B-Side Guys

The Orb

The Orb’s albums, ranked by what the critics we trust thought of each one. 15 have a B-Side Breakdown, averaging 72 (C-). See the discography in release order.

What is The Orb’s best album?

By the critics, it’s U.F.Orb (1992), with a B-Side Breakdown of 88 (B+) from 10 reviews. 100% of them liked it.

Next best: The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld (83) and Orbus Terrarum (80). Lowest rated: Cydonia (54).

The Orb albums ranked

Best to worst by B-Side Breakdown.

  1. 1. U.F.Orb (1992): 88 B+
  2. 2. The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld (1991): 83 B
  3. 3. Orbus Terrarum (1995): 80 B-
  4. 4. Orblivion (1997): 78 C+
  5. 5. COW / Chill Out, World! (2016): 76 C
  6. 6. Buddhist Hipsters (2025): 75 C
  7. 7. No Sounds Are Out of Bounds (2018): 75 C
  8. 8. Moonbuilding 2703 AD (2015): 75 C
  9. 9. Abolition of the Royal Familia (2020): 72 C-
  10. 10. Prism (2023): 69 D+
  11. 11. The Dream (2007): 67 D+
  12. 12. The Orbserver in the Star House (2012): 65 D
  13. 13. More Tales from the Orbservatory (2013): 60 D-
  14. 14. Bicycles & Tricycles (2003): 58 F
  15. 15. Cydonia (1999): 54 F

The Orb discography, in release order

The earliest here83The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld, 1991The critics' favorite88U.F.Orb, 1992The latest75Buddhist Hipsters, 2025. 8 points below The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld.

The career, by Breakdown

Every The Orb album with a B-Side Breakdown, in release order. Above the dashed line, most critics liked it.

4010075likedThe Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld (1991): 83831991U.F.Orb (1992): 8888Orbus Terrarum (1995): 801995Orblivion (1997): 78Cydonia (1999): 541999Bicycles & Tricycles (2003): 58The Dream (2007): 672007The Orbserver in the Star House (2012): 65More Tales from the Orbservatory (2013): 602013Moonbuilding 2703 AD (2015): 75COW / Chill Out, World! (2016): 762016No Sounds Are Out of Bounds (2018): 75Abolition of the Royal Familia (2020): 722020Prism (2023): 69Buddhist Hipsters (2025): 75752025

Every The Orb studio album, oldest first. 2 don't have a Breakdown yet; each gets one once three critics' reviews turn up.

  1. 1991Album cover for The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld by The OrbThe Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld83 B
  2. 1992Album cover for U.F.Orb by The OrbU.F.Orb88 B+
  3. 1995Album cover for Orbus Terrarum by The OrbOrbus Terrarum80 B-
  4. 1997Album cover for Orblivion by The OrbOrblivion78 C+
  5. 1999Album cover for Cydonia by The OrbCydonia54 F
  6. 2003Album cover for Bicycles & Tricycles by The OrbBicycles & Tricycles58 F
  7. 2005Okie Dokie It's The Orb on KompaktNo Breakdown yet
  8. 2007Album cover for The Dream by The OrbThe Dream67 D+
  9. 2010Metallic SpheresNo Breakdown yet
  10. 2012Album cover for The Orbserver in the Star House by The OrbThe Orbserver in the Star House65 D
  11. 2013Album cover for More Tales from the Orbservatory by The OrbMore Tales from the Orbservatory60 D-
  12. 2015Album cover for Moonbuilding 2703 AD by The OrbMoonbuilding 2703 AD75 C
  13. 2016Album cover for COW / Chill Out, World! by The OrbCOW / Chill Out, World!76 C
  14. 2018Album cover for No Sounds Are Out of Bounds by The OrbNo Sounds Are Out of Bounds75 C
  15. 2020Album cover for Abolition of the Royal Familia by The OrbAbolition of the Royal Familia72 C-
  16. 2023Album cover for Prism by The OrbPrism69 D+
  17. 2025Album cover for Buddhist Hipsters by The OrbBuddhist Hipsters75 C

Which critics love The Orb, and which don’t

Each outlet’s scores set against the other critics on the same albums. Outlets that scored at least 3 The Orb albums.

Warmest on The OrbRecord Collector10 points above the other critics, on average, across 6 albums.Coolest on The OrbNME13 points below the other critics, on average, across 8 albums.Warmed up over timeThe Guardian13 points below the other critics in its reviews from 1995–1997, 4 points above from 2004–2015.

Outlet by outlet

Average points above or below the other critics. Tap an outlet for its scores album by album.

Record Collector6 albums+10
  1. U.F.Orb 199280 vs 88 from 9 others −8
  2. The Dream 2007100 vs 63 from 8 others +37
  3. Moonbuilding 2703 AD 201580 vs 75 from 8 others +5
  4. COW / Chill Out, World! 2016100 vs 72 from 6 others +28
  5. Prism 202360 vs 70 from 7 others −10
  6. Buddhist Hipsters 202580 vs 73 from 3 others +7

All Record Collector reviews

Q4 albums+9
  1. The Dream 200760 vs 68 from 8 others −8
  2. More Tales from the Orbservatory 201380 vs 53 from 3 others +27
  3. No Sounds Are Out of Bounds 201880 vs 74 from 7 others +6
  4. Abolition of the Royal Familia 202080 vs 71 from 7 others +9

All Q reviews

PopMatters6 albums+8
  1. The Dream 200770 vs 66 from 8 others +4
  2. The Orbserver in the Star House 201270 vs 65 from 8 others +5
  3. Moonbuilding 2703 AD 201580 vs 75 from 8 others +5
  4. COW / Chill Out, World! 201690 vs 73 from 6 others +17
  5. No Sounds Are Out of Bounds 201890 vs 73 from 7 others +17
  6. Prism 202370 vs 69 from 7 others +1

All PopMatters reviews

AllMusic14 albums+4
  1. The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld 1991100 vs 80 from 6 others +20
  2. U.F.Orb 1992100 vs 86 from 9 others +14
  3. Orbus Terrarum 199580 vs 80 from 4 others 0
  4. Orblivion 199790 vs 76 from 7 others +14
  5. Cydonia 199950 vs 54 from 5 others −4
  6. Bicycles & Tricycles 200360 vs 58 from 6 others +3
  7. The Dream 200780 vs 65 from 8 others +15
  8. The Orbserver in the Star House 201280 vs 64 from 8 others +17
  9. Moonbuilding 2703 AD 201580 vs 75 from 8 others +5
  10. COW / Chill Out, World! 201680 vs 75 from 6 others +5
  11. No Sounds Are Out of Bounds 201870 vs 75 from 7 others −5
  12. Abolition of the Royal Familia 202060 vs 74 from 7 others −14
  13. Prism 202360 vs 70 from 7 others −10
  14. Buddhist Hipsters 202570 vs 77 from 3 others −7

All AllMusic reviews

musicOMH6 albums+2
  1. The Dream 200760 vs 68 from 8 others −8
  2. The Orbserver in the Star House 201280 vs 64 from 8 others +17
  3. More Tales from the Orbservatory 201360 vs 60 from 3 others 0
  4. No Sounds Are Out of Bounds 201860 vs 77 from 7 others −17
  5. Abolition of the Royal Familia 202080 vs 71 from 7 others +9
  6. Prism 202380 vs 67 from 7 others +13

All musicOMH reviews

Rolling Stone5 albums−1
  1. Orbus Terrarum 199580 vs 80 from 4 others 0
  2. Orblivion 199760 vs 80 from 7 others −20
  3. Cydonia 199960 vs 52 from 5 others +8
  4. Bicycles & Tricycles 200360 vs 58 from 6 others +3
  5. The Orbserver in the Star House 201270 vs 65 from 8 others +5

All Rolling Stone reviews

Slant4 albums−3
  1. The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld 199180 vs 83 from 6 others −3
  2. Bicycles & Tricycles 200370 vs 56 from 6 others +14
  3. Moonbuilding 2703 AD 201570 vs 76 from 8 others −6
  4. COW / Chill Out, World! 201660 vs 78 from 6 others −18

All Slant reviews

Select3 albums−3
  1. The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld 199160 vs 87 from 6 others −27
  2. U.F.Orb 1992100 vs 86 from 9 others +14
  3. Orblivion 199780 vs 77 from 7 others +3

All Select reviews

Pitchfork8 albums−3
  1. Orblivion 199793 vs 75 from 7 others +18
  2. Cydonia 199961 vs 52 from 5 others +9
  3. Bicycles & Tricycles 200365 vs 57 from 6 others +8
  4. The Dream 200736 vs 71 from 8 others −35
  5. The Orbserver in the Star House 201268 vs 65 from 8 others +3
  6. Moonbuilding 2703 AD 201567 vs 76 from 8 others −9
  7. COW / Chill Out, World! 201660 vs 78 from 6 others −18
  8. Abolition of the Royal Familia 202069 vs 73 from 7 others −4

All Pitchfork reviews

Mojo5 albums−4
  1. Bicycles & Tricycles 200360 vs 58 from 6 others +3
  2. More Tales from the Orbservatory 201340 vs 67 from 3 others −27
  3. Abolition of the Royal Familia 202080 vs 71 from 7 others +9
  4. Prism 202360 vs 70 from 7 others −10
  5. Buddhist Hipsters 202580 vs 73 from 3 others +7

All Mojo reviews

The Guardian4 albums−5
  1. Orbus Terrarum 199575 vs 81 from 4 others −6
  2. Orblivion 199760 vs 80 from 7 others −20
  3. Bicycles & Tricycles 200360 vs 58 from 6 others +3
  4. Moonbuilding 2703 AD 201580 vs 75 from 8 others +5

All The Guardian reviews

Uncut7 albums−6
  1. U.F.Orb 199280 vs 88 from 9 others −8
  2. Cydonia 199960 vs 52 from 5 others +8
  3. The Dream 200760 vs 68 from 8 others −8
  4. Moonbuilding 2703 AD 201570 vs 76 from 8 others −6
  5. Abolition of the Royal Familia 202060 vs 74 from 7 others −14
  6. Prism 202360 vs 70 from 7 others −10
  7. Buddhist Hipsters 202570 vs 77 from 3 others −7

All Uncut reviews

NME8 albums−13
  1. The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld 199180 vs 83 from 6 others −3
  2. U.F.Orb 199290 vs 87 from 9 others +3
  3. Orblivion 199770 vs 79 from 7 others −9
  4. Cydonia 199930 vs 58 from 5 others −28
  5. Bicycles & Tricycles 200330 vs 63 from 6 others −33
  6. The Dream 200760 vs 68 from 8 others −8
  7. The Orbserver in the Star House 201250 vs 67 from 8 others −17
  8. Moonbuilding 2703 AD 201570 vs 76 from 8 others −6

All NME reviews

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