Staff Reviews

The Orb - Moonbuilding 2703 AD

Review by Gavin Miller

It actually sounds kinda fun»

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Alex Paterson and Thomas Fehlmann AKA Veritable pioneers of electronic music The Orb return to Kompakt with the new full-length 'Moonbuilding 2703 AD' - a major piece of psychedelic synth bliss, obscure loops and deep ambient textures, driven by swinging breakbeats and powerful basslines. 'Moonbuilding 2703 AD' is inspired by this place called earth and the idea that in the future mankind discovers its root element in the ancient rocks on solar moons, which are based on musical harmonies, that despite being imprinted a billion lights years ago, are set to the same tempo as the Orb. Installing a forward momentum rather unusual for a genre-defying project like this, the latest effort from these sonic masterminds follows their 2005 album on Kompakt, the cheekily named 'Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt', plus several contributions to its 'Speicher' and 'Pop Ambient' series. But, more importantly, it finds the legendary duo at the peak of their creativity, ringing in another essential phase in a ground-breaking career. The new offering features a small track list, but turns each one of its four cuts into a mini epic in its own right. Opener 'God's Mirrorball' hits the ground floating, employing a handful of cosy statics to great effect before finally discharging into an intricate mosaic of atmospheric melodic sketches and gripping rhythms. With a hypnotic runtime of more than fourteen minutes, it immediately establishes a blueprint for the other album tracks to follow, perfectly illustrating the vast extent of the artists' vision and their impressive skills in luring in listeners. Likewise, second track 'Moonscapes 2703 BC' presents itself as a uniquely versatile affair, sitting comfortably between ambient flourishes and beat-driven focus, holding as many twists and turns as a caper movie, but carefully grounding every single one of its cliffhangers in its impeccable flow. With a runtime of approximately nine minutes, 'Lunar Caves' is the shortest jam of the bunch - and also the most ethereal, keeping its rhythmic content to a bare, pulse-like minimum and opting for enticing,freewheeling synth textures instead. Album closer and title cut 'Moonbuilding 2703 AD' introduces a surprisingly jazzy vibe mingling rather well with the wealth of electronic tricks - even indulging in abrasive bass sweeps and a breathtaking multitude of different rhythm sections, that constantly switch places. It's a fitting closing act for a full-length as multifaceted as this, as idiosyncratic as possible and as muscling as needed. Welcome to The Orb's aural labyrinth, where nothing is what it seems and the unexpected waits just around the corner.
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