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While it might not be a full exclamation point ending to their career, it's far better than a fall on the face.
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A dignified and enjoyable end to a frequently astonishing career.
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FilterThe Blue Album is buxomly abundant with the Orbital's usual cinemascopic electronic psychedelia. [#12, p.100]
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A deeply flawed final effort.
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New Musical Express (NME)Listening to 'Blue' is like meeting your first girlfriend ten years on, and realising that the things you fell in love [with] are long gone. [19 Jun 2004, p.56]
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In a way, the album simply highlights many of the reasons why Orbital have been so beloved for the past decade-and-a-half.
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This might be quality above innovation, but its also maturity above cliché, and above all, passion over cynicism.
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The Blue Album is the quintessential Orbital album, because it manages to hit every expectation that the duo have created over the course of their 15-year career. But it meets these expectations, quite brilliantly in places, without ever truly exceeding them.
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Q MagazineReturns to the epic beauty that characterised their early work. [Aug 2004, p.116]
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Rolling Stone[Orbital is] leaving on a high note. [28 Oct 2004, p.100]
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While Blue Album doesnt break any moulds, match their best records from the mid 90s or (quite) end their career on a triumphant high, it will almost certainly find favour with old fans because its an undeniably good record, certainly their best since The Middle Of Nowhere and possibly even since In Sides.
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The Blue Album is more subtly beats-based than its predecessors; it has lengthy, almost classical sequences, and dark textures that are hard work at first but gradually reveal a haunting depth and beauty.
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The WireMarks a return to the kind of intricately interleaved rhythms, seamless progressions and aching harmonies that characterise their earlier sound. [#245, p.69]
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UncutA sleek and satisfying sixth album--their best since 1994's Snivilisation. [Jul 2004, p.110]
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Under The RadarAn incredible electronic journey... A perfect ending for both Orbital and for fans. [#7]
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UrbOrbital's swan song is a welcome addition to an epic, if uneven, catalog. [Oct 2004, p.104]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 7 out of 8
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Mixed: 1 out of 8
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Negative: 0 out of 8
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WinstonMJan 19, 2006
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DmitriPJul 13, 2004
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MacMJul 5, 2004