Straight Sun (the 6mix ones). Maybe it has to do with whatever quality the stream runs at...which is quite possibly the case.

Its certainly not normally an issue in Orbital stuff, its just these particular tunes.

As I mentioned, its not a huge problem for me, but these new tunes have not impressed me as much as I was impressed by DSM and TGIS.

[roorback]

Wonky (radio edit) sounded like it would be good live, but I was still left a little disappointed after hearing it...
I wonder whether these are the final mastered copies..

I'm really looking forward to the album version since it will be much longer. I liked "Wonky" but it felt very incomplete.

I agree with the rest of the post. Never is a great track but "Straight Sun" and "New France" sound a bit ... trivial.

[Pirtek]

Never is my favourite from what I've heard so far. As much as I like the new material, they do feel a bit "empty" to me. I recently listened to MON and in comparison this is alot more complex sounding.

Maybe it's just me, I don't know. It's not as if I've just listen to them a couple of times, I've played them over and over (maybe I need to stop for a bit and listen with fresh ears). I agree that Never is the best sounding.

All that said, I do like the new material. Maybe when I have the album and listen to it completely it'll be a different story

[Kagey]

I Love straight sun, ticks all my boxes

[sinner]

It's quite a good song, but it's a bit too dancy for me. I want more ambient-like music from Orbital.
The piano intro was very promising, but then it turns to dance

[Turnipfish]

I kinda like Straight Sun but it feels about as straight-down-the-line as Orbital go, I think I'd prefer it if there was a bit more melodic progression but it's enjoyable enough. I've heard from an (unbiased) reliable source that the album is amazing though, and the second half is where it really takes off.

Never is by far my favourite of the three I've heard so far. Not really feeling New France, it's stadium-sized in all the wrong ways, especially the chorus. Weird, as I'd thought Orbital and Zola Jesus would be perfect for one another.