www.loopzorbital.com

In order, what are your favorite Orbital LPs ; i.e. their seven main releases, not EPs and soundtracks. I know we've done these before, but now that I know many of you have become reacquainted with their material, I'd like to get the general consensus of the forum. Give it some thought before you post. Name why it ranks where it ranks overall and name your favorite track. I don't think we've done that before.


(1) In Sides - I got into Orbital in 2005, this being the first CD of theirs I bought. This is their most emotionally evocative record. Orbital's music is always very emotional and melodic. No filler whatsoever to be seen here, relying on a very good mix of darker and brighter tones. Many say it drags a little and is harder to get into, but it showcases what Orbital always did best, which was writing electronic music that had feeling. This was their creative peak.
Favorite track: Out There Somewhere?

(2) Brown Album - Not a single mistep. The perfect electronic dance album. This was before they had any really big expectations, began moving into their soundtrack sound, because this expresses very well what they wanted to prove initially. Very upbeat, melodic, and hopeful.
Favorite track: Impact (The Earth Is Burning)

(3) The Altogether - It's easily my most listened to Orbital disc, simply because it much more punchy, direct, and poppy than anything else they have (yes I said have have not had ) done. Many seem to mistake this as them selling out which is bollocks. It simply proves they could do something more direct and upfront, not necessarily breaking ground. As a result, it works very well as a listening experience because it doesn't drag. I love the underlying dark, sinister tone, which seems to not try to be as apparent and obvious as In Sides dark tones where.
Favorite track: Meltdown

(4) The Middle of Nowhere - Just haven't been able to get into this one as much as the others. I do totally respect them trying to go back to their early sound, while still retaining their matureness that came from Sniv and In Sides. Along with Green and Brown this is the only other very bright and happy album so it is refreshing.
Favorite track: Spare Parts Express

(5) Snivilization - This used to be no. 2, but I don't think it's aged as well. Nobody can do stark and gritty political commentary like Orbital. The last two pieces alone are just incredible.
Favorite track: Attached

(6) Blue Album - Took me awhile to appreciate this one. Like Altogether, it's short and direct. They don't overstay their welcome. It's also their most soundtrack sounding release, which I dig. Lots of obvious throwbacks to Sniv/In Sides. It's a good overall summary of what made them great.
Favorite track: Lost

(7) Green Album (US Print) - Always thought the U.S. release had better track sequencing, but really, this is nowhere near a bad album. Totally balls to the wall release, not trying to make any real statements, you can tell they where working on developing their style. They only progressed from there.
Favorite track: Belfast

Seven brilliant albums. I hope to hear more.

1. In Sides - This was also the first Orbital album that I really got in to. I had listened to some of Sniv. & Diversions, but it wasn't until 1996 that I started listening to "electronic" music more frequently. I remember buying this album and after the first listen thinking "This is nothing like what I expected. This is AWESOME!" It's a very emotional album, a great listening experience. Combine In Sides album with the fact that I got to see them live 3 times for the tour, I was hooked and In Sides will always hold a special spot for me.
Fave track : Dwr Budr - It has everything, beautiful pads, cool beats, and magnificent breakdown with the drums and the 303 squelch, then brings back the melody.

2. Middle of Nowhere - I think what I like most about this album is the production. It sounds amazing. Heavy bass, nasty tweaks, and is the big brother bully to In Sides. My only problem with it is the track 'Otono'. I do think they could have shortened every song by a bit, but I still like this album. Some very cool sounds on here. Plus, live, tracks like IDKYP kicked my ass!
Fave track : Nothing Left Pt II - Nice beat, lovely vocals and awesome breakdown/tweak out session.

3. Brown - Cool album flow, but I think it sounds dated and it's not as deep/layered as other Orbital albums. But for the time, it was certainly a benchmark which other artists tried to reach. So many great tracks, but they all sound better live to me than they do on the album.
Fave track : Impact - Really, Impact is one of the best songs ever. Although I do like the Impact USA version on the Diversions EP better. And I'll say it again, live Impact is so mental it should be illegal.

4. Sniv - To me, there aren't any super stand out tracks. Tracks that I'd put on a cd of say 3-5 Orbital tracks for someone who's never heard them before. I think there are some very nice tracks, but there's something that just doesn't sit right with me with the tracks. Maybe it's the mix, eq, mastering, or just the fact that back then, technology wasn't where it was at say, 3 years later. I don't know. Example, I like Kein Trink, but I think they could have done without either the big opening, or not brought it back in later in the song. Are We Here, I think I remember correctly, by their own admission, they kind of "lost control" of. It goes on quite a bit long. Hate to nitpick, but I think if there was 1 album I'd love to hear them re-tweak, remaster, or give a 5.1 surround treatment to, this would be it.
Fave track : Sad But True - since nothing really stands out for me, this was tough, but, I love the sounds on it, love the marching band type beat and love how some sounds buzz over your head.

5. Blue - Even though quite a few of these were left overs, I still thought it took some guts releasing some of this. Some cool, different stuff here, some of it works, other times...Acid Pants. ha ha ha. Actually, I think Acid Pants might have worked with a tougher beat and heavier bass, but what do I know, how many albums have I released. Not the most accessible, but I think there's something for everyone on it.
Fave track : Transient - Great opener to the album, very different from most of Orbital's stuff. Love how it all builds. Sounds crystal clear.

6. Green - Although this one sounds dated as fuck, there are some classics on here. Just like with Sniv, if this got reworked, it would be up higher on the list. But with tracks like Belfast, Satan, Chime, Choice... seriously, this shit is what moves the dance floor these days at their live shows. Good album now, great album for the time period.
Fave track : Satan - yeah, the live thing plays in to it, but at the same time, it's a tough ass song, great bleeps and delays going on, great drums too.

7. The Altogether - Ahhhhh, well someone had to finish last. Man this album really disappointed me. I know they tried to take a different approach, shorten the songs, make each sound count, but I think it fails. This album is all over the place, and the sounds they did stick with are kind of annoying. Put Tension, Tootled, Oi or Waving on for someone who doesn't listen to Orbital, they'll turn it off quickly. I think the boys had already reached their limit at this point, probably should have stepped back in 2001 instead of 2004.
Fave track : Shadows - I had to pick one. Like the spaciness, echo thing going on. The darkness of it, but, nothing that I'd want on my top Orbital cd mix.

Be interesting to hear what others have to say. Please post your thoughts

2 great posts there. Its always great to read how other people percieve their music and how it affects their emotions etc.
Great posts... but ultimately wrong!!

@ Darkorb - The Altogether is your 3rd favourite album??

@ Cranks - Brown sounds dated??

Only joking folks, of course you are entitled to your opinions, no matter how wrong they are...

Ok now on a serious front, because rating Orbitals albums in preference is no easy or light task. This is serious and deserves the thinking time...
Also I have rated them as a whole Album experience and that means more than just the music on it. It also represents various periods in my life and I find it exceptionally hard to listen to music I like and not have it influence my lifestyle.

1) Brown Album
- It has to be for me, I discovered Orbital at Glasto '94 and before that my introduction into electronic music were slipmat and Carl Cox and DJ Hype tapes, which I hated. I didnt really get on with the ravers at school and I was more into Hendrix/Doors/Floyd, the type of bands you start listening to in your teens if you didnt like ravey davey music or pop...and took an interest in a certain relaxing herbal remedy.
Anyway I digress...
Glasto 94 was my first festival and my friends and I were at the NME stage. I cannot remember who was on before Orbital (was it Bjork??) but we were there to see them. I had never heard of Orbital and judging buy the write up in the guide, it didnt really sound like my cup of tea.
Anyway by the time Orbital cam on, we were all quite worse for ware and decided to make a fire to the right of the stage and talk.
Anyway as soon as Orbital came on, I could see the lights looked quite interesting. I remember sitting around this fire and looking at all the legs of the people around me wobbling about to the music. At the level I was (sitting) I could only hear the bass vibrating on the floor and I could hear no clarity in the music.
So I decided to stand up and see what all the fuss was about, and thats when I heard the most amazing melodic, rythmic pulsating emotional electronic music ever. I had no idea electronic music could be so personal. It really impressed me and I got a sense of what electronic music could be like.
So for those reasons, and the fact I have bought the album 3 times because I have literally worn out the previous 2 versions. This has to be not just my favourite Orbital album, but my favourite album of all time.
Impact the Earth is burning must be my most listened to tune, but from start to finish the Brown Album is a magnificent piece of work.
Throughout my clubbing and Uni days, it was always the first album to be played back at somebodies house and it had that delicate balance of being celebral and dancey at the same time.

2) Middle of Nowhere
Ok this frequently fights with Insides for the number 2, but its not just about the complexity and character of the tunes for me. Its also about the memories attached to those songs, and most of us who are passionate about music as a whole tend to sum up big chunks of thier lives by what they were listening to.
So MON was the album I had really been looking forward to. When Insides came out I was into Orbital, but by the time MON came out I was a huge fan, I had developed an unhealthy fascination....
I was working in a music shop at the time and we got the new releases on the Friday prior to the albums official release date.
I found it in a box of new releases and put it on the shitty stereo in the back part of the shop; I disconnected both phones (whoops...) and listened.
It really blew me away. This album reminded me of Ennio Morricone and had a sort of retro cinematic feel to it. It was supremely upbeat but dirty enough to really get the blood pumping around your body.
Not every tune hit the spot for me (Otono??? Still cant listen to it), I wasnt even a huge fan of Style when I heard ol' Jo Whiley play it on Radio one. I had been waiting since Insides to listen to some quality electronic music and all of a sudden they had gone all novelty (especially after The Saint being as popular as it was). Anyway I love it now, and I fell in love with Nothing Left 1&2 and the whole Album (minus Otono).

3) Insides
Wow.
Certainly the most accomplished Album in terms of musical quality and sheer brilliance. Its a more thought provoking album in my eyes.
It was never an album I would play post club. More one for the car where you can gently melt into the music and let it take you on a journey.
Every single tune on this album is fantastic. It hasnt aged at all. The beat to TGWTSIHH is just as captivating now as it was all those years ago.
Adnans still makes me weep, a standout track for me.
The reason this is 3rd however is that for me I just do not have the emotional memories attached to this album as I do with the previos 2.

4) Sniv
As with Insides, this is an album that must be broken into. Forever is one of the songs I remembered from Glasto 94. And the album certainly reflected a lot of opinions about what was happening with the Criminal Justice Bill etc.
I remember hearing this album playing at all the stalls around 94/95 and it can be quite a sparse album and quite moody.
Standout tracks for me are Forever/Klien Trink Wasser (sorry cant be arsed to spellcheck!) and Attached.

5) Blue Album
I was not that disappointed with the Blue Album (which I had with The Altogether).
You Lot really was a step back to one of their epic moments; structured quite similarly to Brown Album era.
Pants worked for me, as did Transient and Tunnel Vision.
But it did seem rushed; the beats were not as complex and it just lacked the depth that Brown/MON/Insides and even Snivilisation had.
Easy Serve and Bath Time just seemed like fillers to me. Those tunes could have made way for something else, even if it had been "What Happens Next" and "Technologiquewiqueegoogle Park".
Transient is beautiful however, but it kind of promises something that as a whole the album doesnt deliver.

6) Green Album
I never really gave this album the time it needs. As I said earlier, I got the Brown Album shortly after seeing them at Glasto, then Sniv a few weeks later. I wasnt a huge fan back then and I assumed the Brown Album was their first proper album.
By the time I got around to listening to the Green Album, I would always get a bit bored and put on an Album I knew better.
It is a very accomplished album in my eyes, but for me it could not live up to the euphoria that I was getting from the Brown Album and MON.

7) The Altogether
Hmmm. I never ever put it on. I do have soft spots for Tension, Tootled, Pay Per View, Waving not Drowning.
But to me its a misguided pop album. Most of the time I think they totally missed the mark with what they wanted to do. Its certainly not a cohesive album and it has some real stinkers on it, most notably Shadows (yuck!), Last Thing and Oi which I cant listen to at all.
It even sounds quite dated too. Too many ideas all squashed together with no breathing room.
The only saving grace is the epic that is Meltdown. That one song in my opinion stops the Altogether from dropping entirely off this chart.

I know my ranking relies heavily on snapshots of periods of my life, but Orbital have been the main musical influence over my entire adult life. For good or bad most Orbital songs are ingrained one way or another with personal experiences of life and in the majority of cases has made a moment seem so much more profound.

Shit... I better get back to work!

As a 'shitgeek' I can't (be arsed to) go into the same level of detail as the above brilliant (no, really) posts, so I'll be brief...

1. Insides - Glasto 95 main stage, TGWTSIHH, The Box.
2. Broon - brilliant, brilliant album
3. Sniv - my first Orbital disc (JCL!), rainfall morphing into beats, Forever
4. MoN - Goldfrapp
5. Blue - return to form, You Lot, OPS
6. Green - it's got Chime on it, innit
7. Altogether - ooh it's different so it's scarey. Plenty I like on it including funny break, dro who & Oi - who doesn't like Ian Dury??

also a short one:

1: MoN. Yes, on number one. mainly because this came out in the period I really got into orbital. so it might be more of a nostalgic reason.

2: in-sides. because it's great. pref. the double disc edition with the box ep on it. I got this one as a tape from a friend of my brother. loved it. that was before MoN, but at that time i wasn't really into music anyway, so i didn't do any more research on the band.

Funny note: The tape had a twist in it during one song, so if that twist came, you could hear the B-side, but backwards. When i got the cd, i was so used to it, that i kinda missed it.

3: sniv. dreamy album. excellent as a soundtrack while reading 1984 by George Orwell.

4: The altogether (I'm gonna get shot for this..) I just like it... most of it anyway. it's upbeat and simple

5: bruno. Altho i don't listen to it a lot. The 2disc with the peel sessions is great.

6: blue. It has some nice tracks, but it's not really coherent as an album...

7: Green (i'm not a colour person, you see) just not my fav..

But the strange thing is.. some of my fav. tunes are from around the green / brown area. I Love Deeper, which is the first orbital track i ever heard (mtv-promo), Omen 12", midnight, LC2 (ok, that's a remix), the mindstream remix, untitled from green tape... But those are not on the albums.. so yeah.

memly wrote: @ Darkorb - The Altogether is your 3rd favourite album??

MON and Sniv are definitely superior albums, but when I also factored in how much I listen to each disc, Altogether gets the spot it's in.

Surprised to see it at the end of pretty much all of everyone's list.

darkorb wrote:

memly wrote: @ Darkorb - The Altogether is your 3rd favourite album??

MON and Sniv are definitely superior albums, but when I also factored in how much I listen to each disc, Altogether gets the spot it's in.

Surprised to see it at the end of pretty much all of everyone's list.

Indeed.. it's easy to listen to.. Got mine on 4. I think people are just angry on the concept

Actually after viewing Nothing, the TV avant garde short they scored in 99, in it's entirety I found I was able to appreciate it more for what it is.

But it still seemed to let those people down who weren't used to hearing Orbital tackle pop structured tracks.

The Middle of Nowhere - Way Out followed by Spare Parts Express is just the best opener to an album that I know, followed by one stunning track after another. I came to this album late but so glad I eventually managed to get into it: I regularly stick it on repeat for my daily walk to work.

The Altogether - This was released the summer I first saw them at Creamfields, which was a set full of tracks from this album and something of an epiphany for me. It's just track after track of mad memories, with Doctor ? and Waving Not Drowning being the main highlights and Tension holding the kind of memories that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up while bringing tears to the eyes.

Brown Album - another album with not a single filler on it, just consistent brilliance with Remind and Walk Now always on my playlist

In Sides - I only realised I've only got a hard copy the import version of this when I couldn't figure out which album TGWTSIHH was on... UK version now on order from Amazon . Difficult to pick an individual track from this one because they're all so good, but poss would be the aforementioned TGWTSIHH tied with Out There Somewhere.

Snivilisation - This one took me a long time to get into and I still struggle with some of the tracks, but Kein Trink Wasser is such a mad tune in the way it almost clashes with itself yet eventually comes together in one great melody that it has to be at the top of my list. Sad But True, Quality Seconds and Attached are also highlights on this one.

Blue Album - Not as strong as others but some worthy moments nonetheless - Pants, Bath Time and You Lot are my favourites here and I also have a big soft spot for the much maligned One perfect Sunrise. Probably the raver coming out in me...

Work - not at the bottom because it's got Frenetic on it and I love a good sing-a-long.

Green Album - Don't shoot me for this! It's not a bad album, Chime, Belfast and Midnight are all classics but it's the one I listen to least and therefore i can't justify it going any higher.

Octane - I don't know why, me and Octane just don't get on.

Hmm....

1) Snivilisation. This is the toughie. What is best? Fucked if I know but for me it is this. Even Quality Seconds has grown on me, but even with this slight brake, this album defines what the lads are about. Biting social commentary mashed with killer tunes? Sure what more could you ask for? Not only a milestone in the world of electronica, it is also the perfect cross-over album.

Track - Forever (honourable mention Science Friction)

2) In Sides. Runs Sniv so hard it is a shame to pick between the two but... . From the opening heartbeat of TGWTSIHH to the climax of Out there somewhere not a dull moment exists here. Every second is filled with ideas and images that you will not get from anything else.

Track - The sublime The girl with the sun in her head (honourable mention The Box)

3) Blue album. Deeply personal reasons for this one. Even the cheese-fest that is Easi-Serv does not detract. i just wish the idea of Acid pants was taken to the extreme. I would have thought that involving the Mael Bros. would have lead to something so much more.

Track - Transient (honourable mention Lost)

4) Brown album. Get your dancing pants on and just go for it. The 20 minutes plus of Lush Impact and Remind will test any fitness level. And then we have Halcyon. Much and all as Chime may be the iconic tune when you ask your average punter if they have heard of the lads, if they say yes it because of Halcyon. Hackers and Mortal Combat are just two of the films it has been in and even my mother says it's an ok tune.

Track - Lush (honourable mention Planet of the Shapes).

5) Middle of Nowhere. It is really unfortunate that this is so low but when you consider what came before... Any band would be justifiably proud of producing something so good. The consistancy is what has really marked out the Lads over the years and on this album you have them in their pomp.

Track - Know Where to Run (honourable mention Spare Parts Express).

6) The Altogether. Again it is just from a lack of follow-through on some tracks that is disappointing. This could have been so much more. There is a certain disjointedness to the album as well but that is just from the way the tracks are lined up I feel.

Track - Waving Not Drowning (honourable mention Tootled)

7) Green album. This hinted at what was to come. The triumvirate of Chime, Midnight and Belfast are as good now as they were then . I feel the rest has dated a little but this is only a minor critisism. The re-working of the Mobius on the last tour was excellent though

Track - Midnight (honourable mention Belfast).

There you go now.

ok....

1) Insides - Beautiful collection of music. The boys were at their creative peak on this one, every track is sublime. I have a soft spot for this one, 1996 was a pretty rank year for me and I think this got played at least once every day for about 4 months!!!
Favourite - Out There Somewhere Part 2, play this to anyone who says that electronic music has no soul.

2) Brown - Confident, sexy and off kilter - an avant garde techno classic. Has dated really well - due really to great production & how it is arranged - how many techno tracks did you hear in 1992 that had dissonant saxophones over acid & breakbeats?
Favourite - Impact, what a tune. It's John Barry & Jeff Wayne on the doves jamming at Megadog!

3) Snivilisation - 70's system music meets 90's social commentary. Really mature 3rd album, but a bit self indulgent in places - as mentioned above "Are We Here" could do with a trim. Nods to Tomita, Kraftwerk & Stockhausen - one to listen to on a rainy Sunday afternoon with plenty of Guiness & fags!
Favourite - Attached - this is the music you will hear when ascending to heaven.....

4) Middle of Nowhere - Don't listen to this one much now, I feel the boys were trying a bit too hard this time, I seem to remember that they wanted this to be more jolly than the last 2 lp's - and has a few misfires on it (Otono is terrible and I Don't Know You People gets on my tits). Way out/Spare parts is the shit though and I love the bass breakdown on Know where to run......
Favourite - Way Out - Laurence of Arabia in space.....

5) Green Album - Nice nice nice. Good collection of songs, a confident assured debut. Has dated really well.
Favourite - Ooolaa. Love the programming on this one!!!

6) Blue Album - Sounds half finished! A nice way to say goodbye, first half of the album is awesome, but second half really sounds like "will this do?" filler. Tracks like "Easy Serv" & "Acid Pants" need reworked & finished off guys!!!!!
Favourite - Transient - space aged chamber music. Beautiful - again would be nice to hear Paul's thoughts on this one.

7) Altogether - Would be interesting to get Paul's take on this one. If I remember right, Paul didn't say much about the album when it came out, it seemed that Phil liked it more than he did. It's ok - but as noted by others there is some shockers on here (Oi, Tootled, Illuminate). Sounds like they were not trying with this one - whether it was due to tensions between them regarding musical direction or the record label we might never know, but half arsed Orbital is still better than some!
Favourite - Pay Per View - classic Orbital chord progression, Forever's pervy little brother.

1] Insides
Standout track: P.E.T.R.O.L

2] Snivilisation
Standout track: Attached

3] Brown Album
Standout track: Remind

4] The Middle Of Nowhere
Standout track: Know Where To Run

5] Blue Album
Standout track: Initiation [Japanese bonus track]

6] The Altogether
Standout track: Tension

7] Green Album
Standout track: Midnight

What a great poll!

I've loved reading peoples different memories/ratings to each album!
ok here goes: -

1 - Insides, Best Track - Out There Somewhere pt 2
2 - Brown Album, Best Track - Impact
3 - Snivilisation, Best Track(s) - Forever/Sad But True
4 - Middle of Nowhere, Best Track - Know Where To Run
5 - Blue Album, Best Track - You Lot
6 - Green Album, Best Track - Midnight
7 - The Altogether, Best Track - Last Thing

1. In Sides - I like all tracks from this album...
Favourite: It's really hard to choose...

2. The Middle Of Nowhere - It was the first album by Orbital that I heard and then I became their fan...
Favourite: Nothing Left 1, Otońo...

3. Blue Album - It has several good tracks by Orbital, but also several that I don't like.
Favourite: One Perfect Sunrise (!), Initiation...
Worst: eg Transient

4. Green Album - It has my favourite track by Orbital - BELFAST. Another tracks are good, but they aren't so important for me.
Favourite: Belfast(!)

5. Brown Album - It's fine (only.)
Favourite: Lush x2

6. Snivilisation* vs. The Altogether** - I don't know... I love Funny Break, Nothing Left Out, Are We Here, Attached... but on these albums are lots of tracks that I hate eg. Tension, Waving Not Drowing, Crash And Carry...
Favourite *: Are We Here
Fav **: Funny Break
Worst: TENSION - Definitely the worst track by Orbital that I've ever heard. I hate it.


/My favourites tracks from another CDs; Frenetic, Sad but New, Beached...

Oooh, it's a tough one but here goes...


IN SIDES (highlight - The Girl With The Sun...)
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE (Spare Parts Express)
DIVERSIONS (Lush Euro Tunnel Disaster)
SNIVILISATION (Kein Trink Wasser)
BROWN ALBUM (Lush 3.1)
EVENT HORIZON (the end section of Track 2)
BLUE ALBUM (Transient)
THE ALTOGETHER (Oi!)
GREEN ALBUM (Oolaa)
OCTANE (it all sounds the same)