Wonky
by Orbital
  • Record Label: ACP
  • Release Date: Apr 3, 2012
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
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  1. AllMusic
    Apr 20, 2012
    70
    Much like Prodigy's return to their rave-era prime on Invaders Must Die, it feels a touch forced, but what remains clear is that the Hartnolls still have the ability to make magic more than 20 years after their debut.
  2. The Quietus
    Apr 13, 2012
    80
    Wonky is Orbital's most pop album; it's supremely, relentlessly, even ruthlessly melodic, and laden with irresistible momentum throughout.
  3. PopMatters
    Apr 10, 2012
    70
    It's Orbital doing what they do best... again.
  5. Consequence
    Apr 6, 2012
    70
    Is this the best album of Orbital's career? Certainly not. But it is their best album in the past 15 years.
  6. Sputnikmusic
    Apr 5, 2012
    50
    Wonky is a work full of many flaws and too few shining moments, but as ammunition for the obvious tours to follow, there's enough here to be effective enough in a large enough setting.
  7. Pitchfork
    Apr 4, 2012
    75
    Wonky has the one-jolt-after-another vibe of a great collection of familiar hits but without the disconnected feeling you get when a bunch of obviously Big Moment singles are slapped together and called an album, rather seamlessly covering a whole lot of musical ground without sacrificing concision or intensity
  8. Fact Magazine (UK)
    Apr 3, 2012
    60
    While it's unlikely to garner them a new generation of fans, as an exercise in generating fresh fodder for their festival sets it's effective enough.
  9. musicOMH.com
    Apr 2, 2012
    80
    Orbital are right back on form, sounding assured and instinctive, ready to seize the moment once again and take their music to another level.
  10. The Independent (UK)
    Apr 2, 2012
    60
    Further confirmation of the enduring strength of old-school electronic music.
  11. DIY Magazine
    Apr 2, 2012
    80
    It's further proof that Orbital aren't content to stand still and rest on the laurels that have made them ones to watch at festivals. 'Wonky' as an album is sexy, smart, and filled with all the potential to smash the competition.
  12. The Independent on Sunday (UK)
    Apr 2, 2012
    60
    Suggests and afternoon in Ikea. Snorbital.
  13. Clash Music
    Apr 2, 2012
    60
    [Wonky has] not improved on any of their previous work. They are merely chasing the shadows cast from their own trademarked head torches.
  14. New Musical Express (NME)
    Apr 2, 2012
    80
    Mainly a deep pool of blissful, sedentary festival listening.
  15. Drowned In Sound
    Apr 2, 2012
    80
    The best record Orbital have made in the past 15 years and up there with their very best.
  16. BBC Music
    Apr 2, 2012
    80
    Nobody would expect an eighth album by a band 20-plus years into its career to sound this fantastic, but time away has obviously helped re-energise the brothers into crafting this triumphantly grand return.
  17. The Observer (UK)
    Apr 2, 2012
    60
    The 90s electronic titans use vintage analogue synths, subtly retro-fitting their sound in a way that, ironically, brings it bang up to date.
  18. No Ripcord
    Jul 23, 2012
    70
    Wonky is a very structured album, and although quality control may lapse slightly toward the end, it deserves to be considered a triumphant return.
  19. Under The Radar
    Jul 9, 2012
    70
    Wonky is the sound of what a band has learned along the way. [Jun 2012, p.160]
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  20. Beats Per Minute
    Jun 20, 2012
    74
    Imperfect it may be, but as a concise and focused return, its is an unequivocal triumph.
  21. Q Magazine
    Apr 25, 2012
    80
    Wonky restores the Hartnolls' reputation among electronic music's greats. [May 2012, p.103]
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  22. Mojo
    Apr 20, 2012
    80
    The best Orbital album since 1994's Snivilisation? Certainly. [May 2012, p.87]
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  23. Magnet
    Apr 10, 2012
    70
    Wonky finds the head-lamped pair still hitting those marks [being innovative within the confines of electronic music], even if it isn't quite as revelatory now. [No. 86, p.56]
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User Reviews

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User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 1 out of 13
  1. Kansler
    Apr 11, 2012
    9
    After an all-too-long hiatus, the Hartnoll brothers are back with a vengeance. Wonky is a powerful album, perhaps more powerful than anythingAfter an all-too-long hiatus, the Hartnoll brothers are back with a vengeance. Wonky is a powerful album, perhaps more powerful than anything they've released since their heyday. The production is impeccable, and Flood's mixing skills are put to good use here, extracting every essence out of every beat and bleep, creating a tapestry of sound both immediately approachable and with a panorama of hidden depth. The songs themselves are very varied, ranging from the dance floor hits of Wonky, Beelzedub and Stringy Acid to the more ethereal and soundtrack-friendly mood pieces like Never, One Big Moment and Distractions. The arch, from the first song to the last, is very strong, with only one questionable choice thrown in the mix - namely, the Zola Jesus collaboration, New France, which is interesting but ultimately an ill fit to the flow of the album - and the momentum of emotion and energy leaps from one high to another high, with the quirky ease of an acid-tripping, Kraftwerk-loving butterfly.

    This is their best album this side of the millennium, and a fantastic return to form to the original innovators of electronic home-listening music. They have produced something more than a dance album. Sure, it takes elements from current trends, like Dubstep and electro-house, but it sounds uniquely Orbital and very much like a logical progression to their work in the 1990's, in that it combines beat-oriented and dancefloor-friendly machinations with an audiophile's fascination with aural detail and a dedication to emotionally dictated musical architecture. Highly recommended.    … Full Review »
  2. ozymandias79
    Aug 26, 2014
    9
    Been a fan of Orbital for a long time and this, possibly their last album, is an awesome addition to their discography. Two or three songsBeen a fan of Orbital for a long time and this, possibly their last album, is an awesome addition to their discography. Two or three songs aren't as a good as the others but the first and last songs are so good that, if this is their last album, I'm completely satisfied.… Full Review »
  3. AlexxTrusc
    May 26, 2012
    7
    Album Orbital - "Wonky" could surprise positively. Overall it is in fact a very ear-catching electronic music which is a combination ofAlbum Orbital - "Wonky" could surprise positively. Overall it is in fact a very ear-catching electronic music which is a combination of dubstep, techno and hause. The songs are distinctive - primarily through the instrument add-ons evident in songs such as "Never","One Big Moment" or the longest and somewhat experimental "Distractions". Album that is worth noting.… Full Review »
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