Customer Reviews

Uf Off: Best of

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you like the Orb, you probably already own at least half the music on this CD. A word of advice - just go buy the rest. Don't waste your hard-earned money on this CD.There is NOTHING NEW on this disc and the tracks don't flow together nearly as well as they do on the original albums.If you really have your heart set on an Orb compilation, may I suggest the spectacular "Morphology" as a much better investment.When I got done listening to this CD, I felt like the victim of some greedy record company's slimy little stunt to rake in a few extra bucks on a popular artist. Luckily I had a friend who was intent on buying the album, so I was able to get rid of my copy and save her a few bucks at the same time.P.S. After that I tried the 2-CD version of U.F. Off (this review is being typed for the one-CD version). It is a little better with a few interesting remixes on the second disc, but hardly worth the 20 bucks you'll shell out (unless you're a total die-hard).-FrancisH in Redmond, WA

Greatest hits albums are usually a safe bet. After all, why settle for filler when all the good songs can be found on a convenient compilation? The exception to this rule is The Orb, one of the seminal bands of the 90's and arguably electronica's biggest act from `91-93. For this group, their albums of ambient-house music emphasized the whole over the sum of its parts. Picking out key songs may conveniently recap their career but doesn't capture the mood of their long, hypnotic sets.

Now, this does have their obvious hits, but for many reasons this album is still aimed for the Orb fan already. For instance, nearly all the 12 tracks are remixed to a varying degree, and half the songs are the better titles culled from their later, less successful releases.

As for the songs, leading off is an excellent Orbital dance mix of "A Huge...," with it's chugging beat, array of sound samples (a trademark of all Orb songs) and "Loving You" sample. There is, but of course, "Little Fluffy Clouds," sounding as good today - even in VW Beetle ads- as it did back then. "Perpetual Dawn" showcases the band's other tendencies: occasional raga sounds and cheeky humor. "Blue Room" is a good synopsis of their work, with it's blippy beat, effects, and voices worming in and out. "Assassin" is a minimal track, with a keyboard melody very similar to Sasha's "Xpander." "Pomme Fritz" features warped sounds but little else compelling, "Toxygene" is even more comically absurd and upbeat than their normal work, and "Outlands," like many other songs, is pulled from their first two albums. Rounding out the disc are the electro-tinged "DJ Asylum," the chaotic and poor "Mickey Mars," the too long skit/song "Towers of Dub," and the simple "Pi."

Getting this is a good choice for fans who want an easy Orb fix of their catchiest songs. Those looking to try The Orb, however, should get the magnificent The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld, their as-good follow up U.F. Orb, or the comprehensive Orb Live '93 set. U.F. Off may earn four stars, but it's their fourth-best release.

This is a good selection of the Orb, so if you don't know the Orb this might be a good CD to get started. If you are an Orb fan, then you might want to get all of the other CDs instead of this one. But If you are really crazy about the Orb, then yeah, go ahead and buy it... I don't think you will regret it.

this cd, is not only the best of, butone of the best of the orb. Track remixes are awesome, and they have all the good tracks on one cd. Now all the orb needs is a video feed to go with it. Very much appreciated, keep up the good work..

This is an amazing album. The songs range from Reggie to Trance. A great cd to mix with. It is crazy how ahead of thier time these guys were. Get this album while you still can.

I would recommend 2,3,4,and 7. I don't really like the other songs on the CD and bought it only for the above songs. If you can get the CD for a reasonable price (below $10), then I would definitely listen to these songs.

Listen to this CD going to sleep and you can live the song..

With the noted exception of U.F.Orb, their albums can be a bit choppy. Running from the brilliant to the self-indulgent. This distills almost all of the best tracks they have ever done. For fans and new comers alike, this disc is great. If your a real Orb collector, you won't find any obscure mixes here, mostly 7" edits of the hits. Even on the Volkswagon commercial, Little Fluffly Clouds is one of the most amazing tracks ever. Excellent and well worth buying.

As mentioned elsewhere, the choice of tracks range from the obvious releases (Little Fluffy Clouds, Blue Room) to noisy crap that was never released (Mickey Mars). The version of 'Towers of Dub' is noodly and boring, and tracks like PI and DJ Asylem can hardly be called 'The best of the Orb' really now, can they? I bought the one CD version of this album, and you can buy a limited edition two CD version. The tracks on CD 2 are practically the same ones as on CD 1 in different remixed forms! Where's the logic in that when there are so many classic tracks on the first two albums alone that surely belong here (the track U.F.Orb itself for instance). Anyway, buy Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld & U.F.Orb instead as everyone knows the rest of their output was dismal (Pomme Fritz, Orbus Terraneous and Orblivion were all dire, dire wastes of money).

U.F.OFF is like a Terry Gilliam movie; very individual, strange, humorous, science fiction, doesnt always achieve its goals but is definitely worth listening to.