The Orb Album: “Pomme Fritz”

This is a great CD that is both difficult and demanding as it is fun to listen to. Admittedly the fun might come later once you begin to accept and like this CD. The first track Pomme Fritz is possibly the most accessible track on the album. After that it get's a little weird. Possibly paranoid as well. Throughout the album you might hear someone talking about how he guns, compasses and some voices telling "you will die" which really makes you feel at ill at ease with the whole thing. Track 3 probably will have you freaked out the most. Martian like voices squeaking " We're happy to be with you are you listening" and then sped up and slowed down and sometimes saying some things without a trace of a meaning

In short it is one hell of an album to come to terms with but when it does begin to sink into you, you'll begin to love it

Even if Alex stated specifically that this was done to"scare off" the less hardened punter, that DOES NOT meanthat Pomme Fritz is in any way "childish," or "a waste of time," as some people seem to think it is. That includes you, Turk.

U.F. Off was my introduction to the Orb, shortly followed by the completely and utterly wonderful U.F. Orb. And this was coming from someone who previously didn't care much for the Orb at all. Shortly after I bought U.F. Orb, I managed to obtain this and Terrarvm. The latter too, is a classic record, but I'll be damned if Pomme Fritz isn't up there with it. Because you know what? It is.

The title track gives a good idea as to how the Orb were to change their direction during 1994 - slowing the bpm to 95 and introducing more complex rhythm and form to almost every new track. Alles Ist Schoen shows that Alex is perfectly capable of producing a "beautiful" track when he wants to. As for Pastie and More Gills, I again do not see the problem. Sun Electric came on board to add their own crazy magic here, and not only does it show, it works. I fell in love instantly - Pastie and More Gills are completely over the top, but absolutely enjoyable at the same time.

This applies to those who just haven't grasped "new Autechre" either - you obviously a) just don't have the courage to listen to such original music - often shunning it as being too bland, boring, or on the flipside, too wierd and/or too unaccessable. Also b) you probably still think rubbish like 99% of the content of the current US and UK charts is worth paying money for.

Pomme Fritz, just like FFWD was at around the same time - for different reasons but just as applicable, is a milestone in "Orb history." It certainly isn't as accessible as the likes of Adventures or U.F.Orb, but unlike Orblivion (which has little in the way of redeeming features... S.A.L.T. being the prime offender), Fritz has depth, character, and often a heavy dose of emotion and soul. It's often quirky and strange, but these are surely all prime ingredients of a decent Orb track. Which means most of their material. Amen.

The 9 minute title track with its symphonic overtones opens this charming album with its varied sonic textures and interesting samples. More Gills Less Fishcakes starts of with a strange cacophony of barely audibly voice and loud noise samples cleverly integrated and then turns into a type of eerie bleepfest with discordant percussion, synth whooshes and voice samples. Somewhere in all of this there is a melody.

The electronic textures of the opening of We're Pastie To Be Grill You sounds like The Residents before the track evolves into an interesting experiment with human voice samples, only to change again into synthesizers first tinkling and screaming, then gurgling and burping; a track very hard to describe.

Banger And Chips provides welcome relief with its dreamlike melody and lilting rhythm, quite a hypnotic and engaging piece of music. The next one Alles Ist Schoen has an atmospheric female vocal and more lovely ambient sounds and flows out on evocative synth strains reminiscent of Autechre.

The last short track, His Immortal Logness, has beautiful organ sounds and just a snatch or two of samples. Throughout the album, there is a male vocal sample that refers to electroshock therapy and that ties the whole together thematically, I suppose.

Although Pomme Friz has its moments, it does not represent The Orb's best work and is not cohesive enough. I recommend the listener interested in The Orb to investigate the albums Orbus Terrarum and Adventures beyond The Ultraworld to hear the best of this innovative band.

This little album takes time to grow on you. It's certainly The Orb's most radical work and is at times a little over the top. However, the title track is worth the price of admission (as it were) alone. It's dulcic tones are a throw back to the beauty of Spanish Castles In Space and a worthy prelude to Plateau.

For die hard Orb fans only.

This is a trippy, drippy morph of bips, blips, beeps, sweeps, synths, samples, drops, ambiance, creeps, creeks, meeps, mopes and so on, and on, and on, and on. You can be completely sober and this album will transport you to pluto and back. Stopping off at every convenience store open along the way