Work: 1989-2002

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Product Overview

• Format: Audio CD, Remixes included, Import, Aug. 20 2002

Oribital paved a path for artists like Basement Jaxx and
the Chemical Brothers to follow. Not only did they take dance into the live
arena, but they also pushed to concept of the dance album beyond a mere
collection of singles, adding the longevity and credibility needed to boost a
genre that many perceived as a short-lived phomena. This retrospective
collection documents the group's history from 1989s bedroom classic "Chime" to
material from last year's "The Altogether." Amazon.ca Despite their reputation
as that rare techno artist who thinks in terms of albums, not singles, Work
1989-2002 makes it obvious that a retrospective like this from Orbital is well
overdue. At one time, Orbital was one of the biggest, if not the biggest,
names in techno, a result of their willingness to tour like a rock band and
put on performances with light shows and improvised DJ work. Hence, tracks
like "Halcyon and On and On" (from Orbital 2) and early ravers like "Chime"
have so imprinted themselves on our collective techno memory that it seems odd
they haven't been packaged together already. Still, as a definitive
collection, Work is less than perfect. First off, the tracks here are
relatively bland 7-inch versions of songs that have all been mixed to hell and
back; "Nothing Left" from 1999's underrated Middle Of Nowhere should be a
monstrous mix of swooping melodies and fat chords, not the tepid radio version
used here. Surely, another four minutes of "Halcyon" or "The Box" (from In
Sides) would be preferable to songs like "Illuminate" off last year's
disappointing The Altogether. Similarly, it's a mystery why the record
includes not the brilliant, original 1990 version of "Satan," but instead the
inferior retread recorded with Metallica's Kirk Hammett for the Spawn
soundtrack. But even though Work isn't perfect, it's tough to discount a
record when at least half the tracks are classics of the genre. --Matthew
Cooke