Cydonia

 

 

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While not always the most satisfying Orb album ever released "Cydonia" is probably the most daring and adventurous of the lot so far. A good 90% of this remarkable, landmark CD reflects some of the best and innovative work in the whole Orb opus.

"Cydonia" marks the Good Doctor's first real foray into vocal songwriting. At the time it was shocking and it took one aback. The album opens with the now-seminal "Once More" featuring the beautiful vocals of Aki Omori. The song is lush and features a sonic picture that has great depth and dimension, like the rest of the album. It was later re-mixed to great effect by Bedrock Muir & Digweed ). It is a great opener.

"Promis", one of the best Orb tracks ever with it's truly amazing sonic panorama and brilliant spacial modulation, comes next. The very French accordion-like ostinato is gorgeously "counterparted" by some very lovely and exotic Middle-Eastern strings and virtuoso Indian classical flute playing, making it impossible to "place" this track in any cultural context. Paterson's unique and utterly personal approach to wild juxtapositions set into meticulously crafted musical combinations is given full expression here. "Promis" is indeed, pan-global, even multi-dimensional. The only thing wrong with this track is that it's too short.

The third track, "Ghostdancing" is where the soaring momentum of the first two tracks grinds to a monochromatic and depressing halt. The constantly repeated downward figures and unrelenting flatness of the droning vocals makes this the only track in the entire Orb catalogue that I absolutely cannot stand. The re-mix on the second disc is MUCH MUCH better as the vocals are taken OUT. This track alone knocks the album down from a 5 to a 4. "Cydonia" IS a work of brilliant exploration that ingeniously expands the Orb vocabulary, yes, but this song is the one venture that didn't quite hit the mark.

From here on in, the album is golden though.

Following "Ghost..." we have the usual big, monstrous and muscular Orb rythms, hilarious and skewed spoken tracks "Egnalbled" and then the return of Aki Omori on the really wonderful "Centuries". It's a really fine piece of songwriting with some very deft electronic accompaniment. It ends abruptly but not unsatisfactorily in typical mad Orb style with a piece of spoken non-sequitir. All part of the album's overall flow from start to finish.

A series of really very inventive and supple pieces follows, reprising the brilliant flourishes and complex ornamentation of "Orblivion". "Thursday's Keeper" has great clarity, restraint and power. Some real Orb insanity sparkles on top of the electronic brilliance in some of the highest Orb forms ever recorded. The closing track "Terminus", a piece recorded and co-authored with Robert Fripp of King Crimson, most likely during the "FFWD" sessions, is also one of the best things LX and crew ever committed to release. It has the lush openness and organic richness of the "FFWD" pieces with Fripp's high-flying quitar providing both light and movement to the ambient tapestry. A beautiful closer to a brilliant piece of work.

The 2nd disc of re-mixes and alternate versions is well worth the purchase of this version of "Cydonia". In some cases the re-mixes or alternate versions are even better than the originals, especially "Once More" and "Terminus". The repackaging, as with the other re-releases, is exceptionally well done with Kris Needs once again commenting and informing. The artwork is amazing and continues to prove UMC's and Island's committment to really doing The Orb true justice.

NO one else in the music business has quite the originality, the skill and quirky daring of Alex Paterson and I think some of the boys on rug row at the label have finally caught up to the fact.

Of the four Orb albums I have (the others being "Ultraworld", "Orbus Terrarum", and "Orblivion"), this is almost certainly my favorite. Somehow filling a happy medium between the dark, thumping grooves of "Orblivion" and the often aimless (though sometimes beautiful) ambience of "Ultraworld", "Cydonia" is a beautiful cut of low-key electronica that usually hovers just on the edge of consciousness but sometimes ("Ghostdancing", "Hamlet of Kings", and especially the haunting -- yet strangely upbeat -- repeating arpeggios of "Terminus") shines forth as a little slice of electronic brilliance. "Terminus", in particular, is a wickedly addictive track that always seems to end about ten minutes too soon... but then that's why we have the "back" button, right?

Nice one, Dr. Patterson.

Another great album from Orb! Just wanted to mention that the UK import version has an extra track inserted at #12 (EDM) which (IMO) is easily worth the extra cost.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Still Orb, yet not Orb
I can understand why some people didn't like this Orb album. At first, I didnt like it much either. Read more

Published on Jan 22 2003 by Chris Bray

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, as usual.
First off, I must let you know, dear reader, that the four years that passed between the Orb's last album and this album were not spent idly and without lots of other releases... Read more

Published on Oct 27 2002 by keefycub

2.0 out of 5 stars Uhhh.....
I got a square deal on this disc, and purchased it in spite of my initial misgivings. I was an Orb fan from the start, and although their albums aren't the sort that I listen to... Read more

Published on Jun 11 2002 by skytwo

2.0 out of 5 stars Orb fizzle out.
There's really not much to cheer about with this album. Time seems to have left Orb behind. Gone is the long, spacey ambient flotation and we are left with music that is more dub... Read more

Published on Mar 12 2002 by Mons

5.0 out of 5 stars Dissapointing but still very good.
The long wait for the new Orb CD is over. It was almost four years between the dynamite Orblivion and Cydonia. I kinda feel a bit disspointed. Read more

Published on Jan 29 2002 by Distant Voyageur

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, but not great
The Orb was one of the first acts in electronic music I really got into. Their smooth, chilled ambience was a great soundtrack to just relaxing and being mellow. Read more

Published on Aug 1 2001 by littleoldme

2.0 out of 5 stars A great disappointment
This is a far cry from the Orb that originally defined what has become dreamy, mellow trance. Whereas other artists have expanded and improved upon their genre, it seems on this... Read more

Published on July 26 2001 by Greenie

4.0 out of 5 stars The Orb Grows up...
Yes, this is a very different album from previous efforts, boiling the tracks down into actual seperate pieces is new for Alex and shows an interest in traditional song structure... Read more

Published on July 4 2001 by A. Dorn

2.0 out of 5 stars the orb transformed into 2nd rate bjork
not the orb i used to know. listless and uninspired songs for one or more female vox who sound like bjork at her most sweetly straight. [in other words: bjork without bjork. Read more

Published on May 1 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent addition to the Orb library
I must disagree with those who have slammed this album; it is excellent, a new direction for the Orb but preserves a lot of the classic ambience that is identifiably Orb. Read more

Published on April 23 2001 by W. Bumgarner

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