William Orbit: Pieces In A Modern Style

William Ørbit's pioneering ambient techno has always been rooted in an organic base, which is probably why artists as disparate as Prince, Madonna, and Blur have long sought him out for his remixing and producing abilities. Even though Ørbit's studio prowess accounted for much of the artistic success of Madonna's hit Ray Of Light, the singer's star power still virtually eclipsed the contribution of her British beat master. But never mind the fact that Ray Of Light sounds nearly identical to what Ørbit has been doing on his own for the past two decades; the talented producer and songwriter was finally getting his day in the spotlight. So how does Ørbit take advantage of the new weight attached to his name Pieces In A Modern Style is a portentous recasting of several mostly 20th-century classical pieces in the mold of Ørbit's previous works. Ørbit displays good taste: His diverse selections include Samuel Barber's "Adagio For Strings," John Cage's "In A Landscape," Erik Satie's "Ogive Number 1," and Henryk Gorecki's "pieces in the Old Style" 1 and 3. These artists have helped both establish the basis of modern ambient music (particularly Satie and Cage) and form a bridge from contemporary music back to traditional classical compositions (particularly the multimillion-selling Polish composer Gorecki). On the other hand, the influence of background pop pioneers like Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream, and Wendy Carlos have established a precedent for New Age music, and Ørbit's slick takes on these beautiful fragments can hang a bit too much like aural wallpaper. Obviously, pieces by the above—as well as by Ravel, Vivaldi, and Beethoven—are great. That's why they've endured. The question is just how much Ørbit improves on the originals. It's a foregone conclusion to a rhetorical query, as the originals needed no improving in the first place. Ørbit's sedate sequencer work and synth swooshes are pointless: Personal project or not, the pretty Pieces In A Modern Style isn't much more than a Hooked On… collection for a digital age.