Dance music for proper grown ups.
Certain bands are made for certain times and are forever linked with gigs or festivals. Recently, the Isle of Wight festival was headlined by The Rolling Stones but as much of the pre-festival talk was about the night Jimi Hendrix played a blistering set shortly before he died. The MC5 are forever remembered for their gig at 1968 Democratic convention and it's a widespread belief that the Live Aid show was pivotal in returning Queen to the nations heart. A reminder that although Live Aid did a lot of good for starving children it also foisted that bunch of over-rated chancers back on us so it wasn't all good.
However, with the weekend just past, Glastonbury is clearly on a lot of peoples minds and one of the acts that spring instantly to mind are Orbital. Long remembered for a few performances that spanned a decade at the festival, no doubt many fans were a bit misty-eyed while reminiscing of the bands former glories. Its with this backdrop that Paul Hartnoll's debut release 'The Ideal Condition' came to us and with timing as convenient as that, it must be said that the album pushes a lot of the right buttons whilst forging its own path.
From the off, there is a heavy film score presence with the jutting strings and atmospheric builds littering early tracks like 'For Silence' and 'Simple Sounds', Repeated listens bring out the layers of the song but theres no moment of take-off, just a general scene setting and relaxed air about it all.
When guest vocalist Robert Smith, of The Cure fame, turns up on 'Please', the album starts to find its electronic feet. Over a murky yet quick-stepping backdrop, Smith turns in a performance so Smith-like that its hard to determine if its lazy or genius. His simple melodies roll so easily over the track, they threaten to overwhelm the music even though he conveys such a laid-back emotion to it all. In the instrumental phases the track bristles away nicely and the juxtaposition of the two creates a rather enjoyable track. The Cure are one of the in-bands at the moment whose influence stretches over many of the fashionable acts, so smiths inclusion should turn on quite a few folk.
With the rest of the album following in a similar vein, muted orchestral scores over placid beats or some more vibrant mid-paced beats, its not an out and out dance record but it never lets up, and to be fair, never disappoints. 'Aggro' near the albums conclusion lives up to its title with its dub-like effects on the drums and the vocals whispering menacingly about hunting and having a need to confess. The vocals, from US songwriter Joseph Arthur have a David Bowie feel to them and if you never read the linear notes you would be forgiven for thinking that The Thin White Duke was on the case here.
So it may not be what the die-hard fans were after this Summer but for a debut solo album, 'The Ideal Condition' finds itself in rude health and should be enjoyed by many over the coming months. Perhaps a solo slot at next summers mudfest? No reason why not!