SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ORBITAL – GLASTONBURY 1994

ORBITAL
GLASTONBURY 1994
LONDON RECORDS

Glastonbury is one of the most famous and popular music festivals in the world. As such, the performances are often recorded for and transmitted by the BBC TV and radio. These broadcasts are often bootlegged, and clips are found on streaming services such as YouTube. Orbital’s 1994 performance was recorded and has been available through various places over the years, but the duo made the wise decision to release the entire concert. Glastonbury 1994 is remastered, mixed, and presented in its entirety on vinyl and CD. This concert is a feel good, exciting, dance electronica. There is little chill here, maybe the beginning, but one can hear Orbital whipping the crowd into a frenzy with their intense music.

Orbital consists of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll and 1994 was a pivotal year for the English duo Their album Snivilisation was their breakthrough album, hence their appearance at Glastonbury. This performance sealed the deal. They remained a force in the electronica/dance/rave scene to this day. Hearing this album can’t help but take you back to the mid-1990s, and while it is not so much that it sounds dated, it is of its time. This is primarily instrumental techno-electro dance music, and the brothers deliver it expertly.

The opening song “Forever” (from Snivilisation) pays a little tribute to Joy Division with strains of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” buried deep in the mix in the opening, while “Walk Now” puts a smile on your face with the sounds of a crosswalk, before it turns into a high energy electro number. They performed a few songs from their then current album, including “Are We Here?” and “Sad But True.” Both songs featured vocals by Alison Goldfrapp. And while the fans enjoy the then new songs, the older ones are equally exciting, especially “Chime” which ends the set.

While the CD sounds great, one can’t help but wish there was a DVD of the concert. While they are electronic, their stage show is certainly impressive and it would have been welcomed, alongside the CD. But, as it is, this is an exciting and energetic live album from a different time. For me, it is hard to believe that this concert is over 30 years old, but it is. And while things with electronica have changed too much, this concert does remind the listener of a different time and a slightly different sounding electro-dance. It is really a fun CD.

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