The Orb, Cydonia

Often credited with bringing house music to the masses, The Orb's chapter in the history of electronic music has been well earned. However, "Cydonia" may be lucky to get a footnote. "Cydonia" moves through styles of house, ambient and techno, but it seems to be only going through the motions rather than making a statement of eclecticism. The lead-off track and first single, "Once More," sounds more like an over-mixed, sub-standard Sarah McLachlan B-side than the work of electronic pioneers. "Promis" sets up an interesting contrast by sampling Rossini's "Overture to the Thieving Magpie" overtop of a pondering dub rhythm, but once that juxtaposition fades, so does the listener's interest. As a rule, the sampling on the album is clever, but adding cute tidbits to bland servings doesn't save "Cydonia" from falling into mediocrity. In some ways, there's nothing better than music that operates subconsciously, luring you into an altered state of mind without you realising it. If that's what The Orb were aiming for here, they've failed. Whether it's an experiment in minimalism that grew too dense or simply the result of a creative drought, "Cydonia" is the sound of The Orb resting, and perhaps snoring, on their laurels. An album that comes buffered in a five-page press release should provoke something, even dislike or offense. "Cydonia", however, can't even manage to do that.

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