Reviews (page 3 of 8)
absolutely not, gave up quick
Better than expected (admittedly I had very low expectations as a very much non EDM/ techno fan). Has elements of ambient. The simplistic computer drums annoy me a bit but I get that ravers high on drugs can't handle anything more complex. Probably deserves a place on the list.
Soulless and boring
A bit annoying at times. 3.5
The actual meat of this record was decent, but the ends of it were straight garbage. Favourite Track(s): Monday Least Favourite Track(s): Time Becomes, Input Out
Background music. More like a videogame soundtrack
Este album tiene la misma edad que yo. Al escucharlo pensaba en que, cuando yo nací, la gente de mi edad probablemente estaba escuchando esto, y me dí cuenta que después de tanto tiempo nada ha cambiado. O que todo cambio demasiado. La verdad es no pensé en nada y sólo quería completar la reseña con tonterías.
This is probably best experienced in a dingy french club in the late 90s, but I still found it a very enjoyable electronica album. Some great grooves and loops on here, it’s very repetitive but that’s to be expected. Would recommend throwing this on in the background while you’re doing something, and you’ll probably have more fun with it than if you try to sit down and devote all your attention to it.
Day 10 Orbital 2 (The Brown Album) by Orbital I’m not really that familiar with electronic or ambient music. I’ve listened to some of the bigger stuff like Aphex Twin and Daft Punk, and maybe Kid A, but I’ve never really gone deeper than that. So going into this, and after seeing some reviews, I was a bit worried. The first track starts and it’s basically a two-minute loop of “time becomes a loop” and I thought, yeah… this might be rough. But then “Planet of the Shapes” kicks in and something just clicks. From there I was actually really into it. I listened to this after a 12-hour work day, which sounds like the worst possible time for an album like this, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. At points I even felt like dancing, which I definitely didn’t expect. There’s some really beautiful, experimental ambient stuff here. It can get a bit repetitive, but I never felt bored. There are a lot of great moments throughout. “Lush 3-1”, “Impact (The Earth Is Burning)” and especially “Halcyon + On + On” were all fantastic. Wine pairing? Something crisp and clean like a dry Riesling or even a sparkling wine. It fits the flowing, slightly hypnotic feel of the album. Food pairing? Fresh ceviche works perfectly. Light, fresh, a bit vibrant. Favourite song? “Halcyon + On + On”. It’s a 3.5 for me, but I’ll round it up to 4 out of 5.
Not for me
Mejor de lo que esperaba. Creí que iba a sonar anticuado y hay algunos temas que son bastante atemporales. Mi impresión con la música electrónica es que casi puedes saber qué sintetizadores y samplers estaban de moda en el momento en que se grabó un disco. En este caso no es así. Interesante.
Megabanger
oh wow if only im in a nightclub. but the limitation of places that im hearing this could only grant it a 4 4/5
Definitely not an album to listen to straight through, and not really for me, but I don't mind it?
Groovy tunes to clean to.
Just had a hard time with this - the collection is more suited for a modern bar reception area as background comfort.
This was a snoozefest and for the mixing is terrible.
Halcyon + On + On
Interesting
I knew within the first 3 seconds I would not enjoy this. But I gave it a chance and it went from a 1 to a 2!
What?
4/5. Electronic music is probably my biggest musical blind-spot. I listen to and love some of the biggest acts such as Aphex Twin or Daft Punk, but I’ve never really gone deeper than the surface level into the many artists and sub-genres of electronic. So this Orbital album (often referred to as “The Brown Album”) was completely new to me. And I really liked it, there’s a great sense of flow to the album and a ton of great instrumental passages to get lost in. my favorite songs were probably “Remind” and “Halycon and on and on.”
i'm surprised by myself that i like this cheesy dance mix quite a lot. but what can i do...
The first track goes on too long for me to just put the album on and enjoy. I'd have to skip most times. The rest is solid and I love Halycylon + on + on. Going low
It is amazing the uptick in British electro from 1993. This album is at point’s euphoric. Low 4
It seems to get better as it goes along, or maybe i was hypnotized 😵💫
It takes a little too long to get going, but once it does, Orbital 2 is great. I quickly admired their confidence in how long they spent with each idea, slowly tweaking, introducing new elements and building until they grew into monstrous forces of propulsion, endlessly moving forward. You feel like you’re in safe hands, being delivered one driving beat after another. It does the opposite of a typical pop record in that it ends on its very best material, but because of this, and the album’s evolution, they more than earn the 65 minute running time.
Orbital 2 is getting a high 4, its my kind of acid techno and i think some of its good, most of it is great, and one or two tracks are perfect
Not usually a fan of Techno / Dance, but I've always liked Orbital. For me, the best track on the album is "Remind".
Pretty cool
Solid electronica that feels very much of its time. Halycon is probably the most widely known song from Orbital, yet I found other tracks to be better. Surprising to see so many harsh reviews about this album.
I’m not super into 90’s electronic music
time becomes a loop
What?
idk, this was released when I was 1, so it's not for me. weird, yes. cool, maybe? the last song made me feel like I was going insane. I'm once again questioning how these 1001 albums were selected.
These types of albums are always an hour long for some reason and they absolutely do not need to be.
I am by no means an expert on this sort of music, but I enjoyed it. It's light dance music, but it's up-tempo, melodic and not repetitive. It's not demanding, but it's bouncy and pleasant. This is something I definitely wouldn't mind having on while I'm doing work or driving around in the car.
Thought I’d enjoy this more
Pretty good
If Halcyon + On + On can make it on to the Mortal Kombat, Hackers and Mean Girls OST it deserves a 4
I always liked Halcyon. The rest sounded like a sonic the hedgehog music so I was very into it. Probably a 3.7
A nice techno album from the early years. Favorite Songs: Halcyon + On + On
Great. Now I'll never be able to rewatch 'Time Squared' without wincing. Thanks for that. I love spacey electronica, so it's both puzzling and disappointing that I wasn't able to fully connect with this album. Maybe it's because this is less spacey electronica and more repetitive club music? Or maybe Orbital's just not my thing? I reread my review for 'Snivilisation', and I see it also left me feeling lukewarm. This time, however, there's no Alison Goldfrapp to save the experience.
I’m rated this based on that first track that really pushed me off a cliff. The rest of this was fine enough for a bump high, however I can be spiteful when annoyed.
It’s fun and some great stretches, but kind of annoying sometimes. Maybe not a sit down listen through type album, but worth a spin when you’re in the mood.
Chinese water torture. 1.5
2.0/10
Decent electronic set
Profoundly boring.
I think I'd really enjoy ketamine.
Was hoping for something more transcendent, but what I got instead feels like being stuck in the world’s longest buildup with no real payoff. For an album that’s often hailed as a landmark of early‑’90s rave culture, the experience at home can come across as oddly flat — like the energy that was meant to lift these tracks just isn’t there. A lot of the record leans heavily on looping motifs, and when those loops don’t evolve enough, it really does start to feel like the needle’s caught in a groove. Tracks drift on and on with a kind of relentless repetition that probably did make more sense in a heaving warehouse setting — but sitting at home in 2026, it can just feel, well… boring. There are glimpses of something great (“Halcyon + On + On” nearly rescues the whole experience), but as a full album journey it’s easy to feel underwhelmed. A classic of its time, sure — but maybe only truly magical in its time, with the right crowd, the right volume, and the right context.
Number 2
Let’s start positively. I really liked Lush 3.1. On the negative side I hated everything else on this album. A lacklustre way to bring in the big five double zero.
I get that this was cool and innovative, I just couldn't get into it. 3/21/26
I’ve never done drugs or gone to a rave, but maybe I should? I had never heard of this before, and I liked it a lot.
Mortal Kombat song couldn't save the album from ultimately being mid. Intro and outro annoying. Halcyon is a banger though.
Meh
I am not into this at all.
It was a weird start and hard to get into (the first track was rough!). Electronic dance music is not really my thing but it does pick up and has energy.
conflicted because I was so tranced out by this album that i barely even know what i just listened to, but also thats kind of the point of trance music. kind of null complaint i guess. theres some really cool segments on this album, i won't remember them, but if some put this on i would tell them to turn it off. its cool to listen to.
weird shit
At 65 minutes duration listening to "Orbital 2" felt like a chore. The tracks blend into one another without ever being engaging, and it is an album that occupies space without ever becoming memorable. For me it was a somewhat charmless and dull listen. Two stars. 1. "Time Becomes" (2/5) 2. "Planet of the Shapes" (3/5) 3. "Lush 3-1" (2/5) 4. "Lush 3-2" (2/5) 5. "Impact (The Earth Is Burning)" (2/5) 6. "Remind" (2/5) 7. "Walk Now..." (2/5) 8. "Monday" (2/5) 9. "Halcyon + On + On" (2/5) 10. "Input Out" (2/5) Total - 21 Average - 2.1 274/1001 148/274 albums reviewed were new to me
Album number 299 and another electronica one. To this point I've been pretty positive about the genre, as the selections have been a bit different than what I think of as EDM. I liked that they didn't sound like I was at a rave and just dancing to the same thing non-stop. When this album began I thought I might be in for another interesting take. But then PLANET OF THE SHAPES began and it sounded like every song my youngest child used to play in the car on the way to his hockey games back in high school. And I didn't enjoy that aspect of the drives. There were two songs on this record that didn't sound like that, so they were the ones I liked the most - LUSH 3-2 and HALCYON + ON + ON. I didn't hate this, but I also didn't like it all that much. It's a 2.5 that can go either way when I finally decide in the morning. Now I'll be a bit more skeptical with the rest of the electronic albums as we move forward.
An absolute hit
I liked it a lot but I know this won’t be for everyone. It sounds very much like Trent Reznor’s film score work.
These tracks are kind of rudimentary. Sound like something a teenager would make. Was it groundbreaking, though? The opening, Time Becomes (a loop), needed to do much more to justify its 1:44 runtime. I understand that it is mirrored by the closing track, btu neither is particularly good. The penultimate track Halcyon On And On was the most enjoyable for me, but I also enjoyed parts of Walk On... Another Orbital album, Snivilisation is also in this list, and is much better for my money. Do we really need two Orbital albums on the list anyway? It would have been nice to include some Lemon Jelly or something instead.
I'll be generous and give this a 2. It's not for me but I could see it doing well for raves.
Okay so do you remember those math problems in grade school where two kids started running laps around a track at different speeds and you had to figure out how long it would be before they lined up next to each other again? That’s track 1. Answer: too long. As is the rest of the album. This is nothing. There is nothing here. I guess it is probably pretty fun if you're at the club though
I don’t know. Not so great. 2 songs made me “move”? Extremely repetitive.
Not my thing but I guess it's good dance music.
do not have the patience for this, almost turned it off, dabbled in some of the more favorited songs in spotify to avoid giving it a 1 outright
2* for Orbital 2
I liked it, made me think of desert temples and those arcade racing games. Quite windy.
Very 90’s but fun. Driving beats
From the first song, I kind of knew this album was going to go downhill. I loved and listened to a lot of techno in the late 90s. I tried to be open minded because this was early 90s. They were on the forefront but this album is just blah. It is definitely not one of the albums I needed to listen to before I die.
Spacey dance music that has great atmospheric soundscapes. It has almost a punk vibe to it. Not the type of record I would just throw on at home, but for a party or at the club this would be a hit. Even though I wouldn't buy this I can appreciate it, any EDM fan should check it out.
Great middle, terrible beginning and end.
Bangers
Yeah electronic music is horrible to me.
The beginning and end are barely music - just some weird chanting. Did not like. It got better in the middle, electronic without lyrics, decent upbeat background music, got my head bopping.
Quite enjoyed this one. Nothing in particular stood out but the vibe was good.
Just superb.
это непонятно и иногда даже неслышно
Not bad as far as background music goes, except for the first and last "song," which were just unnecessary.
Ooh! Mortal Kombat song!
Opening and closing tracks actively awful. The rest is OK.
While I am not as negative as many others here, I feel... disappointed I suppose? It feels as if the music is constantly building towards something but just doesn't find that crescendo. The songs also become very repetitive after a while. Of course I know that this is the point but I would've preferred some more variations. Once a song is built up, it just doesn't innovate and keeps the same loop for 5 minutes. Best songs are PLANTES OF THE SHAPES and HALYCON + ON + ON. 4/10, make them shorter or more varied.
HALCYON + ON + ON and LUDH 3-2
Time is indeed a loop if you listen to this shit.
Some cool moments. Too trancey for my likeling.
i can't understand how the hell this album finish in this List.
Took a deep breath when I was served my first helping of techno from the list. It's not my thing. The initial mobius time loop thing wasn't an auspicious start, but the rest was really fine, innocuous. I might really enjoy listening to this on a moving walkway in an international airport, in no great hurry and with no real thoughts in my head. Was it the best electronica I've ever heard? Yes, so far. Did it give me a new appreciation for the genre? No. Did it bother me? No. Would I call this an essential listen? No. It's a solid 2+/3-. Rounded down.
Pretty good Dance album. More on the trippy and atmospheric side of techno rather than the heavy and pummeling one. There are some good progressions happening here but I wish they'd happen a bit more often, though. Of course it sounds very dated, as electronic music tends to, but I find it charming and nostalgic, even if this was before my time. Key tracks: Lush 3-1 Remind Halcyon + On + On
Dance music remains not my thing at all, though I found this relatively painless all things considered.
Rating: 4.5/5 Short Review: Hypnotic, spacious electronic music that slowly builds layers instead of chasing quick drops. It feels thoughtful and immersive, like watching patterns form in motion. Favorite Track: Halcyon + On + On. The looping vocal and steady progression create a floating, almost emotional atmosphere that just keeps unfolding.
Geschmackssache.
HALCYON + ON + ON is banger
Well, that was a stinker. 2/10
Decent. Some sounds sound strait out of Earthbound.
I started listening to some Orbital after they popped up on the list a while back and I really like them. They have a playful approach to techno. This album has the big thumping bass beats, but it also has fun futuristic bleeps and bloops and weird synth sounds that hook me as much as the beat. This album is a delight and it gets better as it goes on.
Really enjoyable ambient / techno / edm from the early 1990's. Something I find funny is that in the biggest track, "HALYCON + ON + ON", there's an audible break in the drum sample loop in the first half of the song, almost like they added this loop into the track and the BPM of the entire song is just slightly different; creating this little hiccup. Not a negative at all, in fact I find it quite "real". I like a lot about this. The production is nice, the tunes are a joy to listen to, and even the album art is consistent with this style at the time. I knew what to expect.
Boring machine noise
This starts a bit slow but then becomes really engaging. The extended/delux version was pretty good as well
Saved? ❌ Would listen again? ❌ Would recommend to anyone? ❌ Would buy on Vinyl? ❌
Really cool
4 stars
Most of it was pretty good, but there was some bullshit in the opening and closing track. My favourites were Lush 3.1, IMPACT and MONDAY.
First listened on 28th July 2025. Favourite song is HALCYON + ON + ON.
Trance-ish, rhythmic, spatial
Large it. Throwing some great shapes.
This one surprised me. I didn’t want to like it, but listened to it twice and will definitely come back. Really innovative and takes you away from reality
Fell asleep. Tried to listen again. Realised I was right first time. Sometimes it's better to listen to your body. 1*
More experimental, at least at the beginning, than their following record Snivilisation. And the music at the beginning suffers. It's ridiculously repetitive, with the opening track being symbolic of what's to come (see appendix below). At least what's being repeated is kind of entertaining, if only in a mind-numbingly goofy way. The track PLANET OF THE SHAPES does better with its soundscaping tendencies – that second section (when the percussion drops out) is kind of mesmerising. But that melody on the synths gets old after the first eight or so minutes. Lush 3.1 is where the album really picks up: the high, floaty synths pack a punch, and the music doesn't overstay its welcome. LUSH 3-2 has a different title format to Lush 3.1 for some reason, and the track is also a big step down in general. IMPACT (The Earth Is Burning) is decent for the majority of its ten-minute track length. Where it really picks up is near the end, when intricate, otherworldly synths start playing a shockingly great series of interweaving melodic lines before transitioning into REMIND, another rock-solid track. WALK NOW and MONDAY suffer from the same repetitiveness as Time Becomes and LUSH 3-2, though I will give a special mention to the ringtone-like synth sound on Monday. It gets old really quickly, sure – but for the first 20 seconds or so, it's pretty compelling! Then there's the big single, the poppy HALCYON + ON + ON. And honestly, I understand the appeal. Reminds me of Björk, and for that reason alone it's one of the best songs here. Appendix: where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loop / where time becomes a loo output rotation (input translation) / output rotation (input translation) / output rotation (input translation) / output rotation (input translation) / output rotation (input translation) / output rotation (input translation) / output rotation (input translation) / output rotation (input translation) / output rotation (input translation) / output rotation (input tra 3/5 Key tracks: Lush 3.1, IMPACT (The Earth Is Burning), HALCYON + ON + ON
Well, this is definitely a first. The first time I’ve wanted to skip every song on an album because of how weak it was. These songs are like a light breeze blowing past you when you’re seeking mayhem. Like this album can’t settle into any musical category perfectly. It’s too pussy for Prodigy. Not catchy enough for Daft Punk. Not weird like Mr. Ouizo. Not even trippy enough for Josh Wink. This is pretty much your parents music if they listened to electro trance dance euro vision whatever this is
Fine. A few good parts here and there. A lot of it sounded dated. Good for video game music, meh for an album.
Mostly boring. A few nice moments but rarely. Just not my thing.
Fucking no thank you.
I enjoyed this album on first listen. I didn’t like both the tracks that just repeated the same words over and over, but it’s a minor nitpick because imo it's there not to be heard as actual tracks, but to add onto this album's overall feel. Fav song is IMPACT (The Earth Is Burning), least fav is PLANET OF THE SHAPES.
It's a real shame to see that Orbital aren't getting much love on here. I carry a level of bias as this is music I grew up around, that has always been part of my life, but I genuinley belive that the Hartnols made some of the most beautiful, human and heartfelt music in the 90s. This record lacks some of the progressivness that elevates their other records, but still stands as a wonderful LP with a lot to love.
I struggle to listen to Orbital tbh, if I was in a club then ok, but not at my age, it’s not going to happen….
Had such a great time listening to the whole album. Full of bangers, great melodies, and great vocal work. An experimental trip all the way through (lovingly).
Not my bag
4 but 5 for the memories
Another influential piece that I simply don't enjoy.
At least the album doesn't sound completely lazy, but rather deliberate. So I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and assume it has some value for enthusiasts.
Comme la plupart des albums électro qu'on a eu à date : des p'tits bouttes pas pire, des longs bouttes poches. Drums pas bons. 2.49 étoiles
Oh great, Orbital again. Just what I needed... Yeah, I kinda hated Snivilisation when I listened to it in November 2024, so I was not excited in the slightest for its predecessor Orbital 2. Apparently this album is widely considered to be the better of the Orbital albums on the list, so I did go into the album with somewhat of an open mind, but I'm sorry. I just can not get into 90s UK techno at all. This is not my thing and it does not appeal to me. All of these albums are so repetitive and too long and everything feels so... mechanical and I just don't care for it! I will say that the people who have called this album better than Snivilisation are right in saying that, as this album isn't nearly as bad as that one. For one, it's 10 minutes shorter! Still over an hour, of course, but a little goes a long way with cutting the time down on these sorts of albums. Additionally, I can actually point to a song on this thing and call it good! "Halcyon and On and On" is actually a pretty solid song. Not quite good enough for my "Best of the Albums" playlist, but it actually kind of intrigued me and wasn't mind-numbing so it's practically a masterpiece in comparison to the rest of the album and the entirety of Snivilisation. I'm sorry, but I just don't care for this style of music. I'm willing to admit that that's a me issue, but I can't pretend to like what I don't like, okay? I'm not upset that I listened to this because the argument for inclusion on a list like this is there, but I am fully willing to admit that I never want to listen to Orbital again. 2/5. Somehow that's my first 2 or lower of 2026. Crazy. Here's hoping that I don't get too many more!
I enjoyed this album. Halcyon + On + On was the only song I’d heard before (in Hackers) but I’d always liked it. Solid overalll.
it’s aight
where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loopwhere time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop
A twist in the fabric of space, where time becomes a loop
So dated, it's far to awkward to listen to and take seriously.
Splendid, just splendid.
It was just a load of irritating noises. I did not enjoy it one little bit.
Time is already a loop you numpty, a 24-hour one. I get the feeling you're supposed to be so off your tits that the titles become deep and profound. Woah man, if you think about it man, like, everything is made of shapes 🤯 This album sounds like a collection of rejected PS1 demo disc and puzzle game backing tracks. I guess the only good thing to say is that those were more mid-90s than early, so this might be somewhat ahead of its time? Input loads of drugs - translation - output this pile of shite.
Didn't really catch me at any point, felt a little too random
I was not previously familiar with this album but I know the artist. This is a sort of ambient dance music, I guess it is Techno. It is pretty interesting. I like music like this to have on in the background while working. I am not sure if I would ever sit down to listen to music like this, but I appreciate being able to put it on while working on something.
Halcyon and on and on is a 5, the rest of the album, a 2.
After an hour of relentless, monotonous, rhythmic noise finally ends, the silence that follows is eerily deafening. And you realize the full measure of the audio torture you've just endured.
Good to fall asleep to
Not my thing but I sort of liked it.
Godawful, bit dancy but more annoying than anything else
What is going on. Ok it's two white bald guys let's see what's cooking. I think time becomes a loop. Is there gonna be music orrrr. Is Orbital 1 also on this list? I feel like I should've been given that one first. Whatever though. So when's the music gonna start playing lowkey. This is interesting but not for me. I liked Darkdancer and Music Has The Right To Children better in this kinda genre. This is not checking my boxes unfortunately. Why is it so long. Ok the more you get into it the more it's a vibe but still what are we doing. This was probably never been done before in the 90s but every other song sounds like this now. This couldn't possibly be worth over an hour. It is a bunch of funky beats I'll give them that. Favourite: Lush 3.1 Least favourite: Time Becomes/Input Out
fever dream type shit
I liked the lush one bu that was thr only one gave a little taste of pink panther in that only song because of the electric and the voice but the others are social experiments I think my mum can do better tbh
maybe matthews mum would like this but not me
Amazing sounds. Orbital is always in a class of their own when it comes to electronic music. Like their name suggests, positively astrophysical at times. And the time becomes a loop intro is a great way to bring you into the album. Clear 5/5.
Very électronique and almost feels incomplete, like backing tracks. Favourite track: MONDAY
Some nice melodies here, lot of boring repetition that a lot in the genre suffer from, halcyon was nice, idk 2.5ish round up
🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤯
(64/100)
I do enjoy electronic music but why the hell is this on the list? This is background music of the most boring kind. I think Muzak might be more interesting. What a waste of time listening to this was. Ugh, so lame.
Uff, so many of these electronic ones aren't bad per se, but they have a place and its not an album - its tripping balls on hat rin at a full moon party, played by a dj with other songs. But as an album just to listen it's a bit boring, and the spoken word opener/closer are just silly.
Pretty good electronic, didn't seem to wear out it's welcome
What a great electronic/edm album, it was refreshing to hear honestly. I lost track of myself while listening to this album, it was a great listen. Personally favorite off the album was Halcyon & Lush 3.1/3.2
Boring and repetitive, even if it does have some interesting sounds, that probably were innovative at the time.
I’m not a house music guy, but I can tell this is good
The one thing that bothers me most is artless repetition so I struggled not to quit at the very first track. This does not bode well. I hear touches of Devo in these early tracks. The sound is good, though I am not a huge EDM fan. The last track had similar repetition so if you can't stand that, stay away.
Pretty boring other than that one song in cky2k
2 many Orbital
Rubbish. The songs are far too long, not as clever as the writers think and they seem really old fashioned. It has not aged well.
Not good. Extra point for being somewhat original and unique but I would imagine this only gets worse the closer you listen.
https://www.discogs.com/release/6689288-Various-Groove-Music-From-And-Inspired-By-The-Motion-Picture
I liked this but it's because I was the right age at the right time to experience it. It's pure nostalgia (for me) based dance music meant to keep a driven BPM going for hours and to keep a dancefloor full. I think with that in mind, it succeeds. It may sound almost generic but Orbital were the pioneers and hit makers in this short lived but wildly popular genre. It captures a lot of that 90's dance aesthetic that isn't poppy, but not quite up it's own ass, yet still sophisticated, etc, etc.
I already like this one!
Dated electronica that I am not sure was great when it was released. Middle of the road with no particular track jumping out.
Ambient music with a pulse and some grit. Generally I prefer my electronic music with some vocals which is why _Halcyon + On + On_ was by far my fave track here. The rest was good too, though it did occasionally labour the point and it's too long but it's something I might listen to in the right mood.
Just some damn good 90's electronica. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
It’s a 3. I mean, I did genuinely like it. The issue with this album is that whenever it hits the peak of “vibes”, it just keeps going for twice as long as it needs to. Electronica is paced at its best when you can put the listener in a really nice spot, and then go to the finish, leaving them simultaneously satisfied & yet wanting more. The issue with actually giving them more is that, unless you’re a master of knowing how to really keep progression from feeling stale (like say, a Fatboy Slim, an 808 State, a DJ Shadow, etc), then it’s very easy to come down from that “really nice spot” and just feel sort of bored by the time any given track ends. That’s this album’s fatal flaw; it flows really nicely between tracks, with good starts & good finishes, but for the vast majority of the album, the actual middle/core of each track just goes on for far, far too long. This is an issue Orbital would largely avoid on “Snivilisation”, save for the last track there, so I guess they learned from this album’s faults. Past that, I think it’s just a little too obviously dated to 1993; with a lot of these tracks lacking vocal samples & some of the same vibes as their UK house contemporaries, the MIDI synths here are left to carry the load, and they just don’t carry them that well. There’s some good melodies & moments here, occasionally feeling like a really good base for a Fatboy Slim instrumental, but without the extra heft & energy (see: rock elements) involved, they just never reach that higher point that electronica requires to put the listener into more of a fever pitch. As I said though, I liked it, and I do think a much more trimmed version of this album that cuts the fat would flow really nicely; if they could get this down to 40-45 minutes (probably possible), I really think it would be more warmly received. As it stands, it’s just at a 3 for me, and that’s probably its ceiling. At least Worf was here. That was kinda neat.
90s underground edm, Pinnacle sounds of the electronic scene from that decade.
Engrossing
It's alri, not rushing back to listen to it
1/5
Not a terrible electronic album, but it has the usual flaw of the genre: endless, mind-numbing repetition. Several times I lost track of where one song stopped and the next started. Eventually I just mentally tuned it out, like someone who lives by train tracks and no longer notices the trains rumbling past.
Some alright edm but no real take offs with the builds
Niet verwacht, wel gewaardeerd
The entire first track is a Worf quote looped. 😆 The rest of the album is techno wavy nonsense but good background music
this album rules and i am disgusted by ratings lower than taylor swift. shame
The back half is really good. Like halfway through this thing started to really quick for me, and I found myself lost in a web of simple melodies and grooves that together made up a world. Simple but effective
I listened to this on my commute, and to be honest, I was reading my book knowing it was the type of music that could provide a perfect background, but it wasn’t until I got off my train and really listened that I really started to realise how good it is, although, that could also be coincidence with probably the best track coming on on in Impact. The repetitive, looped intro and outro, are slightly annoying to be honest, and it’s quite long as an album, but I didn’t mind that as both Orbital albums on the list have been enjoyable to me, they are easy to get lost in.
Another by these guys. I think I prefer the other one, Worf sample notwithstanding.
die Psychose im Halbschlaf war Heavy und ich konnte mir gerade die Songs nicht geben Vlt. eigentlich voll valid, aber gerade passt es nicht Was ich hörte war aber halt auch nicht scheiße 3,5/10
It is very interesting. Intro and outro show how creative they are. The album felt too long for me, but despite that I enjoyed parts of it, their music is catchy and it feels intelligently produced.
- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM
Alright electronic music. Not terrible, not spectacular.
One long track of long track of sound of souunnd.
I enjoyed what I heard. Certainly influential in the electronic world of music but also a little dated. Overall worth a listen.
So I should love this; ambient techno from the early 90s brings me back to the height of the rave scene. But it doesn't, it's actually pretty awful. I was never a big Orbital fan to begin with, but I figured they would have some deep cuts on their albums that were worth a listen. At the very least, I would find the music pleasing to have on in the background. Having listened to first one and now two of their albums from start to finish, I'm thinking they're actually a bit overrated. It's very dull, badly constructed telephone waiting music. I can't even forgive them for being "ground breakers" as other artists had already done this over a decade earlier, with far better results. If there's anything cleverer than just stacking up and layering samples going on, then it's way over my head. My overall feeling was that this was what it sounds like when someone uses all the built-in samples in a new DAW and randomly adds them to see what they all sound like, i.e. disposable garbage-music. "Little Fluffy Clouds" was kind of epic back in the day, and I assumed that this was an album by the guys who made that. It's not, that was "the Orb", similar name I guess. So after that blunder, what was Orbital's most famous track I wonder? Well it seems that was "Halcyon", so I held off my judgement in case that was amazing; it wasn't, it sucked just as bad as the rest of this album! There's very little mainstream music that sounds quite like this in the 2020s, and to be honest, I feel that's a good thing. We've moved on from repetitive, poorly made ambient techno and I hope it never comes back into fashion again. One star.
This was alright. Musically it had some cool moments, but honestly I was kinda bored by the halfway point and had to slog through the rest. Not really my genre. Two stars.
"Orbital" (also known as "Orbital 2" or "The Brown Album") is the second studio album by English electronic music duo Orbital. Techno and dance are the Wiki-listed genres. The duo aimed for more atmospheric music than their "dance rave" debut. And the duo is brothers Phil and Paul Hartnell. Commercially, the album reached #13 on the UK charts and had wide-spread critical acclaim. "Time Becomes" opens with an echoing vocal sample of "Star Trek: The Next Generation's" Worf repeating "where time becomes a loop." A techno dance beat and a synth melody. The sound gets louder. There's a dance break and the synth goes dreamy and psychedelic. A high-pitched phasing synth keys and a knocking beat begins "Planet of the Shapes." Dreamy, layered synths. The song slowly develops a dance beat. More of the techno beats, looping synths and electronic songs carry "Remind." Spiraling synths and ominous, serious synths. A harder edge almost guitar sounding synth. The first single "Halcyon + On +On" starts with a dreamy synth intro and piano keys. Kirsty Hacksaw's vocals are layered and dreamy adding to the atmosphere. A dance beat eventually comes in. The most pop-sounding song on the album. Techno, trippy, hypnotic, and psychedelic. The beats are varied. There's synth noises, synth carrying the melody and synths layered. The music is techno and rave at its core and successfully builds with the dreamy, psychedelic, droning and complex synth arrangements. A few songs have movie dialogue samples which are fine. This is a very good album especially in the techno/EDM genres. And if you're a fan of those, this is a must listen.
Nothing like starting your day with the buzzkill of being assigned yet another UK electronica album from this generator. And then that buzzkill being immediately confirmed by the album starting with the worst "song" you can possibly imagine
i don’t know what it is but i really love the late 90s/early 2000s electronic albums, this was awesome, i loved a lot about it and th songs were great
Most pleasant instrumental album this far. Great music for certain kinds of work or exercise.
Started strong, then I got bored, then I really liked it again, then forgot about it. I think that makes it a solid “3”
Couldn’t finish it
Damn Dimebag owes a lot to Eddie.
I never really listened to Orbital, besides a couple songs on soundtracks in the 90's. However, I do really like the couple albums on this list, as a fan of 90's electronic music. It's not anything revelatory for me, but it's very good, chill, and fun to listen to.
This is so boring. Why is it even on this list? Maybe it was influential to something grander? I don't know or care.
Kinda unexciting which was a bit expected for an hour long video electronic album but I didn’t hate it either. It had its highlights fs but its lowlights too.
I’ll give this 4 stars. What do I care anyway
i had never heard this before and i almost gave it 5 stars... it was a bit too legit... i was scared by its legitness
This just barely passes as acceptable background music. I don't know what lunatic would dance to this (it's classed as dance music on wikipedia) and what shitshow that would look like. I'd image a life threatening amount of drugs would be needed to make it remotely entertaining. 1.5
Bit strange
Good music to work to. As a Sydney resident, I enjoyed (and saved to a playlist) Walk Now
where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop where time becomes a loop
I recall a lot of discussion of Orbital as a kid and I definitely remember rave culture dominating the news. My understanding is that this dropped not long before the Criminal Justice Act came into being in the UK following the demonisation of the rave scene and put an end to the sort of unified rave culture as it existed which I think is something that should warrant significant reflection in the UK in 2026. The album itself is such a fantastic illustration of what was happening in 90s rave music and whilst I don't often consider Orbital to be the height of electronic music, their impact is undeniable and the album is such an easy listen. Each track takes its time to build and swell: each blooms as a distinct flower in the same garden. The layering is a straightforward guide to electronic music composition and I think people mistake that simplicity as being of less value, but even if you take the album out of time, there are lessons here to learn.
not my personal jam
Some good tracks but the interludes are so jarring
Interesting
This album is cool and groovy and works nicely as ambient background music but somehow makes me feel uneasy. There's no euphoria.
Couldn’t finish. I’m sure it’s someone’s vibe but it’s definitely not mine
Første og siste sporet va uhorvelig irriteranes ganske raskt, og det innimellom dem va ikke kjempeimponeranes, men ikke fælt heller, så helt ok som bakgrunnsmusikk på en søndag.
The album certainly got off on the wrong foot just repeating “time becomes a loop“ over and over, but I found the rest of the album interesting. It wasn’t my favorite techno album, but I could get into it.
enjoyed this quite a bit, very 90’s electronica
I gave Orbital 1 a 3. I don't think I can get to a 3 on this one. It's not bad, but when it feels a lot longer than the hour and five minutes that it says it is, I can tell that it was wearing on me. I like the riff in Impact, and don't mind Monday. I guess enough people listen to the Hackers soundtrack to make Halcyon and On and On the top song by a mile for Orbital. It's good, but not good enough to save the album.
I don't think I'll revisit this album much beyond a few outstanding tracks, but I think it works really well and sounds good - in fact, I would say that "Time Becomes" is a better song that many of the generic rock tracks on a lot of the mid-level albums on this list. That track is like Blue Monochrome by Yves Klein - many people may say it's pointless, but you can also find a near-infinite number of rhythms and meanings within a seemingly monochrome and/or monotone work. Not saying that I'm putting it in playlist rotation, but still. Halcyon is pretty unquestionable in its greatness though, I have to say.
Ambient electronic music. Mediocre.
3 - decent electronica album
Not for me
Awesome
Good but need to be in a club
Wtf early ass house music but kinda cool
As someone who doesn't listen to techno, I fully recognize that this one is probably a me problem, but I just couldn't figure out what the point of all this was?
Try harder
The intro and outro tracks are just a clip of someone talking, played back on top of itself. It's interesting but kind of annoying to listen to. The rest of the album is dance/techno and it's OK but not really my thing.
I'll give this a 3, because I've given other similar albums to those a 3. But, going forward, I'm going to dock similar albums a star, because I just don't know what they are bringing to the list. None of the similar techno albums we've had a bad, per se, but they are interchangeable in the extreme.
Somewhat dated but largely unobjectionable electronica.
Nothing not to like about this album. And it's really great to work to.
This was a foundational album in my burgeoning interest in electronic music back in the mid 90s. Their Green album was a good start, but it almost sounded too dated when I first heard it way back then. This Brown album, however, is still as excellent as I remember finding it then. This is not their pinnacle. That would come a few years later with In/Sides and Middle of Nowhere. But this is still an album that I pull out every few months.
7/10
Eh. It's alright. Just not my thing. 3/5.
This does dance music really well.
2.0
I tried. I just can’t.
Supongo que sería revolucionario. Supongo que cambiaría para siempre la historia de la música electrónica. Supongo que merece la pena. Pero no me aporta absolutamente nada está música y creo que a nadie en estado mental estable. Así que musicalmente sólo puedo decir que no tiene más contenido que una canción infantil repetida en loops.
I'm sure it did a lot for EDM and there's some good stuff in there but it's not for lounge -listening. Maybe driving or in a club 2 - a good album but not my thing
A bit boring for me, good for falling asleep to, which is what I did. I think I’d stopped doing drugs by the time this came out!
Mochte die vocal loops am Anfang nicht so aber passen thematically, ansonsten guter casual listen 4.5/5.0
Strange, but okay vibes. 3 stars
univers tres eloigné du mien, j’ai bien kiffé le dj ridou
Too much excitement
My daughter and I listened to this yesterday evening, not sure that I like it, it goes on and on through the various names of songs, maybe at. Festival this might be better?
Like I've tuned into an alien radio station. Feel like a good meal needs to be paired with a good wine this album needs to be paired with the right drug.
Hate
🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻
The intro and outro are annoying as all get out. The rest is better - repetitive, but not as bad as yesterday's Fatboy Slim. Not a bad way to start spreadsheet navigation with a big cup of coffee....but still nothing I'd ever revisit. 2.5
Foundational electronic album. Not as good as Eno, but imagine being in the UK rave scene in the 90s and this just knocks you on ur arse. Must have been special.
More orbital, reminds me of the soundtrack to the wipeout games. Interesting and futuristic sounding, shades of prodigy, actually quite liked a lot of this. Bit repetitive but that's kind of the point I suppose. Good example of a genre I'm not totally keen on. 3.5.
It is decent background music. A bit boring and repetitive, but easy enough to tune out. Wouldn't listen by choice, won't come back. I preferred Snivilisation, I think.
Was aware of orbital, but won't have listened to any by choice before. Totally what I was expecting, and it's pretty good as background music. Probably won't ever be more than that to me, but that's ok 2.5 but 3
Techno
Some of the tracks slapped, but some of them were duds or lived out their welcome. 2.5/5
The first song is kinda lame, but once it gets started, it is excellent. I get the negative reviews, as the album doesn't really shine until it's played loud with a system that can handle deep low bass. Most of the musical counterpoint is down very low and relatively clean, so if you cannot properly project those frequencies and it is not loud enough for contrast, it just kinda sounds like bad Muzak.
Techno to put people to sleep. Honorable mention to the Star Trek TNG reference, but not enough to get this one out of the sewers.
where time becomes a loop... where time becomes a loop... where time becomes a loop... That's not nearly as bad as reviews and ratings make it look. Time Becomes or Input Out are irritating, but there's a kind of junk beauty in it. It reminds me of donation messages to streamers with repititive sounds, lol. Besides that, I had a great time with this album. Moreover, I listened to it twice! I don't know electronic music very well. I guess it's not a masterpiece for the ages, but I like it, especially for background listening. Output rotation (Input translation) Output rotation (Input translation) Output rotation (Input translation) 3/5 —————————————— Liked: — WALK NOW...
Meh Techno
Another boring electronic album. Enough already with the the 90s electronic music
Few good electronic beats
Ugh. There is far too much British techno on this list. Bonus star for Halcyon + On + On which I immediately recognized from the Mortal Kombat movie
Didn’t find enjoyable at all. Felt like someone a got a computer with garage band like software and just started to experiment with sounds to see what would annoy the roommates the most.
Repetitive and annoying. It was tough to stick it out to the end. I wanted it to be over halfway through the second song. Apparently this is 90’s rave music. The only way I can remotely think this might be enjoyable is with some strong drugs. Repetitive and annoying. Repetitive and annoying. Repetitive and annoying.
An instrumental album with responsive loops. I have never heard of this group before today, 30 Dec 2025
ew
My least favorite Orbital album. Why is this one the one they chose? Ugh
Yesterday I listened to a Korean drone noise album that had a single 1 hour long song with a horn sample that looped through the whole song and I loved it. And that was easier to get through than 2 minutes of "time becomes a loop". I am 700+ albums into this list and can't believe how much British electronic music is on this list. If you are just starting this list there are like 40 albums that sound JUST like this and they are always an hour or longer. This album did very little for me, there were a couple of moments I enjoyed but for the most part everything just feels very dragged out. If I got this album 500+ albums ago I think I would have been more generous, but I have heard far too many albums that sound just like this that I couldn't really be bothered. I do think this is one of the better British electronic albums though. Low 3.
Some interesting sounds but not my thing at all. Not terrible just can't imagine ever wanting to sit down and listen to this or have it on in the background. Fave tracks:
DNF. the only bits that didn’t bore me annoyed me and the majority made me feel a mix of both emotions. not great
3/5
This album felt empty. Like it honestly felt like it barely contained more three actual songs. I really struggled with this album for the majority of the beginning, it had its moments where it was atmospheric and fun, but too much of it always grating and repetitive to a fault.
3.7 A rather enjoyable exploration of early 90s British electronica. Like a more radio/pop-friendly version of Autechre, AFX etc. not something I've listened to before but quite enjoyed, pretty clear the stand out track is Halcyon. Some of the others were a bit miss but maybe my score is reflective of recency bias given it ends pretty well
Dogshit
Really got into it at some parts, fell out of it at others. I could see this being awesome in some clubs in the 90s
Nope. I'm noping out of this. Not for me.
Sorry, Will, I appreciate your work, but it's not my cup of tea, as you know. It's intricate and at times uplifting, but I can't see any way to listen to some of it unless you're completely off your tits. But, you know, each to their own.
Just not a vibe. Bit of a non-entity really.
Solid. The start of a great run.
Favorite Track: HALCYON + ON + ON
0.5
This album is pure F'kin' torture! It's a crime against humanity. It should be against the Geneva Convention to even have to listen to this. Call it Audioboarding. (1.2) ½★
Not bad, but too repetitive. 2.5 stars
If the 1001 albums project has taught me one thing, it's how much I do not like 90s electronica. This album filled me with dread from the get-go with a song that's just a looped bit of Star Trek dialogue. While I like Commander Worf as much as anyone, this wasn't his best work. Overall, I just found this album (and style of music) too repetitive overall. Which is sort of the point for music designed for clubs, but when listening at home, it doesn't work so well. Sorry, but not for me. 1.5 stars.
AKA the Brown Album, or as it should be known, the Golden Brown Album because this stuff is gold! I don’t know why Snivilisation was such clanking dismal claptrap because Orbital really got their game on so well here. It’s a sweeping cinematic progressive alien techno rave of grand symphonic proportions where all the various movements and weird, dangerous, exotic (and above LUSH) textures all blend so beautifully together. The Star Trek sampling first track is not just where ‘time becomes a loop’ but also has a bit of phasing as well which makes Orbital Steve Reich-level geniuses. Lush 3.1 is a swoony, gobsmacking early highlight cut from the same gorgeous acid rave cloth as 808 State’s Pacific. Things get a bit heavier on Impact (The Earth Is Burning) which sounds like an orgy of rave, apocalyptic destruction and orgies. Halcyon + On + On is the best crossover track though, so phenomenally blissed. Used in Mortal Kombat and Mean Girls, it would actually sound good in any movie soundtrack... even Lord Of The Rings or Muppets Christmas Carol. Overall this is an easy 5/5. Definitely a classic of 90s electronica and a perfect Christmas Eve treat.
Boring
The Star Trek sample at the very beginning tells you where it's going to go: this album is spacey. A lot of tracks have synth pads almost reminiscent of ambient music and there's stretches where the track will just be drums and those synths, allowing your mind to wander freely with your feet still planted firmly on the floor before being called back in by one groove or another. This is most obvious on electronic classic "Halcyon and On and On" but also on "Planet of the Shapes" and "Lush 3-2" honestly. I wouldn't really call the end result psychedelic, but more dreamlike; not the vibrant colors of 2001: A Space Odyssey but maybe more like floating in blank antigravity. But Orbital isn't here to leave you content in that state for too long: these tracks pulse just as much too, especially other electronic classic "Lush 3-1" but also on tracks like acid workout "Remind". The final product as such goes in a lot of different directions, ending up in the same universe as other 90s rave records but doing something pretty different in the process.
Meh
Driving, weird beats. Great vibe music. Wish I had spent a bit more time with this album when I was younger.
Musik från en klädbutik i england på 90-talet
My favorite so far from the “Nintendo 64 snowboarding game choose your character music” album. Even still, total shite and why is this here?
This will Remind you to Walk Now…
When the robot A.I. invasion happens, at least we know their musical culture will be accepted. They've been preparing us for years! You've been warned!
Very fun album. Layers on layers of sound. Plays with and subverts expectations throughout the whole album, but the high points are definitely in the latter half of the album. Cool stuff. I love reading people's reviews on this site. So many wannabe music fans that can't find anything interesting or intelligent to say about an album, so they just dismiss it with a thought terminating cliche. "It's just noise." "Sounds like a toddler made this." You're just outing yourself as having no clue how music is recorded or produced. Embarrassing behavior imo haha
Couldn‘t find an access to the songs, but that‘s maybe on me and my current fitness level.
When it started I thought what the hell is this. By the end I had a good time with this album.
Love Orbital, though this one isn't my favourite of theirs
Impressive in its composition, but not really my sort of thing
is this a fucking joke?
This album had no business being an hour long. I thought the songs were catchy and had a good groove to them, but three minutes in, I found myself checking to see how much longer I had to listen to the same repetitive beat and there’d be another 4 minutes to go. I didn’t dislike the album but I like I would’ve given it a higher rating if each song was cut in half
So precious. It’s crazy how groundbreaking this album was and now it’s boring.
Not bad. Typical electronic music.
I'd rather have listened to Ride's Going Blank Again. "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day".