Its been ages since anyone released an album that I wanted to write about, and suddenly three or four have arrived at once. I was eagerly awaiting an album from either of the Orbital brothers, and finally ‘The Ideal Condition’ from Paul Hartnoll has dropped.

Orbital were one of my all-time favourite bands - combining tough electronica with beautiful melodies, and straddling the line between Dance and festival still rock music perfectly. Seeing them live was an extraordinary thing, and I still love listening to their albums now.

The Ideal Condition is a slight departure from that - reducing the electronica down to an almost film-score like atmosphere, and delivering some really beautiful soundscapes. Added into the mix are some real vocals (including Robert Smith) and a more song-like structure to the material. Its a stunning album, that restored my faith.