- Soaring trance with the edge (and subtlety) of a Coldplay power ballad.
- William Orbit helped define the sound of electronic music in the '90s. For Ray Of Light alone, he would never have to do anything again and still secure his hall-of-fame card. But every once in a while he pops up with solo records that veer from clever to cheesy, as his undeniable ear for melody (and sonic glitter) runs free without being saddled to a pop star. On his latest, for Anjunadeep, however, he lets that freedom get the best of him. "Starbeam" is a schlocky ballad-not-ballad, soaring towards a predictable climax that sounds like it was made to soundtrack the triumphant post-victory montage of an NFL game. From its whispery vocals to the twangy guitar to the overweening orchestral synth arrangement, it lacks edge and subtlety, as well as any trace of the detail-oriented arrangements or lush breathing room that have made Orbit such a legendary producer in the first place.