When classical and pop meet, the traditional target audience tends to be those with little appreciation for either genre. So it takes a brave man – especially when the reputation in question is that of the Madonna-producing Orbit - to attempt chalk/cheese surgery.
What he is attempting to do with this album is unclear. The 'Strange Cargo' solo releases proved Orbit's knack for creating haunting, soulful melodies in a "modern style". However, this album - book-ended by two pieces in a rather less modern style - is a somewhat mixed affair. Orbit avoids obvious choices and Ferry Corsten-style 4/4 trance anthems, instead relying on his own distinctive soundscapes. Sometimes it works - notably with Gorecki's and Ravel's work - but it frequently misses the mark, with his reinterpretation of Handel's 'Xerxes' sounding something like incidental muzak from a low-budget US soap.
Barber can rest easy in his grave as there isn't a beat or a break in sight. However, quite what kind of audience this album will find as a result, remains to be seen.
