Pieces In A Modern Style

OK, here's the deal. William Orbit, the man credited with discovering Beth Orton and reinventing Madonna circa Ray Of Light, has released his first album proper and it's a strange beast. Far from being a beat-ridden dancer's paradise, it's a modern, electronic interpretation of 11 classical pieces, from Samuel Barber to Beethoven. And does it work? There you have me.

Vivaldi's 'L'Inverno' is quite beautiful in a perverse sort of way and 'Cavalleria Rusticana' by Pietro Mascagni is truly mesmeric, but Pieces . . . is neither going to introduce classical purists to trance, nor to give clubbers a new appreciation of the works of Ravel. Having said that, it allows the more enlightened/pretentious of the chemical generation to impress their mates after a night on the tiles.

But then again, you have to question whether anything worthwhile is achieved by turning Beethoven's 'Triple Concerto' into the kind of prog rock that could have come from a Pink Floyd live album or introducing Henryk Gorecki's sombre symphonies to the world of electronica.

However pretentious the idea, Pieces . . . is quite an enjoyable album for those late nights/early mornings, when its soothing sounds will allow you to linger in that netherworld between Nod and neurosis. Mind you, 'good to fall asleep to' is a paradoxical compliment for any album.

Pieces . . . is either a highly ambitious attempt to take on the stuffy confines of classical music, which is both brave and worthy, or else it's a bit of fun knocked together in a couple of hours that seemed like a great idea after 14 double whiskies.

Progressive or regressive? Post chillout classical trance or music to shop to? I'm not sure, but does it really matter? Hooked On Classics it certainly ain't.