Moonbuilding On Their Own

The Orb are a duo completely unafraid of experimenting with new sounds. On Moonbuilding 2703 AD, Alex Paterson and Thomas Fehlmann take listeners on an intriguing trip to a world straight out of a science fiction book, movie or TV show (or all of the above). The album revolves around the concept of ancient civilization on the moon. This concept is explored through these four long tracks varying from nine to 15 minutes in length. Even back in the ’90s, The Orb were noted for having long and heavy tracks. These are tracks that shouldn’t be listened to on a casual basis — a person must sit and ponder the concepts illuminated by The Orb’s unique compositions.

“God’s Mirrorball” is the first track and it starts out rather slow but gradually progresses and soars by the time the 15-minute song comes to an end. It begins with the funny line that instantly results in full attention, “First, God does not exist. But don’t worry; what does exist is good, as opposed to evil. So if you believe in God, you believe in good. And that’s as it should be. You are just fine. If you believe in evil, then you probably need a whack on the back of the neck with a big fucking stick.” These quirky sound bites are scattered within the tracks at perfect moments. Sound bites are one of the things that sets The Orb apart from other, similar electronic acts.

The Orb follow a very particular set of patterns with each track and these patterns help create a general fluidity. For example, the tracks all follow a template including a beginning, middle and end. They also feature samples and start out fairly slow. Even the shortest song “Lunar Phase,” which is 9:18 minutes long, takes a solid five minutes to wake up and go out with a bang.

Moonbuilding 2703 AD shows fans of The Orb the duo are still extremely capable of releasing compelling and even groundbreaking music. The album is one that anyone who listens to a single note of will feel as if they absolutely have to listen to it in its entirety. Although The Orb have collaborated with many notable and popular artists over the years, this album shows they have no problem still carrying their own weight as well.