It might be a bit of an exaggeration to call it the end of an era, but it's still sad to hear that Orbital have finally decided to call it a day. The good news is that after 15 years at the cutting edge of the dance scene, the Hartnoll brothers have produced one more long-player before retiring - and while Blue Album isn't quite up there with their best work, it's still a very respectable note on which to bow out. Fittingly, it includes a little bit of everything Orbital were ever famous for: chill-out, acid house and even a bit of rampaging techno to remind us of the days when people actually went to raves. Some of it's a bit meandering, so it's just as well there's some quality guests to liven up proceedings, including the evergreen Sparks and a slightly batty sample from the new Dr Who, Christopher Eccleston. A shame that the curtain has to fall - but at least Orbital have left the stage with dignity.

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