Strange Cargo III

I often wonder whether albums like this are made for people to actually enjoy....or whether they're made for hi-fi nerds to boast about how great the plinky-plonks sound through their speakers (they sounded awesome through mine)

Man, this started off so promising…Some processed guitar creating an ethereal ambient soundscape. Then like 30 seconds in, forget about that guitar, here’s some hard-panned arpeggiated synth out of nowhere. No build up, just whiplash. This dude killed his own vibe in first minute of the record. I’m gonna try not to let my disappointment at that production choice ruin my listen, but man, William Orbit, you played yourself hard. Could’ve been a good song, if you let it breathe. I get why the generator is recommend this record, I’ve given two Air records 5 stars and this is generally in a similar ball park and might be considered a predecessor, stylistically. There’s something that Air has, though, that William Orbit lacks. Air feels very deliberate, their songs unfold smoothly and don’t try to do too much. These songs on Strange Cargo III are clunky as fuck. …and honestly after the fifth song just started, I’m here thinking “I’ve just heard this one, haven’t I?”. Not a good sign on an hour long, 11 track LP. Maybe I should have taken ecstasy back in the 90’s, perhaps that was the key to unlocking an appreciation for this type of music. I don’t know, but so far, 210 records in, I’ve found the vast majority of 90’s electronica on this list to range anywhere from highly annoying to completely underwhelming. This record falls exactly in the middle of that spectrum. It’s like the worst of both worlds. If it was just annoying, it’d be one thing; I could just turn it off. As it is, there’s enough of a glimmer of “good” to keep me thinking that William Orbit might get it together and turn this into a decent record by the end. Spoiler Alert: He doesn’t.

It’s music, I guess. I’m sure someone likes it

So then, mood music. Not often my thing, especially this version, which dumbly apes what they think 'peaceful' sounds like without realising that isn't enough to make people feel at peace. Broad brush approaches only creates greater distance from the listener. As with lyrics, specificity is what allows them to grab hold of the song, clamber in and find their own way to those feelings. These sounds are so washed out with generalisations that there's no chance of that.

I liked this in a very calm and non-threatening way. There are some nice sounds here. It makes you realise how much this genre needed Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada though.

Boring

This feels like background music for a '90s heist movie montage where the tech guy is sneaking into the mainframe to hack all the cameras as a setup to the final heist at the end of the movie.

No wonder it’s not available in Apple Music in the US.

Study music

I was not prepared for how much I would love this album. Like, I thought "oh hahah college raves and video games soundtracks." Then it played and I can't describe how immediately I loved it. Track after track, too. Listened to it twice because I didn't want it to end. So, I guess I should listen to William Orbit more and just let go of the electronica stigma.

In the early 90s I was a DJ at this local, publicly-funded, alternative radio station. Certain songs were in rotation and we had to play those at certain times so that they got played a specific number of times per day. If there was time left before the next required song we could pick out a song of our choice that wasn't in rotation as long as it fit in with the format. Because of this I hated having to play long songs, I wanted the world (or at least the part of Western New York State that was in our small listening area) to hear what amazing taste I had. "Water From a Vine Leaf" the seven minute leadoff track from this album was my bete noire. Now when I listen to it and the rest of "Strange Cargo III," especially on some good headphones I really appreciate it.

Another pleasant surprise, some enjoyable Electronica dance music.

It was a trip listen to it with my eyes closed on my way home back from work. Great tracks overall

Das pendelt erstmal so rum zwischen ganz interessant (hätte ich damals noch besser gefunden als z.B. Orbital) und zeitlos schlimmer Esoterik. Findet sich dann, nachdem man sich hörbar deutlich bei Andrew Weatherall und The Orb bedient hat aber letztlich in so Ralf Hildenbeutel/Sven Väthschem Ibizasphärengedudel, das damals sicher nicht weh tat, anschließend aber auch nicht gut gealtert ist. Und dann hört man auch schon raus, was er 6 Jahre später auf z.B. Madonnas Ray of Light perfektioniert hat. Naja. So wegweisend finde ich dieses Album jedenfalls nicht. 2,7 reichen völlig aus.

This is okay as background noise for other activities, so I guess 2 stars or D- would be a suitable rating.

Ambient techno is not something you sit down to listen to. It's something that's on in a hipster coffee house while the surly barista takes your order. This feels like the music that plays over the opening credits of a 90s movie about shady stockbrokers. This album is a chore already. It's hard to focus on the quality of the album because it is designed to be on at a speakeasy as background music. Seriously, this is the score to a movie about computer hackers working against the government until they realize they were being used and were working for the government the whole time and then they take down the rogue agent who ran the whole operation. This is like the alternate soundtrack for the Matrix. Someone has definitely tried to sync this album up to a movie at some point. This is like the Dust Brothers' Fight Club soundtrack if instead of fighting they got high the whole movie and sat around a pretentious club all night. I bet this is Moby's favorite album and, to quote Eminem, he can get stomped by Obie...nobody listens to techno. The Monkey King is in the movie Heat. The whole thing sounds like an demo tape for someone trying to score films. Another album where there is no telling when it ends even when a new album starts on Spotify.

When I first listened, I was a bit distracted trying to focus on other tasks at the same time. I liked what I had heard, but did I love it? I don't know, I needed a second listen. On second listen, it was much more clear...Love it is.

Favorites: Water from a Vine Leaf, A Touch of the Night, Gringatcho Demento. Excellent mostly non-vocal trance.

Fabulous electronic music. Loved the groove.

Super good electro!!

This is what I came here for.

Me encantó, todas sus canciones encajan de excelente manera

chingón!!!

Amazingly beautiful

I very much enjoyed this. Earlier than I was expecting, from William Orbit. Some other comments on here about how it sounds great on good headphones, or high-end speakers. Can confirm.

Gorgeous and atmospheric.

A relatively different genre, love it. From people's comments I think this one has no lyrics. Electronica seems fun, plus Spotify takes the music as trip hop and down tempo, which are really good to me. Just yesterday I was listening to aphex twin's one album on repeat while reading a book, basically the album is book's soundtrack and this album makes me feel like it could be some book's soundtrack too, just it's short, but in this case that's good, I don't like spending 2 hours rating each song. First song, it was quiet and when I started writing the beat came in and it sounds so good on laptop, it'd be so much better in headphones. Ouuuu the beat came in, love iiit already. Oh nevermind, this is the most listened track on the album, it'll get worse, I thought otherwise. It's progressing in the electronic sense. Oh someone's talking, one guy said it's his girlfriend. Just put my headphones on and it's SO MUCH BETTER. Nah the sound is so playful to my ears. This song isn't annoying that it's long. One of the best things is, he changes the vibe quickly while maintaining a same aura, cool as fuck. It's fading away like expected. Second song, amazing guitar start I'm hooooked. There's no lyrics in Spotify, but he talked a little. AAAAAAH THE BEAAAAT I LOVE THIS MAN. It's so dancey and gothy. This is what I mean by good down tempo and trip hop. Feels like Portishead plus there's this woman vocalising. THE BASSSS MY GOD. I want this on speakers immediatelyyy, someone said, did he made this album for someone to flex their speakers and now I totally get it. I feel digitalised with these new sounds. He worked with Madonna on MDNA, love that album, NO WAY RAY OF LIGHT TOO? THAT ALBUM HAS THIS ONE'S VIBE LITERALLY, I love this man too much now. Katie Melua, he produced her album, she's Georgian and IM FUCKING GEORGIAN WTF. He is connected to me like that and I just found out, this is more than a 5 star album already, I'm spiritually connected. Shit I was distracted to listen to the song with full attention, but I loooved it. Third song, a little piano I see, with electronic beats in the background. Ohh his voice for the first time. This one's more chill. It's kinda jazzy. What's wize tho? He has a good voice, addicting. He's not singing tho, just talking kinda fast. Forgot to say I looove the album art, it's different and caught my attention the first time I saw it, it's too unforgettable yk. The piano is the best part. Smn said they play this kinda songs during heist stealing, but in a bad way, and I see it, though it doesn't make it bad for me. Wish songs transitioned tho. 4th song, it's eerie already. Ooooo the bass came in. Kinda basic, nevermind the violins and piano made it better. This one's more romantic than dancey and cunty as before. Oh vibe fully changed, feels like a movie scene, too lazy to come up with one. Aaand it started all again. This was quite short, and loved it less, but still good. 5th song, a much better start than the last song, feels like a medical series start, in a good way. It's giving nightclub in its way now. Woman is talking, seductively I think. There is men screaming for one second and then vocalising for a little time on repeat. There was no sonical plot twist, NEVERMIND IT SLOWLY GOT SLOW. It's giving loftr somehow. 6th song, ambient start. Alien sounds. Piano is playing with pauses. I'm gonna continue this tomorrow, because it's night now and I have to charge my headphones, tomorrow tho I can have it on full volume to fully experience the songs. I'm back. Started this one again, and amazing beat drop like ma god. The vocals are quite good too. It's so repetitive, but somehow in the best way possible. Beat was gone was for some time and now it's back in business. Same happened and only piano is playing with ambient sounds in the background. It's guitar now and it's getting kinda louder, but also fading away. Loved this one too. 7th song, loud and noisy start. Ambient sound is over surfacing the noise. Weird instrument is playing and there's no beat that backs it up. Russian guy talking I think. Beat came, but kinda blandly. Russian woman talking now. Melting my brain with those alien sounds wtff, in a good way tho. It's rocky now with that electric guitar. The beat opened after guitar finished and that was too satisfying. Spanish woman now slayy, she's the best part of the song tbh, cunty and girlboss vibes she brought with that lyrical delivery. The overall vibe changes a lot in one song and I love that, like now it's slow and some kind of a piano is playing. Drums? Ohhh it's tropical now, water sounds and all too. It was afro beat for a second there I think. Shit now it's rock again‽ It's getting progressive and now faded away. Too much for one song if you ask me. 8th song, slow start, but clear sounds. It's kinda sad. Oooh definitely sad with that piano. This man can do production too well I'm afraid. Ohh the beat is unexpectedly fast and dancey, but also alien-like. Now it's Arabic with a glimpse of jazzyness. Ambientness came back. This is a whole adventure goddamn. It's giving mission impossible now. Different type of piano is playing. I'm transcending, this needs lyrics immediately, but also they would ruin the general goodness of all of this. From sad to dancey again, basically same genre bending happened now too, I expect Arabic now. It's afro beat drums rn. It's rare when I fully explain what happens in the song, but this is too fun not to do it. 9th song, quite a short song for him tbh. It's ambient with some snapping once in a while. Makes me feel like I'm in water. Idk why but this sounds makes me feel like some sword is shinning. Ooo the beat and Camelot woman is talking. It's giving Patti Smith in those experimental poetry sessions, Medea is one of the songs if I remember correctly. Arabic woman vocalising, at least that's how I hear it. Rather short, if there were more talking of that women I'd like the song more. 10th song, ambient start as expected. It's giving underground. Some experimental sounds randomly appearing. Omg I zoned out and this villainy sound started playing and It snapped me back, it feels like a monkey king is the final boss. There are African men saying something in the background and then women also saying smth after it, but they all sound weird. There was no beat drop here, unless when I zoned out it happened then. 11th song, fully different start, no ambient sound just some instrument. There are water sounds in the background, that's the one I can name others are random and weird in a good way. French talking I think I hear of a woman. There was a familiar instrument dunno the name in English tho. Without the beat it's so Aphex Twin, plus it's eerie. Bitch what what is retchie doing here someone said and then there was some exploding sounds, loved that, wondering where is it from. There's a weird beat in my right ear, makes me think of a tongue. Giving Sophie now, almost like ship sounds and it suddenly stopped. This was the weirdest one by far I think. 12th song, veeery short. It got a happy sound, movie is finishing. Dunno how he chose the names for the songs tho. It has piano in it, that's the one I can name lol. There are different sounds all at once if you pay attention. This one was also not as good as it should have been, the dancey beat is missing and it's making the vibe go bad. Overall it was a good finish up of the album tho I must say. I already said this is more than just a 5 star album because of the artist. Not gonna repeat all that tho. Each song was a new adventure and I expected so much less at first, but I was already happy it was electronica, trip hop and down tempo, and I've just gotten into ambient sounds, this might be my next book's soundtrack. Need more albums like this, but I need a little break from just instrumental sounds and need more lyrics.

Wow! Great stuff!

really enjoyed the whole album

Awesome album . loved it very much

I am here for William and his Strange melodies. Brian Eno-esque in all the right ways, with a little bit of world music vocals and groovy Thievery Corporation beats.

This is a great instrumental album that spans a number of genres but is also definitively ‘80s. Definitely worth repeat listens.

This is making it into my rotation, 100%. LOVED it.

skemmtilegt að studera þennan gaur

Ambient enough to use as background noise but interesting enough to pay attention to as a stand alone experience. Great working/study music

I must admit I thought this was Orbital at first. Same but different. Anyway, I totally got into this album, right up my alley. Faves: Water From A Vine Leaf, Into The Paradise, A Touch Of The Night

Muy buen disco. Una de las pocas músicas ambientales que escucharía genuinamente.

What an awesome surprise this album has been! I wasn't sure what to anticipate with no knowledge of this artist at all, but I’m thoroughly impressed. As a fan of instrumental music, I'm happy to incorporate this album into my rotation and explore William Orbit's work. After listening to the first few tracks, I thought the sound reminded me of some of Madonna's work in the 90's. Turns out, he worked with her in that era. How interesting! Replay: "Water From a Vine Leaf," "Time to Get Wize," "Gringatcho Demento," and honestly almost every track from this album. Skip: "Deus Ex Machina"

I love 90s electronica

Cool electronic sound. Actually listened to it twice.

It's pretty great. I liked Water from a Vine Leaf, Time to Get Wise, The Story of Light, and many others.

COOL

Excelente disco! El primer 5!! Aca esta la base del lo que fue ese tremendo disco de Madonna, Ray of Ligth.

Trippy af

(Voiceover) Imagine a world where time drifts slowly. A world where music carries you away. Experience Pure Moods, the perfect soundtrack for your way of life. Direct from Europe, this multi-platinum collection has won the hearts of millions. Set adrift with the timeless pleasures of Water From a Vine Leaf. Or take a trip into the unknown with Deus Ex Machina. No other collection gives you the feeling of Pure Moods. (Lyrics) Hey yaiiiiy hiiiiiiii ohhhhhAAIIIIII HWAIIIAAY YA

beauty..... there is beauty in everythingg... mahtavaa elektro kikkailua! perjantai-iltaa.. kamalaaa.. parantaa hiukan... se jo hirmutyö... Jag ville träffa Annel För jag visste att den fortfarande letade efter mig Livet gav inte mycket Regnbågen slutade vid godiskiosken De som kräktes vid restaurangbordet blev utskrattade.... Jag ska till Norra Karelen Jag byter jeans till träningsbyxor Hem till Norra Karelen Jag dricker kalya tills solen går upp... joka paikkaan sattuu... ai vittu... erityisesti päähän... oispa kuuro... noh heh... ehkä ei tarvi... into the paradise

Really good but he absolutely blue balled me with those first two songs, my expectations were set at Groove Armada style bang fest but it was more of a freaky experimental electronic exploration - not saying I didn't enjoy the journey but I think the first couple of songs would've been better placed dispersed throughout rather than as false expectation setters at the start. GIVE ME MORE BANGERS, WILLIAM

Excellent! Inspiring. Really loved this.

I listened to this at work and started it over as soon as it finished. Very pleasant background music. I listened again during my walking/bus commute and was pleased that it held up in that context as well. Some tracks are a mellow dance groove, some are gentle and floaty, some are noisy but with a thumping bass line. I can hear some of you asking, how much electronica do we need? And I say, lots!

I guess this is my jam. Never heard this before, but this is the kind of music that just fits a perfect night of thinking or working or chilling. An ambient, trancey vibe that doesn't stick itself out to far, but are all smooth and cool.

Great work music, love it

Ah shit

Well there’s another huge banger of an album that I had never even heard of (nor the artist) with which I found myself bopping along. Sure as shit don’t sound like 1993.

Made my work day 1000x more bearable, but I do think I'd still enjoy this in the background if I weren't working or studying. It's good for what it is.

Excellent chill out music

Early 90s electro chill breaks, with a definite world music vibe. Very nice, wish I had a few of these tracks for my Ku De Ta days.

Yeah, I dig techno.

House, trance. Está bien. Un 4.

Not my usual kind of music, but I really enjoyed it. Also very good for concentrating at work.

Kind of weird and ambient, but in a way I kinda liked. It reminded me of video game music for some reason.

Extremt bra??

Electronica Classical!

Pretty good electronic music

Pretty smooth and groovy, an enjoyable listen

Good background as others have mentioned. Reminded me of Massive Attack. Are you sure this wasn’t Massive Attack?

I kinda got into this one more than I thought I would. Considering it seemed pretty out of the blue just like the previous album, listening to this made for a pretty fun tram ride home - banging beats and cool vibes, happy I heard this one. Probably not the most incredible thing I’ll hear from this whole list but pretty groovy. Three and a half stars. Fave track: The Story of Light

A bit bizarre but interesting album. I think that I have never heard anything like this. Tribal like singings were kinda hypnotizing. Electronic music sometimes made athmosphere unsettling

Loving this album!! It's very Massive Attackish. This was a great album! Loved the ambience and the eeriness.

Great electronic stuff here. Bonus points for the vocals. Favorites: Water From A Vine Leaf, Harry Flowers, The Story Of Light

Very into this one. Great background music during work.

me sorprendió! 8/10

Whoa, this album was cool as hell. Really dug it. It wasn't obtrusive at all, but it was consistently pretty engaging. Will definitely listen again. Standouts: Water From A Vine Leaf, Into The Paradise, Harry Flowers, Best Friend, Paranoia

Sounds like 90's techno trip hop rave

Enjoyed this immensely remembered some of the tunes on here from amvient mixes back in the day. Took me back and to far of chilledness.

A pleasant surprise.

Will fall asleep to again!

Pretty good listening, some of the tracks definitely would've been better without vocals tho. Favorite track is probably A Touch of the Night.

This was really weird, I thought at first I wasn't going to enjoy this album, then as I listened on it grew on me, its tranquil at time, and could also be quite spooky and mysterious

What a pleasant surprise!

Ugh, this album isn’t on Apple Music. Damn them for not having obscure, non-charted electronic music. They have a bunch of his other albums…wtf? So I have to listen on YouTube, which is painful. First world problems. I like the bass heavy beats throughout the album. This is the first album that got my house rattling with the surround sound system I got a couple months back. The accompanying videos on YouTube are a trip. There are a lot of nature scenes. Also quite a bit of shaky camera work. I can’t tell if the videos add or detract from the music. I’m not a fan of the Nine-Inch-Nails-esque electronic drum on Into the Paradise and A Hazy Shade of Random, but that’s not going to bring this album down. There’s a lot of good shit here. An interesting find for sure. I’m starting to conclude that I’m into ambient music. Not all of it, no way (looking at you Brian Eno). But there is a subset that gets me going.

Preface: I took a 25mg edible and then spoke to my parents for an hour to let it kick in. Started really hitting when I put this on. I had no idea. Water From A Vines Leaf - I am so fucking hyped right now. Instantly. I just want to crank the bass up for this. I will but only for a little. “Four young girls getting water from a vine leaf. Dropping it on my tongue.” Into The Paradise - This is just good fucking vibes. Time To Get Size - Switch up. Still so sick. This piano is hitting right now. FUCK. “Rico Conning contributed flexible bleeps and roadhouse piano on "Time to get Wize” . The fact that there’s something called flexible bleeps is wild to me. Harry Flowers - Dub bass line. Crank it again. A Touch Of The Night - What an end. The Story Of Light - “Let your love shine down on me.” Damn. Gringatcho Demento - During this song, I learned my friend might move to New York. The stoke levels are high. Another groove. A Hazy Shade Of Random - The song title is accurate. Dead accurate. Best Friend, Paranoia - I’m trying to think of what Linkin Park song this sounds like? Or vice versa. The Monkey King - Honestly kind of spaced out for this one. Was eating a snack. Will go back and listen later. Deus Ex Machina - Someone was strumming some strings and now I’m lost in space. Water Babies - The Journey is coming to an end. What a pleasant send off. Epilogue - Currently the morning after the above. I listened to The Monkey King again and recognize why I may have spaced out during this song. Very mellow and soft in sound. I’d put this somewhere between a 3 and a 4, but give it the 4 for the experience.

I generally like the mood and atmosphere of this. The dialogue samples on "Deus Ex Machina" kinda break the vibe a bit, but other than that, a pretty smooth ride. Nice headphone music.

I have never heard of Billy Orbs. Had no expectations going in. There’s some pretty insane sound design on this album. LOVE all the synth stuff. This dub track is sexy. It’s time to get wiZe, baby. There are so many cool little one-off moments on this record that made me go “cool!”. Just little moments here and there where he pulls out some random synth for 5 notes, plays some slick riff on the guitar, plays some strange ethereal pad, hits some groovy thick ass bass lick. A Touch of the Night is perfectly named. It’s got just a little bit of the sinister in there. So very percussive and clicky. My favorite! And who could forget those laserbeams!? I totally just feel like I am in space. Definitely getting a Screamadelica adjacent vibe from this listen. The checkout scanner bleep in the background of A Hazy Shade of Random is wonderful. The bleeping life support that drives the buzzy synth along competing with the beautiful pads and piano riffage that comes in like I’m standing in a Great Fairy Fountain about to get my magic upgrade. You know what? I get this feeling Koji Kondo heard The Monkey King, the intro sounds so much like the music for the Forest Temple. I really enjoyed the production on this album. Lots of immersive panning, tangible percussive instruments that come in with a crispness, samples from this or that movie, sound design that really puts you in whatever scene Orbit was trying to craft which I assume is somewhere between deep space, a murky cave, and the middle of the desert (all while somehow being inside of a cop car patrolling the rainy streets of some dystopian society). Will definitely revisit this album and likely more of Orbit’s discography!

Super triply, great music to sample, intense ass vibes 4.5/5

Great ambient music

Mais uma grata descoberta de opção para audição de música ambient e eletrônica. A sequência desenvolve uma atmosfera envolvida numa série de camadas sonoras constituindo a energia melódica supreendente.

I love weird trip hop

Good background music, not much more

I quite liked this one. The ambient stuff has a good groove and when they kick it up a notch it really moves. Good to see Beth Orton singing on this album. She has had special guest appearances on a number of the albums on the 1001.

This was a bit of an eye-opening album for me when I first heard it; I hadn't heard that combination of atmospheric electronica combined with beats and new agey progressions before. It served as frequent background to my study time in college, and prompted me to get Madonna's "Ray of Light" when it came out despite never having picked up any of her previous albums.

like this alot v ambient

This was very chill as I drove in the wet in the city. Like

Hell yeah, there's not enough of this type of music on this list (at least not that I've seen yet!)

Great music to work too. Bass lines are killer. Would listen again

Feels quite long but great for programming.

real good electronica. found it interesting throughout. if you don't like electronica then don't bother. if you do, this may be a find or a mainstay already.

I immediately dug this record. Its mashing of dub, 1990s house, and ambient holds strange powers over me, and William Orbit knows it. A fitting album title and accompanying album art. Very strange to hear Beth Orton’s voice hear too (read she was Orbit’s gf at the time). The ambient stuff is especially cryptic. I feel like I’m on drugs. I just want to lie down in the wet mud with my eyes closed and listen to this all day. There are a lot of ideas on this record. But somehow it retains its consistency and form. Never sounds scattered. Just, yeah, lots of ideas. This is music for a brainstorm. I’m going to give it a 4 but it honestly could be a 5. I just need more time with it. This album comes to me completely context-less. I have no references. Well, one: maybe the KLF. Otherwise, I can’t place it and it’s marvelous.

electronic weirdness, love it

fun! very techno. Solid 4.

This is really cool.