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Review: Low Orbit Satellite – Disposal Orbit (2014)

Recently, I came across a really interesting Techno album. Someone bought some music I recommended on Bandcamp, so I looked at what else they liked, and found it there. I was attracted initially by the name of the artist and the stark image of Sputnik on the cover. I was hoping for some spacy Techno.

It starts right in with a raw Roland 303 bassline, on a track aptly-named “303 Walk With Me”. Within a minute as the atmospherics kicked in, I was thinking, “Yup, spacy Techno!”

Through the rest of its 50-minute running time, I was not disappointed with anything I heard. Compositionally, it sounds like Techno from the early to mid 1990s, but sonically it’s very up-to-date.

While being quite consistent in its sound, there is variety to be had. Unsyncc brings in dubby elements and a bouncier sound, to great effect. Immediately after, we get Wiredbx which has a heavy and oppressive vibe. Then Libration Point lightens up again. Near the end we get Dumbells, which sounds more like Acid Techno. The closer (I’m not counting the trailing remix as the closer) Mass Transit Relay is a classic Techno album finish that drops the pounding beat and brings in a haunting flute; it’s a sound that leaves me wanting more of this stuff.

Had I listened to this without knowing its release date, I would have been very surprised to find out it landed in 2014. LOS’s previous full album from 2012 (named “2010”) sounds like it came out many years later than Disposal Orbit. Which indicates to me that the artist set out deliberately to bring us some older-sounding Techno with updated technology.

I recommend giving this a listen if that idea interests you.

Bandcamp link to the first track.

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