The Altogether

In a departure from their previous outings, The Altogether showcases eleven short songs; an arena in which the Hartnoll brothers demonstrate a wealth of production values not yet seen in their repertoire. The ambient breakbeat pop of the first single !Funny Break (One Is Enough)! is a marked contrast to the psuedo-jungle scrape and drone of "Tension".

Cameo samples from the likes of Tool, Ian Dury, The Cramps and Crass as well as the inclusion, at the request of the fans, of "Doctor?" serves to illustrate both Orbital's punk rock sensibilities and the sense of humour they so readily bring to their live shows. That said, their version of Doctor Who is not on a par with the Bon Jovi/Belinda Carlisle mash up of "Halcyon", which sadly was never committed to vinyl. This album is proof positive that Orbital have never been a band to rest on their laurels, like their trademark cranial attire... they are always looking forward.