ORBIT

I was a little disappointed with this latest HEDERSLEBEN album called "Orbit". Surprised too that Kaphera(keys/ vocals) and Jason(drums) have been replaced. They along with band leader Nicky(guitar/ composer) had been on the first three studio albums together, along with being in Nik Turner's band. Now I did notice that all three were on Nik's latest "Life In Space" so there's that. I'm not a huge fan of the new female singer here along with some of these songs. There are some good songs though and many excellent ideas in place here it's just that very few of them are working for me.

"Judas Star" has this spacey atmosphere with some guitar expressions until the song kicks into gear with organ and drums after a minute. I'm not into the sound before 2 minutes, annoying. I much prefer the calm that follows although the manipulated female vocals bug me too. I can't win here. Her vocals become normal after 4 minutes as she shouts the lyrics. A spacey calm ends it. "Walk Above The Clouds" has a nice heavy sound to it but it settles back quickly. A steady beat with vocals takes over a minute in. I'm not really into her vocals but I like that determined beat and the guitar starting before 2 1/2 minutes. It's angular here by the way.

"Distant Sun" has a dark atmosphere as sparse piano joins in. Male and female vocals follow as they almost drone like they are drugged. A calm before 2 1/2 minutes then it starts again with atmosphere, experimental sounds and sampled voices. "History Of Light" is a more energetic "rock" piece with female vocals. Organ and a heavy sound but I'm not into the vocals. I do like how the guitar echoes after 2 minutes. A catchy track.

"Apogie" opens with what sounds like church organ swirling as spacey sounds help out as they come and go. The drums kick in as well. A cool instrumental. "Hedersleben(Dream State)" is a top two as we get this melancholy with laid back guitar melodies and bass as reserved female vocals join in. Violin a minute in. Spacey, melancholic synths before 2 1/2 minutes. Just a great sound to this one.

"Rarefied Air" is my other favourite. Surprisingly(not) both are very melancholic. I think that's guitar and keys as drums then heavy bass lines join in. There's those melancholic synths I love before a minute. Vocal melodies replace the synths after a minute and they will continue to take turns. That sure sounds like mellotron around 4 minutes. "Be There" is an uptempo rocker with female vocals that I don't really enjoy while the closer "Perigree" is birds chirping throughout with dual acoustic guitar melodies.

As I said earlier there are some interesting ideas here but I want my old band back(haha). No this is a good album but I'll stick with the first three.