The Orb: Dr. Alex Paterson, Thrash.

Additional personnel: Aisha (vocals); Steve Hillage (guitar); Tom Green (flute); Marney Pax (harmonica); Jah Wobble, Guy Pratt (bass); Youth, Orde Meikle, Stuart McMillan, Greg Hunter, Tom Green, Marney Pax, Guy Pratt, Thomas Fehlmann, Miquette Giraudy, Lx.

A worthy successor to the group's first release, the watershed double-disc THE ORB'S ADVENTURES BEYOND THE ULTRAWORLD, U.F.ORB ranges a little further afield in composition and concept. With a keener sense of focus and a greater willingness to step outside the rave-oriented dance meters of the duo's debut, Alex Paterson and Kris Weston (a.k.a. Thrash) delve more heavily into found sounds, samples, and audio collage.

The opener and the chimerical, mesmerizing "Blue Room," demonstrate a particular affinity for manipulating sound into abstract, mind-teasing formations. The influence of heavy dub--the sort practiced by Lee "Scratch" Perry and King Tubby--is apparent here as well, especially on the aptly named "Towers of Dub." But the Orb still creates pulsing, beat-based music for this outing, particularly on the title track and the tense "Close Encounters." U.F.ORB demonstrates the group's prowess at melding the rhythmic elements of house with the avant-garde, organic soundscapes of ambient music, and confirms its status as a highly influential act in the development of electronica.

Spin (11/92, p.119) - Highly Recommended - "...the unabashed return of cosmic rock...combine[s] the reverb-drenched expanses of dub reggae with the ethereal meanderings of progressive rock...it's far out, far in..."

Entertainment Weekly (12/4/92, p.65) - "...takes us to the dark side of the moon Pink Floyd never dreamed of...The Orb's sound is hypnotic--and often spookily beautiful..." - Rating: A

Q (12/99, p.74) - Included in Q Magazine's "90 Best Albums Of The 1990s."

Q (1/93, p.69) - Included in Q's list of the 50 Best Albums Of 1992 - "...takes us round the backside of the moon and down deep into the murky vastness of the oceans, all at a languid, unhurried pace appropriate for the most frazzled of ravers to chill out to..."

Uncut (p.115) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Peppered with surreal humour, hypnotic sound paintings like 'Close Encounters' and Top 10 single 'Blue Room' have barely dated."