Work: 1989-2002
Despite their reputation as that rare techno artist who thinks in terms of albums, not singles,Work 1989-2002makes 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" (fromOrbital 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,Workis 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 underratedMiddle Of Nowhereshould 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" (fromIn Sides) would be preferable to songs like "Illuminate" off last year's disappointingThe Altogether. Similarly, it's a mystery why the record includes not the brilliant, original 1990 version of "Satan," but instead the inferior retread recorded withMetallica's Kirk Hammett for theSpawnsoundtrack. But even thoughWorkisn't perfect, it's tough to discount a record when at least half the tracks are classics of the genre.--Matthew Cooke