The Orb Album: “Orb Sessions, Vol. 1”

This album is the first in what will hopefully be a long series of releases of outtakes and unreleased material from the vaults of The Orb. Like all such anthologies, it's uneven and doesn't always hang together as a whole, but hey, it's unreleased Orb music! The highlight for me has to be the very early, Cauty-era "Mummie Don't"--a nice long brew from the same cauldron of samples that spawned the KLF's "3am Eternal" and The Orb's "Adventures...". "Yungle" is an outtake from "Cydonia" that has circulated widely on the internet already. "Sail" is probably the closest thing to a pop song that The Orb have ever done! The rest of the tracks are mostly lightweight, beaty, fun music. None of this is the best of The Orb, but then again that's what that "Best of" album was for: Orb Sessions v. 1 is just simple fun for Orb fans. I do wish there was a little more information about when each piece was done and for what; a diligent Orb scholar can kind of figure it out from the personnel involved, but a little more information would help. The foil-stamped folder package with the cards is a nice touch. Wishlist for "Orbsessions vol. 2": the 60-minute version of "A Huge Ever-Growing, Pulsating Brain...", more Thrash-era material, some of the more mutated live versions of "Plateau", an "official" release of some of those "Chill Out" mixes... there's plenty to hope for.

This album has some great music. Then again there are some other songs, well let's just mention that they were not released on domestic albums for a reason. Don't get me wrong, I like the Orb and they make some great music, but this disc doesn't have the flow as some of the previous discs. If you are a dedicated Orb fan, then you just might like this disc. If you are the casual listener then you might want to look for a different disc.

Since this is a collection of previously unreleased material, by it's very nature it's going to be very hit and miss. There are a handful of amazing songs on here that I'm surprised were left off proper albums, and then some average material. But, for Orb fans, it's great to have all this stuff, so no complaints from me, and I hope they release more volumes! I agree with a previous reviewer that liner notes might have been helpful in order to identify where and when the material was composed and recorded, but as the other reviewer also said, you can sort of tell by listening what 'period' of Orb the track came from. Anyway, essential? No. But for an Orb fanatic or completist, definitely pick it up!!

I remember buying this early last year. This Orbsessions is out takes of the last three Orb albums ever since the release of Cydonia. I did not like Cydonia too much, but this certainly makes up for it. I still heard better, but there are some good moments on this disc. The first track takes you back to some familiar sounds in "Mummy Don't". It gives you the feeling like your leaning over the sea of time having memories of the past.

I will not go into huge detail over every single track. There are some tracks that I like and some tracks that are so, so. Not bad for an out takes disc or tracks that never made it on the last three Orb albums. It is generally a good idea to listen to it to decide rather to get it or leave it.

I have been an Orb fan since "Adventures...". The Orb (mostly Alex Patterson) hit a creative peak during Orbvs Terrarvm, and ever since it's been a long steady decline in quality. This collection of odds & ends really provides no liner notes or info, is packaged in a cardboard sleeve & has to the worst Orb cd to date. The songs are as monotonous & unimaginitive as ambient techno can get.