an ambient-techno classic, 'uf orb' captures alex patterson and his sonic henchman at their early peak. while the orb had already created a dance-floor and chill-out-room sensation in 1991 with 'little fluffy clouds', this follow-up disc displays patterson's talent for fusing ambient music with dub science and a club culture mindset. incorporating psychedelicized samples over the era's reigning techno beats and deep reggae bass lines, heady compositions such as 'towers of dub' and 'close encounters' are excessive in length but consistently entertaining. the album's highlight is an 18-minute version of 'blue room' (there's a 40-minute version out there, too), which features the sensual bass playing of jah wobble and the oscillating guitar of coproducer steve hillage.