Strange Cargo III

Pretty chill! C

waytoodank

The electronic selections on this list are so weird cuz so many classics (Discovery, Richard D. James Album, Tri Repetae, Untrue, Ape of Naples and Cosmogramma are a bunch of influential ones in different electronic styles) arent there but then they do put shit like this on there and Im just there like 'Why?'

Fairly generic 90's club music to me, with a few small interesting points. Not much of note though.

Shit

Another decent instrumental album bogged down by weird vocals and spoken word.

E kje så glad i sånn musikk

Interesting pre techno. Not something I would listen to, but very cool

I couldn’t find it on Apple Music , so I’m saying no to this first one call me a poser

I don’t usually listen to ambient music, but this was definitely good for what it was, even though I probably won’t revisit it.

i think i like some funky electronica

Lots of great stuff on this album and many tracks I will be happy to hear again. Interested to explore more of his work as I suspect I will enjoy it.

Not available on streaming

Quite good electronic music among a lot of quite good electronic music in this project. Not a stand-out, but absolutely listenable.

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.

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!

Fabulous electronic music. Loved the groove.

Awesome album . loved it very much

Très dense et riche, sombre, hypnotique. Un peu daté dans ses rythmes. Trop froid pour moi.

Generic and overlong downtempo music. I get that he migth have worked with Madonna and whatever but his résumé doesn't make that album any better.

Does anyone really feels the need to listen to this? I really doubt it.

Do you remember the famous cult album Strange Cargo III? Me neither.

Weird, but I like it. Some of the songs make me think that it was used as inspiration for other work in the future.

Interesting

Bit bland innit 1/5

great instrumental album to listen while working, but the songs sort of blend into each other

I like this album. Perfect in the background while getting work done.

Ambient sound scapes to listen to while working - wouldn't recommend listening on its own.

Very cool album

Weird album, but I love it

Weird, strange, different. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Very cool electro stuff here. Wild panning between the headphones but I gotta be in the mood for it

Kind of a snooze fest but kinda good ?

Pretty nice trancy album. I was vibing to it while playing video games. Just played it through twice

This one isn't bad. Just really not my thing

hypnotic

I feel this has a lot of growing to do on me, abd while I love the early 90s aesthetic to it, these songs go from not bad to decent almost every time. Not much to talk about, but it was a mildly interesting listen at least.

1. Out on the Weekend - it’s not too bad, harmonica solo…I like the music but feel like it could go a bit harder or faster. 2. Harvest - I don’t like this one very much it’s giving more country than rock. 3. A Man Needs a Maid - piano driven I actually quite like the musical style of this one but the lyrics are a little weak for me. It really snapped in the last min of the song. 4. Heart of Gold - this one is pretty good I can see why it was a hit. 5. Are You Ready for the Country - again it’s very country influenced so don’t love it, I liked the lyrics in the second verse though. 6. Old Man - I actually like this one it’s got a nice theme to it, the music and lyrics are good. 7. There’s a World - this one has really dramatic songs, don’t love it but I appreciate trying to do something different. It sounds like musical theatre or like cinematic score to me. 8. Alabama - finally hearing some electric guitar so it’s more rocky to me. And much boppier. Actually I kinda love this one just read the lyrics and it’s criticising Alabamas racism! I’m a sucker for that 9. The Needle and the Damage Done - I didn’t mind this one, not that memorable. 10. Words (Between the Lines of Age) - I don’t mind this one again the sound is much closer to the kind of rock I like. Not sure it needs to be 6 mins long. Overall I didn’t mind this one done off the songs were a little too country tinted for me. I liked the rockier ones but also I don’t love his style of writing lyrics that much, some are a little pretentious.

Kind of boring and generic

I enjoyed this quite a bit. It starts out with a couple of tracks that have a bit of a dub feel and goes to some unexpected places after that.

Great drum loops, cool bass lines. Works well if you get lost in the repetition, not so well if you're too actively focusing on it.

1.5/5. Boring and unenjoyable. Listening to cars on a highway would be more interesting.

House, trance. Está bien. Un 4.

Fortunately this was on YouTube Music, because it was strangely missing from Apple Music. I haven’t liked the other 90s electronica on this list, but I did like this! This was chill and yet interesting. I am going to look into William Orbit’s discography because I can see myself enjoying it.

The first minute of this album had me really on board for the one hour runtime but I don't think it could quite keep up that momentum. I felt similar to this as I did to selected ambient works in that you only really need to listen to it for as long as you want to instead of trying to force yourself through a full hour. However, selected ambient works far, far outclasses this album in pretty much every way. That album has tracks that I'd listen to on loop regardless of mood while this album is strictly for studying or relaxing and most tracks blend together with the exception of the very start and Deus ex machina.

I liked it - music to chill to. My faourite was the first track, "Water from a Vine Leaf", which reminded me of Enigma.

Hipster Muzak. Polished and soulless.

This reminds me of Shoreditch bars in the early 90's. I don't really miss Shoreditch bars in the early 90's. Weak, slightly trippy but no meat on the bone. Bring back my Summer of Blues.

Good background music for work

Goes nowhere

I'm glad I learned the story of light. That was, ahem, enlightening. Did I mention this is a fourth studio album? Yep! It is!. Now that was revealing!

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.

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: No it’s not my thing Favourite song: didn’t have one

I know and like it, although it's a bit popular.

Why are these techno records so long? Like every one is over an hour. And it's all just a repeating snoozefest. There is nothing here worth listening to.

Good!

Normally I’m the first guy to bash electronic music…but there’s something about this I loved. Maybe it’s the stunning mix or interesting production decisions. Whatever it is or was I loved hearing the wholly unique sound of this.

Not bad but it didn’t blew my mind. Nevertheless it has some good ideas and strong tracks.

I got through all but the last two songs. It brought back many memories of the early 90's. It was great to rehash the memories, but the songs really didn't do it for me.

We should take all 90s English Electronica (except Massive Attack) and burn it like Fahrenheit 451. Hunt all copies and any proof of existence, and go full pyromaniac on them. Going "AaaAaaWoooOooAaaa" in your boring instrumental electronica doesn't make it more interesting or sophisticated. "I listen to WORLD MUSIC" and then they put on crap like this. Grab a shovel man. Learn how to grow your own crops man.

I’m not normally an electronic music fan, but there’s something about William Orbit. His songs just have such a nice groove to them. 3 stars.

As Electronica on this list goes, I liked this as well or a bit better than anything else so far, and better than most. There is a fine line between a hypnotic pattern and irritating repetition and this stays on the right side of it. The spoken word stuff struck me as it almost always does as pseudo-philosophical drivel.

Good music to have in the background imo. Some of the songs were a bit too long but was still an enjoyable album if not a little boring sometimes.

Super bien joué William, continue.

un peu trop strange pas assez cargo

first listen objectively i would have to say this is slow, but that's the point...i found this really relaxing and liked it

So today we have an album that seems to be the third in a series I’ve never heard of, by a person I’ve never heard of. I swear, sometimes I feel like I must live under a rock with the amount of respected musicians that have just never come onto my radar. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Water From A Vine Leaf, Harry Flowers A year ago, I’d have expressed minimal interest in instrumental electronic music. Things have changed the more I listen. To be clear, there are occasional vocals here but it’s certainly minimal. The music is just so nice and pleasant. When the synths kicked in in Water From A Vine Leaf, it set my expectations high for the rest of the album, and it delivered. This is likely going to stay on my mind for study music, along the Boards Of Canada and Aphex Twin.

i mean it’s an hour long techno album it’s gonna get a little boring. the last 2 songs were my favorites though so definitely worth the listen!

This album was like one of my teachers described me - dull yet somehow annoying. I don’t get the hype I’m afraid, there was nothing standout about this album. Perhaps in context it would have had more input but honestly it was quite unforgettable.

This album was ALL over the place. As it so happened, that's where my mind was today. Really hit right

Bored now.

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.

Favourite song: Water From A Vine Leaf

Didn't hate it, but it felt so empty and meaningless compared to some other great electronic albums. Air's work has a cool, funky, refreshing atmosphere, Aphex Twin is melancholic and emotional, and so many others have a feel good, party vibe. I get nothing here other than technical profiency, which isn't enough. 02/08/23

Feel like I could find stuff similar to this just searching for a 1 hour study playlist on YouTube. It wasn’t bad, just not unique really.

Pish background music, more of a producer showing his skills than a coherent album. Not offensively bad, just dull and emotionless. Probably shouldn't be on the list; perhaps wouldn't be if Billy Circle hadn't gone on to have the career (as a producer) that he did.

oh boy more electronic noodling, my favorite! Harry Flowers is a good track. nice music to dissassociate to, not really listen to. like the elevator music from outerspace.

Decent. Worked as solid background music, but it wasn't amazing. 3/5

Very into this one. Great background music during work.

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

Pretty enjoyable background tunes.

Nice background music, didn't really grab me or anything.

snore. Some decent stuff sprinkled in

Good background music

Electro Bourne Tech-NO.FOR ME.

Just another random album of sounds and beats.

Surprisingly not that bad because lots of it is decent ambiance music for the background

- Never heard of this before - Not my usual thing, but it's pretty nice background music - Hard to differentiate between the tracks to say what my favourite or least favourite ones were, but I still enjoyed it

Ambient 8bit type beep boop album. Neat to listen to but not sure it ranks on albums you must listen to before you die.

Sounded like a ps1 game soundtrack and serves a similar focus, atmospheric background music. Not offensive but not something you really pay attention to

This album was unlistenable. Not because it's a bad album, but because it's incredibly quiet. Listening to it through headphones made me feel like I was hearing someone else listen to it in the next room. In the car, I had to crank the volume all the way up. As a bonus, the tracks start or end (or both!) with 10-20 seconds of silence, which is just long enough to make me see if the album has stopped itself every time.

Very spacey which is fitting The first half actually is pretty decent and the second half doesn’t actively suck 3.5

Sometimes interesting but definitely not my thing

These are not the genres I am into, and this is the first time I ever listened to an electronic, techno album. I can't say I hated it but I didn't love it either. Even choosing a favourite track is hard for me to do here, because of my lack of exposure to this kind of music but I'll leave a safe bet. Favourite track of the album Water From a Vine Leaf.

Extremt bra??

Matig, vage trip-dance

It really feels like there are a lot of electronic albums on this list just for the sake of padding the number of electronic albums on the list. This is one of those albums. I mean, it's FINE, I guess. Perfectly serviceable electronic background music. Nothing even remotely special about it but also nothing terribly offensive. The most remarkable thing about it is how remarkably indifferent it left me feeling about it.

What even

Tot i no ser un aficionat a l'electrònica, ni específicament a l'ambient, cal reconèixer aquest treball com força sòlid i escoltable. Llarg, però suficientment variat i amb els hooks adequats per mantenir l'escolta. No hi tornaré sovint, però com a referència d'un génere i un moment als '90s, mereix el seu lloc

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.

Wasn’t on Apple Music

Another electronic album, this one more ambient and worldly than the previous day. I guess that's the difference between.....Orbital and William Orbit. Coincidence? Who knows. Anyway, this album isn't on Apple Music for some reason, which is a shame because I'm going to have to put some placeholder tracks in my playlist to represent this. Orbital II is on there, no Orbital III. But it's a cool album, a nice spacey, international vibe to it, but it's still very clearly from the '90s, they can't shake that sound. I can dig it. Favorite tracks: Into the Paradise, Gringatcho Demento, A Hazy Shade of Random. Album art: A picture of some kind of ancient sculpted scene, what seems to be a nude king and queen, and they both got...nevermind. Not bad though, font and titling is pretty cool. 3.5/5

Enjoyed SG I as well as this one.

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.

Has some moments (Harry Flowers especially) that remind me of a Final Fantasy soundtrack. Pretty chill background vibe music. 3.5

Yeah enjoyed this one, deserves its place on the list.

Water From A Vine Leaf, Into the Paradise, A Touch of the Night. First half is better. I don’t have anything to say.

unoffensive background music. If I was on a bipolar mood stabilizer, this would be a 5. I didn't need to listen to this. water from a vine leaf.

The opening song is good, 2nd song is okay. Then it slowly gets worse and worse as it becomes less and less music and more ambient noise. Could have been 40 minutes shorter. FS: Water from a Vine

There is nothing noteworthy about the album. It is electronic music and not good. I tolerated it and didn't skip any songs. I will round up.

Super good electro!!

Some kind of proto psydub. Some tracks have had more love put in to them. Overall great find!

Electronica Classical!

Yawn. But nice for background music. 3/5

There was one very good song and the rest sounded like the backing track of a bbc crime drama

Excellent chill out music

Its alright, i don't hate it for being some ambient music

Yeah, I dig techno.

Pretty smooth and groovy, an enjoyable listen

I prefer Enigma who were similarly experimental. This was tedious but then again it’s not for serious listening - mainly wallpaper.

Yea pretty good

sounds like early 2000s jason bourne extreme ways credits techno

sonzinho eletronico interessante, bom pra estudar ouvindo

Why...

Sem bakgrunnstónlist er þetta ágætt. Alls ekki það besta sem herra Orbit hefur gert.

A showcase of a lot of electronic music in the 90's, given a William Orbit spin. Made for home and for the dancefloor in one go, and that deserves some praise.

Not for me. Good for a 90s action drama but not much else.

House, trance. Está bien. Un 4.

Electronic, world, house, ambient, trance, hip hop, dub. Bien.

3.5 good background music

An album that I'm sure was groundbreaking in 93, but really just a wet dream for audiophiles looking to show you how good their speakers are.

I have a strong appreciation for ambient music and for spending time in William’s orbit, but I ultimately found the gravitational pull of this record to be a bit lacking.

Pretty good.

It's easy listening. I quite enjoyed it but let's face the fact this is aural wallpaper.

me sorprendió! 8/10

Wtf. Jeg likte det, men kommer nok ikke til å høre på det igjen så da kan det ikke få noe høyere enn 3

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

Interesting here and there, but caught in a 90s time capsule, sounding dated.

Not exactly my vibes, but pretty cool

The album has its moments. "Water from a vine leaf" is amazing, "The story of the light" 5/5. Unfortunately... the album quickly gets boring.

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

Spooky ambient stuff toward the end was in my wheelhouse, I enjoyed skulking around to it. As for the rest, it was overwhelmingly fine. One of those I just let play through for the most part, never particularly captured my attention for being impressively good or bad.

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

Fuck this album. It’s not important, it’s not good. Why is this even on the list?

reasonable electronic

This is garbage. How any can listen to this I do not know. Yes, I listened to the whole thing and apart from feeling like I need a shower I feel ok. But who knows how much look term damage this has done to my brain!?

This is not great to me. I can imagine this would be music I would enjoy making, but it does not seem significant in any musical way. It sounds like straight forward electronic music that is decently produced. I would expect to hear this in any yoga studio, but would never seek it out.

Me encantó, todas sus canciones encajan de excelente manera

Now this list is just over reaching. It sounds like something that soundtracks a bad Steven Seagal movie. The Beth Orton appearance (on one song mind you) would ordinarily bump it up a notch, but they even screw that up by burying her in the middle of a 7 plus minute track.

S’alright innit?

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

Just fine

Not bad for midday background music in the neighborhood boho coffeehouse.

Actually quite peaceful. Not something I'd ever choose to put on and listen to though

Needs Lucy

Like most 90s electronica, this has some awesome tracks and some completely forgettable ones. Let's switch to a singles collection with some remixes.

Chill, nice music with some funky funk now and then. Enjoyed.

It was ambient electronic music

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.

Nope! Didn't like William Orbit the first time around, not into it this time either. Fuck off electronic shit.

I feel like I'm going to get every 90s electronica album before I'm even halfway through this list, but at least this one was standable. Extremely boring, but standable, dare I say alright at certain points. Again, though, nothing notable, and I just keep getting confirmation that the 90s is the worst era of music.

As far as electronic music goes this is not bad. Maybe Dimery shoving a million electronic albums down my throat is opening me up to them. Or maybe it's the hip hop aspect that gives it more favor to my ears. Still don't really love it though.

Great ambient music

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

This is just boring. It reminds me of Moby and I REALLY don’t like Moby.

Not keen

Though never explicitly stated, it seems these albums were an early blend of electronic and world music. It's groovy if not oddly distant at points. Becomes a bit repetitive towards the end of the album, but was an interesting listen.

Solid

Will fall asleep to again!

A pleasant surprise.

Boring at times, but overall a nice, cool vibe

I think this sort of thing launched a million chill out albums from the late 90s to the early 00s. Still confused as to why Leftfield isn't in this book because it's better. As is The Orb, Little Fluffy Clouds this isn't. First track reminded me strongly of another track that has the same effect but it never launched into it, so that was frustrated. I've just placed it. It was a different version but off Northern Exposure by Sasha + Digweed, my trusty chill out/spaced out trance of choice during those years. The Story of Light sounds exactly like the Happy Mondays did several years earlier. The tracks at the end are kind of just... nothing. But not interesting nothing. Music with space to breathe can be awesome, see The Necks and the like. This does nothing with that space. Last track was ok. Feels very dated generally, extremely dated production, I don't have the nostalgia for these tracks to carry me over that bump. Also they aren't that interesting. I did like stuff like this back in the day quite a lot and occasionally go back to it but these tracks severely do not grab me. So this isn't for me, now. I'm not really sure other than maybe 2 tracks it was for me then either. Hazy Shade of Random, Water from a vine leaf (Spooky's Xylem Flow mix)

Pleasant mature dance music, but a touch boring. I can hear what he did for Madonna. Low 3

Ik had William in mijn Orbit toen ik aan het werk was en dat was op precies het juiste moment.

Hier ga ik echt geen uur naar luisteren, tenzij ik zwaar onder de dope zit. Maar dat doe ik dus niet.

Mwa....

Ik ben late to the party, maar ik vind dit dus prima muziek om bij te werken of gewoon een beetje duf voor je uit te staren.

nothing really happens, just lounging

Accessible William Orbit record, easy to listen to, a bit outdated sound, fine.

Too boring.

Starts reasonable but becomes more and more dull.

A series of rather boring electronica songs that vary between songs that make you feel like they’re trying to brainwash you into a cult and songs that sound like the background music when you get a massage at a spa. I love a spa trip but the music is not 1001 albums to listen to before you die material!

at first, i thought this would just be yet another weird electronic album i couldn't get into. but oh no, the album cover is racist as hell! i guess asian cultures are considered strange, because the world is euro-centric due to some ignorant brit making music in the UK? not to mention, calling it strange and then pointedly using asian instruments in your music isn't a great way to go, my guy. i try include something positive about an album: i do find enjoyment in asian music in general, and i did enjoy the usage of various asian instruments. but william orbit can fuck right off, because you know this wasn't done respectfully. i don't agree with this album's place on this list at all.

I actually typically like ambient electronic new age-y music like this. The 90s wave of new age that was heavily influenced by Asian soundscapes (as this album is) is certainly a guilty pleasure. I'm sure that many of these Western new age bands have created with a somewhat intangible lack of respect for the Eastern source cultures that they are pulling from. But here's the thing. I was pretty turned off by the idea of this band using Asian iconography and then dubbing the album something like "Strange Cargo". It's benefitting from the use of Eastern cultures while also labeling said culture as "strange". And to me, that IS a tangible lack of respect. Regarding the music, I thought "Water From A Vine Leaf" and "Into the Paradise" were excellent beginners. I was hoping that the remainder of the album would have as strong of a sound. But as it turned out, the rest of the album seemed pretty anemic in comparison; there were brief moments of intrigue, but it just never quite piqued. Ultimately, I'm just not quite sure what this album's significance is. Again, if we are talking about the "ambient new age" wave of the 90s, then there were much better, more iconic representatives of this movement.

So I worked away at clearing up paperwork and taxes, and this was just a nice backdrop to it... the album probably deserves better than taxes busy work though. Adding to my listen to it again list.

I couldn't get through this album... it was just too boring

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.

Enjoyable electronic 2.5

Meh

Does not seem especially interesting. Not a fan of older electronic like this.

Stuff like this is hard to review. Its good for what it is, background music. It's nothing offensive to the ears but it doesn't make me want to listen to it on my own.

Arranca bien pero después se me hace muy monótono. No lo pude terminar. Busquen «Adagio For Strings» y van a ver de dónde sacaron a este pibe.

Esta buena la vibra pero por momentos muy cuelgue para mí.

Esta bueno, se vuelve como mas "oscuro" a medida que pasan las canciones y para mi ahi es cuando decae un poco. Bueno para estudiar/trabajar

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.

Doesn't rise above the "background music for when one is actually concentrating on something completely different" level. Nothing to die for here, move along.

I liked it more than most house music, but mostly I was just waiting for it to end. I genuinely enjoyed "Harry Flowers," that song has a great vibe.

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.

Chillish lounge-electronica. It's there and it's fine and that's about it.

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 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!

Low three for me. Thought the first song was great but it got fairly experimental in some places. Very listenable but a little harder to thoroughly enjoy.

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.

We’re far enough into 1001 Albums, and I’m hooked enough, that having a mediocre album feels like a genuine bummer. This album was just really boring! There was nothing about it that I really connected with. A while back, I got really deep into early 90s sample CD’s… when sampling had escaped the hardware, and now there were hundreds (!!) of loops available for use on the computer. And boy, it’s some great stuff, but it all sounds so, *so* impossibly 90s. Like, every sound in those early sample CDs made it into every CSI episode, every late night thriller b-movie, ever 90s techno or dance track. This album is nothing but those CDs! I can barely hear anything else, past the super dated sounds and loops. I like those sounds, in a kind of fun endearing nostalgic way, but the compositions here just left me super bored. The ending of the album had a tiny bit more for me to like in it, but everything else is just hard to listen to for very long. And I’m not a listener who hears the lyrics first, by any stretch, but you get the sense that William Orbit actually does not care what lyrics his singers are saying. Hoping for something spicier tomorrow… 1/5

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.

Amazingly beautiful

Strange definitely sums it up. Not really my cup of tea

Pas pire, fait typique electro anglais des années 90

Decent ambient background music. I mean, if the authors wanted a 90s musical album to deem a 'MUST LISTEN', instead of choosing an unknown (once again) British based artist who's 'MUST LISTEN' album is such a 'MUST LISTEN' that it barely has any clicks on the services that actually have it - they could've chosen Enya or Kenny G or even that Chant album done by monks. 2.5 / 5.

i didn’t dislike any of it but it’s not something i would choose to listen to. good album to zone out to tho

electronic weirdness, love it

I listen to almost no electronic music and I’m glad I was introduced to it by this project, including this album. It’s really quite good. Makes me want to learn more about it and listen to more of this artist’s work.

Only know a couple of tracks - seems solid though.

hmm

Ambient electronica, mesmerizing, afslappende

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

I like this album. It's very atmospheric and good background music, since the songs have a good ambient feel to them. I think the songs would've been better if there was no talking/words in it, but it's not a deal breaker. Favorite song: Water from a Vine Leaf Worst song: Deus Ex Machina

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

Not for me

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

Unexpectedly good, a little slow.

This album is a bit ambient, a bit house, a bit trance… there were moments I really enjoyed and moments that effectively were background music. Overall, it was an enjoyable if not non intrusive listen.

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

Some interesting ideas here and there but nothing that pushes this album beyond background noise – if an album is going to floor me (and be worthy of being on this list), I would hope it at least does enough to grab my attention

Not a fan of electronic, but I'd listen to this again for sure.

I suppose it was some pioneer work to do such an album in the early 90ies. But it didn’t take me.

Not actually unpleasant. Just absolutely unremarkable background music. Come to think of it, I can't actually remember what it sounds like, even though I'm still listening to it...

Really nice flow. Relaxing, made me sleepy but in a good way. Then it sort of falls apart at the end.

Trippy af

This is really cool.

I really don’t know quite what to make of all this techno. This is fine to listen to as background music, but there’s really just not much interesting going on here. I try to judge this stuff on its own terms, and I did like this better than David Gray (and also Fatboy Slim, and some of the other similar on the other thread), but nowhere near as much as some of the other non-techno records I’m giving threes to.

I might listen again but wasn’t feeling a whole album

Meh

Weird. Spacey. Fun to listen to. Electronic without being intrusive and annoying. I like a the juice.

eh 3 stars.

Like this a lot. Warrants more listens

2/10 boooooring

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Into the paradise, Story of light

chill beats to relax and study to

Strange Cargo indeed in a very 90s rave culturally appropriating way… it shows signs of interesting beers but it feels very dated and it’s not remarkable enough to ignore that fact.

The video version of this promises to be relatively interesting. It almost fell apart in a compelling way, but finished off with inoffensive-enough material to make the record a pretty simple mood piece. I enjoyed the experience, but I'm puzzled about the three-ness, the long-ness, the list-ness.

Muy bien, no me lo esperaba, toque así tipo Oldfield

3/5. It had a great first half with enjoyable listens however it dragged on at the end. If this album was only 40 minutes long it would be perfect.

2.6 - Pretty unremarkable - the kind of background music you’d hear on a quiet weekday afternoon at an Amsterdam coffee shop. Your primary goal is to cop a gram of that White Widow so the music is whatever. Robert Dimery needs to seriously reevaluate his esteem for these electro-lounge entries (see also Leftfield).

Solid background music with interesting blends of sounds, but when I try to focus on it... it just feels like all style over substance.

I love some of the tribalbeat sounds in this, and found it to be a pleasant surprise on what I expected to be a bland work.

An unusual mix of stuff, I'm not really sure what to think. It needs another couple of listens

Nice enough without being very interesting. Listened a few times but didn't really click for me

This wasn’t available on Apple Music so I listened to Strange Cargo I instead.

Enjoyable, not mindblowing

I listened to this while working, and I have to say, it's great for that purpose. Honestly a really enjoyable album for me, but I love the atmospheric instrumental stuff. Solid 4/5.

this was a stranger album? i didn’t hate it… it was weird and i honestly don’t know what to rate it. i feel like i am so unfamiliar with this type of sound and i usually have a negative point of view towards it so it doesn’t help but i was open to listening to it again.

Never would have connected with this at the time but I've really come to enjoy this sort of ambient electronic trippy music. The only critique - and it's not much of one - is that it's much more of a mood/feel than a collection of what we traditionally think of as "songs" - so I don't necessarily have a favourite but this has been great to loop and work all day to. I'll listen to this again in the right atmosphere for sure. So it's tough to "rank" this and though I'd never make this anything close to a favourite album or genre, I'm giving this 4 stars for hitting the exact buttons it means to. 7/10 4 stars.

Trance music is one of the main genres I listen to, but I'm just not a fan of Orbit's mixing, at least on this album. It could also be because it's an early entry into the genre and just doesn't know what it wants to be yet.

This is what I came here for.

25/08/2022 William Orbit – Strange Cargo III 4/5 Electronica has become one of my favourite genres together with folk, indie and pop, and it’s great to listen to the seed of what that style is today. Strange Cargo III is a very early 90’s electronica album, with all that that implies. It is enjoyable, at least for me, but knowing how the genre have evolved with time and technological progress, it sounds a bit simple and not fully developed sometimes. However, it is very chill and well built on its context, and it doesn’t have a low point across the whole album. Water From A Vine Leaf – 4.5/5 Surprisingly good for its length: 7 minutes that doesn’t become a tedious listen. Its first half develops a good beat, and the second evolves a bit with variation and the inclusion of a singer. Very enjoyable. Into The Paradise – 4.5/5 This album is quite interesting. Some songs are built similar to modern electronic music, like they are intended to sound in a club (mostly because their structure and duration). But they aren’t that danceable and are rather slow, at least to current standards (It is probably my age thinking). This is one of the cases, and I quite like it. It becomes a fairly “sexy” song thanks to the voice and the beat. Time To Get Wize – 3/5 more of a “generic song”, still good. Harry Flowers – 4/5 This is a song that breaks the consistency of the album so far, sounding more like the soundtrack of a movie or a videogame, and leaning more into the ambient/relaxing music. A Touch Of The Night – 4/5 Very intriguing melody, and great bass/drums combination. It almost sounds like club music from outer space. The Story Of Light – 4 /5 Good build-up, to become a great hit to dance to (slowly?). Interesting sounds, and the included singer gives it a good touch. Gringatcho Demento – 4/5 Another song that builds-up to a good beat and instrumentation. This one has a surprising guitar solo in the middle. A Hazy Shade Of Random – 4.5/5 Mostly slow songs that evolves into a impressive beat. My favourite song of the album. Best Friend, Paranoia – 2.5/5 It follows a similar structure and composition, but it gets stuck in the middle between a high energy and low energy song. The Monkey King – 2/5 Probably the weakest song of the album. Another one that breaks the general pattern, becoming an ambient track. It doesn’t generates a good enough atmosphere for me. Deus Ex Machina – 2/5 Similar to the previous one, it doesn’t make it for me. Water Babies – 3.5/5 This one follow similarly to the 2 before, but it builds up a cute melody that becomes more and more complex until it fades our. A good way to close the album.

This didn't do much for me. Not bad as background music, but not really memorable either.

More than adequate as background music I'm sure, but I listened as foreground music and found myself checking how long was left to go from very early on...

Very interesting sounds, I'm guessing this will make its way to my rotation of ambient electronica after a few more listening session!

Funky

Might listen more than once

I can't say that this album made much of an impression on me either way. It was fine, but it was hard to understand why its significant. I don't know that the music is particularly advanced for 1993, though it definitely doesn't sound dated for the time either. The Indian influence on the album is cool. Overall there's not a lot that I can say. It works fine as background music, but there isn't a lot else to recommend it, and the Wikipedia page was not particularly enlightening either 3/5

Strange something. It's just ok for me. Kind of flat and boring, but in a nice way - I guess. It isn't horrible, just don't really see why it is a "must listen".

Enjoyable but some of the instrumentals weren't that noticeable.

The songs were monotonous-- one or two notes with an electronic beat. Some of echoey vocals were kind of cool, but that's about all I liked about it.

COOL

Beats 'n' bloops 'n' bleeps

Just straight boring

Time and a place for this kind of thing. 20 years ago - 04:00 in the morning surething. Not so relevant to me now.

A lot of this was just ambient stuff. Otherwise it was electronica. Descended into SCUNGY UK TECHNO at times, because of fucking course it does. No real feelings either way. 3/5.

It was ok. I’ve heard a lot worse, but it sounds a bit dated now.

8/10. I liked this. Not the most exciting to get for my 500th album, but a solid inclusion.

Was ok for while I was focusing on work but also kind of annoying and kind of sleep inducing. 4/10

It works well as ambient. The second side gets progressively quieter and emptier. It all sounded a bit generic, but I did enjoy the constant change in styles. Tracks blend in well. Somewhat sounds like a PS2 scifi soundtrack. Best track is "Water from a Vine Leaf" which sets an expectation for what the rest of the album should live up to. I wouldn't listen to any of the tracks against besides the first, and I don't see myself replaying unless I want to visit a familiar house ambient record.

3.5

The record is an ambient techno classic. (6/10) FT: Water From A Vine Leaf

This was ridiculously boring, too incessant to be truly ambient but never fully transports you anywhere as it doesn't have anywhere to go. Feels like being stuck in a 90s dance bar for eternity.

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

Electronica, manages to avoid dance music cliches, good background music.

Perfectly fine music to study by that sounds exactly like all the other perfectly fine music to study by that I've ever listened to.

Wishy washy synths

Nope

Is not on Apple music US. Good album I enjoyed the tracks.

I'm sure these are excellent beeps and books but I was just bored

Well this album starts off fucking awesome. First three songs...or at least two of the first three songs are excellent and the album is pretty damn good. Great dance rhythms, interesting melodies, appropriate vocals. It's still a dance/electronic/ambient album which for me makes it too long and tough to listen to from beginning to end. If someone made an album this good and made it 40 minutes long instead of over an hour it would be knocking on the door of a 5, but it seems that don't exist. Too bad. 3.5 🌟

I liked the first half of this album quite a bit. But then it kind of fizzled out for me. I think that MP3 player have ruined my patience for things like this. I can imagine listening to a track or two of this on shuffle with everything else and enjoying it, but listening to the whole album my attention really wandered. It just did not hold my interest.

I think I like this better than Massive Attack. Easy listening, nothing annoying. It really is arranged quite well. But it's all sort of the same to me. Thought about a 4 for a moment but not sure that's what you give an album that is mostly great background music.

I like his music, but it's fundamentally not much more than good background/mood music.

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

The beats are chill I guess but it doesn't do anything interesting. It's decent. I think the ambient parts are better than the more downtempo ones, like on The Monkey King.

I didn't hate it Soundtrack to a really boring game Picks up after a while though 3

Today I learned that I'm not super into 90s electronica. I don't think I'd mind a song here and there but I couldn't do the whole album at once.

2/5 strange indeed

Via Caliente was a jam. Out of the Ice has a great bassline. Overall, this album is great as background, or even as a movie soundtrack. I don't think I'd put it on as something I'd actively listen to. It's definitely not my cup of tea.

Wow! Great stuff!

like this alot v ambient

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.

I remember listening to the first song a lot when it came out. It was a staple of the chill/downtempo/electronica movement. The second song has some spirit. Story of Light is good too. The rest is nice enough, at times the dub bass lines and drums kick in a bit too predictably. It’s very soothing, good for a hot yoga class, or good to listen to if you have insomnia. Having learned that he produced and co-wrote Madonna’s Ray of Light, I went back and listened to that album and his influence is left, front and center. But it's a more caffeinated William Orbit.

Why do all these groups doing this electro/ trance / ambient dreck all have similar names and sound the same, William Orbit, The Orb, Orbital? Not very original IMO. Its also hard to distinguish them from each other because not only do they have similar names but they all seem to play the same cheezy dated electro music that you typically hear at a posh hotel bar or poolside.