Orbital: Paul Hartnoll, Phil Hartnoll.

Additional personnel includes: Naomi Bedford, David Gray.

Getting farther away from both the electronica mainstream as well as its experimental underground with each release, the sixth full album by Orbital finds the Hartnoll brothers very tired indeed, recycling sounds and styles they'd pioneered ten years earlier. Sampling arch-metal heroes Tool and the frat rock staple "Surfin' Bird" (not even the original "Surfin' Bird") for a pair of aggro-thrash tracks doesn't exactly bode well for The Altogether, and even when the duo works in more familiar territory, it's far too familiar. "Funny Break (One Is Enough)" is a return to the majestic, trademarked Orbital sound of their debut, "Chime," but this isn't even the first time they've gone back to their staple. "Oi!" is another solid production, but incredibly it also borrows heavily from their repertoire, with the hazy female siren-calls from past Orbital classics like "Halcyon + On + On" and "The Girl With the Sun in Her Hair." And the Hartnolls' one concession to the currents of electronica circa 2001, a vocalist collaboration ("Illuminate" featuring David Gray), is a totally misguided crossover and one of the blandest tracks they've ever been associated with. Their cover of the Dr. Who theme may sound a little risqu‚ to fans of the ancient sci-fi series (especially those most middle-aged and curmudgeonly), but the track is obvious and unintentionally hilarious. It's genuinely surprising to find a consistent act like Orbital slipping to such depths, but The Altogether is a poor album and by far a low point in Orbital's career. [A limited-edition double-disc release of The Altogether added 11 tracks of bonus material and remixes.] ~ John Bush

Pioneering techno duo Orbital has been around long enough to establish the kind of immediately identifiable sound one associates with any long-standing band. Accordingly, the Hartnoll brothers play to their strenghts on THE ALTOGETHER. The pair's sixth album doesn't leap off in any bold new directions, but it certainly delivers the electro-dance goods in a manner to which Orbital fans have become accustomed. The opening track, dancefloor burner "Tension," mates a vocal sample from the immortal trash-rock clasic "Surfin' Bird" with a relentless techno beat, and atmospheric synth drones. Siren-like femal vocals illuminate the poppy "Funny Break," and David Gray even turns up on one track, but this is still the Hartnolls' show. Throughout the album, they deploy samples, loops, and synth riffs with a deftness that only comes with extensive experience. For the faithful, a second disc featuring rare tracks and remixes is included to sweeten the deal.

Rolling Stone (10/11/01, p.92) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...A very lovely storm of electronic fire and rain..."

Q (6/01, p.110) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Their spikiest, most experimental album in some time...acknowledging their punk roots by sampling Ian Dury, The Cramps and Crass..."

Muzik (5/01, p.61) - 5 out of 5 - "...Slick, self-assured...Hartnolls' ability to surprise remains firmly intact....Orbital not only remind you how good the 'Dr Who' theme is - but they can make you dance to it as well..."

CMJ (9/3/01, p.16) - "...Decontructs hits from an array of alternative artists and pieces them back together with their signature big beat rhythms and cerebral synth compositions..."

Down Beat (2/02, p.62) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...The sound is smooth and accomplished, if a little safe..."

Vibe (10/01, p.150) - 3.5 discs out of 5 - "...A friction between musical styles....managing to evoke the warmth and granduer of the traditional pop-song paradigm....bringing forth the most earthly qualities in its music..."

Mojo (Publisher) (5/01, p.116) - "...The trademark lush, sweeping soundscapes are here, but THE ALTIGETHER is more of an album of one-offs and collaborations, odd sound-sources and aural digs....the sound of a band having a lot of fun..."