Orbital - Wonky

  by Andy Cassidy

published: 30 / 4 / 2012

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Review

'Wonky' is Orbital’s ninth studio album, and their first release since the group’s 'Blue Album' in 2004. Despite claims that the Hartnoll brothers had disbanded, they have played together regularly since 2004, perhaps most memorably when they performed a piece based on a sample of the 'Dr Who' theme alongside Matt Smith at Glastonbury in 2010. The first thing that struck me listening to the album was the warmth of the music. Often electronica can be a cold and sterile affair, but Orbital have always avoided this in their work. It is particularly noticeable on 'Wonky', which, as an album owes a great deal to their recent live sets as well as their earlier studio work. Opening track 'One Big Momen't is a melodic and anthemic slab of synth vitality which positively pulses out of the speakers. It’s a big song with a big job to do – it sets the theme for the whole set – and it succeeds comfortably in both capacities. 'Wonky' strikes me more as a set than a collection of tracks, and this is evident in the sequencing of 'One Big Moment' and second track 'Straight Sun' – despite their obvious differences, there is subliminal germ that seems to link them and the transition seems organic and unforced. The album features contributions from Zola Jesus on 'New France' and Lady Leshurr on the title track. American Zola Jesus has released three albums and three LPs and lends her distinctive vocals to what is one of the more evocative tracks on the album. Lady Leshurr, described as “the female Busta Rhymes” crops up on the penultimate title track in the form of a disembodied sample, like a haunted beatbox. The track itself is backed by an entirely unpleasant staccato beat which drives incessantly towards climax which is never achieved. As electronica tracks go, in fact as music goes, this is by far one of the most disagreeable tracks that I have ever listened to. Leaving the title track aside, 'Wonky' is pretty much exactly what you would expect from an Orbital album: well-created, thoughtful, mid-pace electronica. The title track, however, is simply horrible – it’s about as enjoyable as a picnic in a mortuary. This leaves me cold about the album generally, which is probably unfair as the remainder of the record was actually pretty good. Will I listen to it again though? That remains to be seen, and, if I do, I’ll be programming the CD player to skip track eight.

Track Listing:-

1 One Big Moment
2 Straight Sun
3 Never
4 New France (Feat. Zola Jesus)
5 Distractions
6 Stringy Acid
7 Beelzedub
8 Wonky (Feat. Lady Leshurr)
9 Where Is It Going?

Band Links:-

http://www.orbitalofficial.com/
https://www.facebook.com/OrbitalOffici
https://twitter.com/orbitalband
https://www.youtube.com/user/orbitalof
https://plus.google.com/11342972107355
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75157598