Snivilisation
Tobias Peggs August 1994
A lot has been made of the society conscious vein flowing through 'Snivilisation'. Interviewers have forced the Hartnoll brothers to produce 'society's gotta change' sound bites and heralded their left-field stance. Critical scrutiny on a 'proper album' as opposed to a 'collection of tracks' (a criticism levelled at the previous 'Green' and 'Brown' albums) has tended to bypass the important issue. What are the tunes like?
Forever kicks off 'Snivilisation' in typical Orbital fashion - - the looped voice ("I'll damn you forever!"), the intricate melodies, they're all here. This is not to say that Orbital are predictable. It's more like recognising old friends who've been away for a while. What attracted you to them in the first place is still prominent, but obvious, interesting changes have occurred. Forever is quite simply beautiful. Basically a Jazz influenced remix of Lush 3-1, it draws you in whilst displaying superb use of analogue methodsi. This backward glance at technology comes through again on I Wish I Duck Feet, a peculiar sample-happy ditty -- giving the effect of channel hopping after an exhausting club marathon -- over a classic Casio samba beat.
Sad But True is where things go bang. Metallic riffs over a rumba beat... I can't reference. I've heard nothing like this. When Sad... breaks into Electro-Ska nothing can disturb your concentration. Imagine a VR Jamaican dance hall. It's Quite massive. Crash And Carry is full on tekno. It's fast. It's hard. It's one of those tracks where stylish dancing goes out of the window and you just jump around like a nutter with a huge smile on your face. The way the synth jumps in recalls T99's Anathasia.
Science Friction cools things down just in time. It's the most smooth flowing track on 'Snivilisation'. It's very bliss-trancey but with Orbital, there's always a sinister underflow. Philosophy By Numbers moves into Aphex territory in terms of bloody scary lucid dreaming sounds. Quality Seconds (about 60 of them!) smacks in with a Beastie Boys riff. It is hard core in both senses. It leaves you breathless which is not the best state to enter Are We Here?. This is bullet from a gun speed Jungle. But it's ultra dreamy too (anyone ready for Jungadelia?). Several breakdowns separate the different 'movements' in Are We Here? and the classical analogy becomes reality on Kein Trink Wasser. The simple but quick chord changes recall Michael Nyman. It's very brave. After breaking into a Neworder-esque boogie, the piano is overlaid once more. Don't be surprised to hear Kein Trink Wasser pop up on Radio 3's Music In Our Time on a Sunday night.
Attached is a stunning ambient ciao! to 'Snivilisation'. As you float off (with life strings attached?) you just know you're coming around to this album again. And around to this album again. And around to this album again. A lot has been made of the society conscious vein flowing through 'Snivilisation'...
- Contact Tobias at scetp@cf.ac.uk or visit his home page.
- Originally published in Gair Rhydd (Cardiff's student newspaper)
[ Also: Melody Maker, Select Magazine and Dave Walker reviews ]
