Orbital | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Orbital, the British duo of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll, have crafted a vast catalog of ambitious yet accessible electronic music, informed by a wide range of genres such as ambient, electro, punk, and film scores. They became one of the biggest names in techno during the mid-90s by solving the irreconcilable differences previously inherent in the genre: to stay true to the dance underground and, at the same time, force entry into the rock arena, where an album functions as an artistic statement -- not a collection of singles -- and a bands prowess is demonstrated by the actual performance of live music. Beginning their career with the 1990 British Top 20 hit "Chime," the duo released a string of critically praised albums, including the 1993 landmark Orbital 2 and 1996s In Sides. The LPs sold well with rock fans as well as electronic listeners, thanks to Orbitals busy tour schedule, as well as their musics frequent inclusion in film soundtracks. As the duos own music became more cinematic-sounding, they scored films such as Event Horizon and Octane. The duo disbanded in 2004, only to reform in 2009 and release full-length Wonky and soundtrack Pusher in 2012. Following a second breakup in 2014, they returned once again in 2017, releasing Monsters Exist the following year. The brothers Hartnoll -- Phil (born January 9, 1964) and Paul (born May 19, 1968) -- grew up in Dartford, Kent, listening to early-80s punk and electro. During the mid-80s, Phil worked as a bricklayer while Paul played with a local band called Noddy & the Satellites. They began recording together in 1987 with a four-track, keyboards, and a drum machine, and sent their first composition, "Chime" (recorded and mastered onto a cassette tape for a total production cost of £2.50), into Jazzy Ms pioneering house mix show Jackin Zone. By 1989, "Chime" was released as a single, the first on Jazzy Ms label, Oh-Zone Records. The following year, ffrr Records re-released the single and signed a contract with the duo -- christened Orbital in honor of the M25, the circular London expressway which speeded thousands of club kids to the hinterlands for raves during the blissed-out Summer of Love. "Chime" hit number 17 on the British charts in March 1990 and led to an appearance on the TV chart show Top of the Pops, where the Hartnolls stared at the audience from behind their synth banks. "Omen" barely missed the Top 40 in September, but "Satan" made number 31 early in 1991, with a sample lifted from the Butthole Surfers. Orbitals untitled first LP, released in September 1991, consisted of all-new material -- that is, if live versions of "Chime" and the fourth single "Midnight" are considered new works. Unlike the Hartnolls later albums, though, the debut was more of a collection of songs than a true full-length work, its cut-and-paste attitude typical of many techno LPs of the time. During 1992, Orbital continued their chart success with two EPs. The Mutations remix work -- with contributions from Meat Beat Manifesto, Moby, and Joey Beltram -- hit number 24 in February. Orbital returned Meat Beats favor later that year by remixing "Edge of No Control," and later reworked songs by Queen Latifah, the Shamen, and EMF as well. The second EP, Radiccio, reached the Top 40 in September. It marked the Hartnolls debut for Internal Records in England, though ffrr retained control of the duos American contract, beginning with a U.S. release of the debut album in 1992. The duo entered 1993 ready to free techno from its club restraints, beginning in June with a second LP. Also untitled, but nicknamed the "brown" album as an alternative to the "green" debut, it unified the disjointed feel of its predecessor and hit number 28 on the British charts. The Hartnolls continued the electronic revolution that fall during their first American tour. Phil and Paul had first played live at a pub in Kent in 1989 -- before the release of "Chime" -- and had continued to make concert performance a cornerstone of their appeal during 1991-1993, though the U.S. had remained unaware of the fact. On a tour with Moby and Aphex Twin, Orbital proved to Americans that techno shows could actually be diverting for the undrugged multitudes. With no reliance on DATs (the savior of most live techno acts), Phil and Paul allowed an element of improvisation into the previously sterile field, making their live shows actually sound live. The concerts were just as entertaining to watch as well, with the Hartnolls constant presence behind the banks -- a pair of flashlights attached to each head, bobbing in time to the music -- underscoring the impressive light shows and visuals. The early-1994 release of the Peel Sessions EP, recorded live at the BBCs Maida Vale Studios, cemented onto wax what concertgoers already knew. That summer proved to be the pinnacle of Orbitals performance ascent; an appearance at Woodstock 2 and a headlining spot at the Glastonbury Festival (both to rave reviews) confirmed the duos status as one of the premier live acts in the field of popular music, period. The U.S.-only Diversions EP -- released in March 1994 as a supplement to the second LP -- selected tracks from both the Peel Sessions and the albums single, "Lush." Following in August 1994, Snivilisation became Orbitals first named LP. The duo had not left political/social comment completely behind on the previous album -- "Halcyon + On + On" was in fact a response to the drug used for seven years by the Hartnolls own mother -- but Snivilisation pushed Orbital into the much more active world of political protest. It focused on the Criminal Justice Bill of 1994, which gave police greater legal action both to break up raves and prosecute the promoters and participants. The wide variety of styles signaled that this was Orbitals most accomplished work. Snivilisation also became the duos biggest hit to date, reaching number four in Great Britains album charts. During 1995, the brothers concerned themselves with touring, headlining the Glastonbury Festival in addition to the dance extravaganza Tribal Gathering. In May 1996, Orbital set out on quite a different tour altogether; the duo played traditional, seated venues -- including the prestigious Royal Albert Hall -- and appeared on-stage earlier in the night, much like typical rock bands. Two months later, Phil and Paul released "The Box," a 28-minute single of orchestral proportions. The resulting In Sides, became one of their most acclaimed albums, with many excellent reviews in publications that had never covered electronic music. The group scored their biggest U.K. hits with a three-part single of live re-recordings of "Satan" as well as their cover of the theme to The Saint, taken from the soundtrack to the film of the same title. It was over three years before the release of Orbitals next album, 1999s Middle of Nowhere, their third consecutive U.K. Top Five-charting album. An aggressive, experimental album titled The Altogether emerged in 2001, and one year later Orbital celebrated over a decade together with the release of the retrospective Work 1989-2002. With the release of 2004s Blue Album, however, the Hartnolls announced that they were disbanding Orbital. After the split, Paul began recording music under his own name, including material for the Wipeout Pure PSP game and a solo album (The Ideal Condition), while Phil formed another duo, Long Range, with Nick Smith. Unsurprisingly, that wasnt the end of their partnership. Five years after the Blue Album, the Hartnolls announced their live reunion for 2009s Big Chill Festival, as well as a 20th anniversary tour. The collection 20 followed in due course, as did a comeback single, 2010s "Dont Stop Me." In 2012, their eighth full-length, Wonky, appeared, with a throwback sound inspired partly by its producer, Flood, and partly by Orbitals sound back in the early 90s. The album also nodded to contemporary styles such as dubstep, and included guest vocals by Zola Jesus and Lady Leshurr. Later in the year, they provided the score for the Luis Prieto-directed film Pusher. Orbital broke up again in 2014; Phil focused on DJing, while Paul released a self-titled album as 8:58, as well as a collaboration with Vince Clarke titled 2Square. Orbital reunited once again in 2017, issuing "Kinetic 2017" (an update of an earlier single by side project Golden Girls) and playing a handful of U.K. tour dates in June and July. Another single, "Copenhagen," appeared in August, and the duo ended the year with sold-out performances in Manchester and London. Monsters Exist, Orbitals ninth non-soundtrack studio album, appeared in 2018. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 31 Title: III Released: 1991-01-07 Tracks: 3 Duration: 19:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Satan (06:11) 2 L.C.1 (05:11) 3 Belfast (08:08) |
 | Album: 2 of 31 Title: Orbital Released: 1991-10-01 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:17:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Moebius (07:01) 2 Speed Freak (07:16) 3 Oolaa (06:21) 4 Desert Storm (12:05) 5 Fahrenheit 303 (08:24) 6 Steel Cube Idolatry (06:34) 7 High Rise (08:22) 8 Chime (live) (05:56) 9 Midnight (live) (06:53) 10 Belfast (08:07) 11 I Think It’s Disgusting (00:51) |
| Orbital : Allmusic album Review : The U.S. version of Orbitals debut album serves as a good primer to the groups early history, including standard versions of the early singles "Chime," "Omen," "Satan," and "Midnight," in addition to two B-sides which showed Phil and Pauls first stab at varying their Kraftwerk-inspired sound. "Belfast" (from the "Satan" single) is a warm, mid-tempo synth track inspired by Depeche Mode; "Choice," at the other extreme, is an aggro-house piece with vocal samples (e.g., "Wake Up!") that recall socially conscious punks like Crass. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 31 Title: Radiccio 2 Released: 1992 Tracks: 2 Duration: 13:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Naked and the Dead (06:24) 2 Sunday (07:12) |
 | Album: 4 of 31 Title: Mutations Released: 1992-02 Tracks: 4 Duration: 23:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Chime Crime (06:32) 2 Oolaa (Joey Beltram Mutation) (04:24) 3 Farenheit 3D3 (07:05) 4 Speed Freak (Moby Mutation) (05:40) |
 | Album: 5 of 31 Title: Radiccio Released: 1992-09 Tracks: 3 Duration: 24:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Halcyon (11:09) 2 The Naked and the Dead (06:24) 3 Sunday (07:12) |
 | Album: 6 of 31 Title: Lush 3 Released: 1993-08 Tracks: 5 Duration: 40:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Lush 3-1 (05:39) 2 Lush 3‒2 (04:40) 3 Lush 3‒3 (Underworld) (12:38) 4 Lush 3-4 Warrior Drift Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia (10:48) 5 Lush 3‒5 (C.J. Bolland) (06:14) |
 | Album: 7 of 31 Title: Peel Session Released: 1994-02 Tracks: 4 Duration: 29:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Lush (Euro-Tunnel Disaster 94) (06:47) 2 Walk About (07:47) 3 Semi Detached (08:10) 4 Attached (07:06) |
 | Album: 8 of 31 Title: Diversions Released: 1994-02 Tracks: 6 Duration: 1:05:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Impact USA (The Earth Is Burning: Diversion) (11:21) 2 Lush 3 (Euro Tunnel Disaster 94) / Walk About (John Peel sessions) (14:35) 3 Semi Detached (09:32) 4 Lush 3‒5 (C.J. Bolland) (06:14) 5 Lush 3-4 Warrior Drift Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia (10:48) 6 Lush 3-3 (Underworld) (13:01) |
 | Album: 9 of 31 Title: Snivilisation Released: 1994-08-04 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:15:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Forever (07:57) 2 I Wish I Had Duck Feet (04:06) 3 Sad but True (07:49) 4 Crash and Carry (04:43) 5 Science Friction (05:04) 6 Philosophy by Numbers (06:38) 7 Kein Trink Wasser (09:24) 8 Quality Seconds (01:25) 9 Are We Here? (15:33) 10 Attached (12:25) |
| Snivilisation : Allmusic album Review : The political commentary inherent in 1994s Snivilization extended even to the Top 30 single "Are We Here?," whose criminal justice bill mix voiced Phil and Pauls concern over what the bill might lead to -- silence. Musically, the album delivers on the diverse promises of early B-sides "Choice" and "Belfast," with more harbingers to their thrash background -- especially on "Quality Seconds" -- and the addition of a third member, vocalist Alison Goldfrapp, on two songs. The shuffling, quasi-Eastern jungle rhythms of "Are We Here?," a beautiful piano run to begin "Kein Trink Wasser," and the glorious ambient climax "Attached" also reflect the fact that Snivilization is Orbitals most varied LP. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 31 Title: Times Fly Released: 1995-04 Tracks: 4 Duration: 29:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Times Fly (Slow) (07:58) 2 Sad but New (07:29) 3 Times Fly (Fast) (07:53) 4 The Tranquilizer (06:27) |
 | Album: 11 of 31 Title: In Sides Released: 1996-03 Tracks: 8 Duration: 1:12:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Girl With the Sun in Her Head (10:26) 2 P.E.T.R.O.L. (06:20) 3 The Box, Part 1 (06:28) 4 The Box, Part 2 (06:00) 5 Dŵr Budr (09:56) 6 Adnan’s (08:41) 7 Out There Somewhere? Part 1 (10:42) 8 Out There Somewhere? Part 2 (13:28) |
| In Sides : Allmusic album Review : In Sides isnt Orbitals best album, or their most accomplished, but it is the most definitive. It pulses with the energy of the debut, the lush flow of the second, and the conceptual theme of Snivilisation. The focus this time, though, is ecology. "The Girl With the Sun in Her Head" was recorded on a Greenpeace bus using only solar power, and "Dwr Budr" (Welsh for "dirty water") also criticizes the misuse of natural resources. Phil and Pauls respect for the jungle/drumnbass movement showed in the moderate breakbeat rhythms on several tracks. [One of the American releases of In Sides added a bonus disc including "The Saint" single.] | ||
 | Album: 12 of 31 Title: Satan Live Released: 1996-12 Tracks: 3 Duration: 23:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Satan (Industry Standard edit) (03:41) 2 Chime (07:05) 3 Impact (12:52) |
 | Album: 13 of 31 Title: Event Horizon: Selections From the Motion Picture Soundtrack Released: 1997-08-25 Tracks: 20 Duration: 44:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Lewis & Clark (02:53) 2 Neptune (01:12) 3 Claire (00:50) 4 First Containment (01:35) 5 Core (00:26) 6 Metal (03:16) 7 Second Containment (01:24) 8 Airlock (02:19) 9 Singularity (01:12) 10 Ducts (02:08) 11 Turbulence (03:04) 12 Medical (03:48) 13 Gravity Drive (01:47) 14 Tomb (02:12) 15 Blood (02:53) 16 Countdown (00:55) 17 Outer Door (01:55) 18 Bio Scan (05:24) 19 Weir (01:50) 20 Event Horizon (03:04) |
 | Album: 14 of 31 Title: The Middle of Nowhere Released: 1999-04-05 Tracks: 8 Duration: 1:03:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Way Out → (08:01) 2 Spare Parts Express (10:07) 3 Know Where to Run (09:40) 4 I Don’t Know You People (07:44) 1 Nothing Left 1 (07:49) 2 Nothing Left 2 (08:10) 3 Otoño (05:44) 4 Style (06:24) |
| The Middle of Nowhere : Allmusic album Review : Electronica routinely covers more ground, more quickly, than any style of music on the planet; the hottest new sound in January is old hat by March and downright foolish to even mention in June. Orbital, however, is the great constant in the world of techno. Every few years, the brothers Hartnoll manage to turn in excellent albums that occasionally reference the latest sound but rarely vary from the chord-heavy melodics of their debut single, "Chime." Though it took a bit longer to release, Middle of Nowhere is another typically excellent Orbital album. Experiments with breakbeats and other styles of music made interesting mixers of their previous two albums, Snivilisation and In Sides, and this fifth album includes nods to big beat-techno ("I Dont Know You People") and soundtrack composers. The latter is hardly a surprise, considering the Hartnolls sideline gig as score composers (Event Horizon, The Saint). The opener, "Way Out," adds trumpet solos and a symphonic grandeur -- reminiscent of John Barrys scores for the James Bond films -- to the quintessential Orbital sound. Even considering the lack of real progression in sound, Middle of Nowhere reflects the pair once again making all the right moves and not slowing down a bit. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 31 Title: The Altogether Released: 2001-04-11 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:02:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Tension (05:52) 2 Funny Break (One Is Enough) (04:55) 3 Oi! (05:04) 4 Pay Per View (05:11) 5 Tootled (04:51) 6 Last Thing (05:12) 7 Doctor? (05:30) 8 Shadows (05:47) 9 Waving Not Drowning (04:31) 10 Illuminate (05:28) 11 Meltdown (10:17) |
| The Altogether : Allmusic album Review : Getting farther away from both the electronica mainstream as well as its experimental underground with each release, the sixth full album by Orbital finds the Hartnoll brothers very tired indeed, recycling sounds and styles theyd pioneered ten years earlier. Sampling arch-metal heroes Tool and the frat rock staple "Surfin Bird" (not even the original "Surfin Bird") for a pair of aggro-thrash tracks doesnt exactly bode well for The Altogether, and even when the duo works in more familiar territory, its far too familiar. "Funny Break (One Is Enough)" is a return to the majestic, trademarked Orbital sound of their debut, "Chime," but this isnt even the first time theyve gone back to their staple. "Oi!" is another solid production, but incredibly it also borrows heavily from their repertoire, with the hazy female siren-calls from past Orbital classics like "Halcyon + On + On" and "The Girl With the Sun in Her Hair." And the Hartnolls one concession to the currents of electronica circa 2001, a vocalist collaboration ("Illuminate" featuring David Gray), is a totally misguided crossover and one of the blandest tracks theyve ever been associated with. Their cover of the Dr. Who theme may sound a little risqué to fans of the ancient sci-fi series (especially those most middle-aged and curmudgeonly), but the track is obvious and unintentionally hilarious. Its genuinely surprising to find a consistent act like Orbital slipping to such depths, but The Altogether is a poor album and by far a low point in Orbitals career. [A limited-edition double-disc release of The Altogether added 11 tracks of bonus material and remixes.] | ||
 | Album: 16 of 31 Title: Rest & Play Released: 2002 Tracks: 5 Duration: 26:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Frenetic (short version) (03:38) 2 Illuminate (Orbital 12″ mix) (06:42) 3 Chime (Live Style mix) (06:46) 4 Illuminate (short version) (03:48) 5 Monorail (05:48) |
 | Album: 17 of 31 Title: The Best of Orbital Doctor? Released: 2002 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:19:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Beached (06:45) 2 Nothing Left Out (06:04) 3 Doctor? (05:30) 4 The Saint (04:32) 5 Halcyon and On and On (06:32) 6 Satan (03:41) 7 The Girl With Sun In Her Head (06:58) 8 Remind (06:56) 9 Forever (06:40) 10 Lush 3-1 (05:39) 11 Are We Here? (07:04) 12 Walk Now (06:05) 13 Attached (06:56) |
 | Album: 18 of 31 Title: Rest Released: 2002-04-22 Tracks: 3 Duration: 17:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Frenetic (short version) (03:38) 2 Illuminate (Orbital 12″ mix) (06:42) 3 Chime (Live Style mix) (06:46) |
 | Album: 19 of 31 Title: Play Released: 2002-05-27 Tracks: 3 Duration: 17:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Frenetic (12″ mix) (07:41) 2 Illuminate (short version) (03:48) 3 Monorail (05:46) |
 | Album: 20 of 31 Title: Work 1989-2002 Released: 2002-06-03 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:09:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Chime (7″ single version) (03:14) 2 Choice (Crucifix vocal US Hardcore Punk) (05:33) 3 Illuminate (short version) (03:48) 4 Satan (03:45) 5 Nothing Left (short version) (03:43) 6 Halcyon (7″ version) (03:52) 7 Impact (USA version) (11:22) 8 Are We Here? (Industry Standard? version) (03:48) 9 Style (single version) (04:05) 10 The Box (single version) (04:15) 11 Frenetic (04:07) 12 Lush 3.1 (05:55) 13 Funny Break (single version) (03:57) 14 Belfast (08:07) |
| Work 1989-2002 : Allmusic album Review : Technos best albums act finally gets their very own singles collection, though the results fall just short of displaying the brilliance and grandeur of Orbitals decade of great work. Fortunately, about 75 percent of Work 1989-2002 turns out exactly as it should: great versions of their best material, including their 1990 breakout "Chime" and the parade of excellent singles like "Halcyon and On and On," "Lush," "Belfast," "Impact," and "Are We Here?." A few of these are present in drastically shortened 7" versions, but thats to be expected. Far, far worse is the focus on latter-day material like "Iluminate" and "Funny Break," or the version on offer of the seminal "Satan" -- instead of the 1990 original, the one here (a collaboration by e-mail with Kirk Hammett of Metallica) was taken from the Spawn soundtrack. Itll never replace Orbital 2 or Snivilisation, but Work 1989-2002 does most of what its supposed to. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 31 Title: Back to Mine: Orbital Released: 2002-06-24 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:13:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Knack (02:49) 2 Justice to the People (02:59) 3 Babaloo (04:00) 4 Spice (J. Saul Kane version) (02:46) 5 Love & Fury (02:34) 6 We Have Come to Bless This House (03:52) 7 Skad for Life (instrumental mix) (03:40) 8 Schulmaedchen Report (Title Theme) (03:10) 9 Kamikaze (02:12) 10 Celebrate the Bullet (04:15) 11 No Idea (05:59) 12 Lost Property (04:33) 13 Pal Pal Teri Yaad (05:27) 14 Half Stepper (06:03) 15 Dont Burn Your Bridges (03:06) 16 Living in the Past (03:21) 17 Network 23 (04:57) 18 New Bass Hippo (05:27) 19 The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (02:14) |
 | Album: 22 of 31 Title: Octane Released: 2003-10-20 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:08:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Octane (01:30) 2 Through the Night (05:18) 3 Strangeness in the Night (03:20) 4 Preacher (01:35) 5 Moment of Crisis (02:42) 6 Frantic (02:04) 7 Breaking and Entering (02:40) 8 Chasing the Tanker (01:25) 9 Total Paranoia (04:08) 10 Confrontation (02:50) 11 Initiation (04:19) 12 Meet the Father (05:01) 13 Blood Is Thicker (03:09) 14 The Road Ahead (02:58) 15 Frenetic (12 inch mix) (07:41) 16 The Box (Paul Oakenfold remix) (04:42) 17 Funny Break (One Is Enough) (Plump DJs mix) (06:35) 18 Illuminate (Dark Globe mix) (06:52) |
 | Album: 23 of 31 Title: Blue Album Released: 2004-06-21 Tracks: 10 Duration: 57:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Transient (05:48) 2 Initiation (05:09) 3 Pants (05:44) 4 Tunnel Vision (04:27) 5 Lost (05:08) 6 You Lot (07:08) 7 Bath Time (04:18) 8 Acid Pants (06:30) 9 Easy Serv (04:08) 10 One Perfect Sunrise (08:44) |
| Blue Album : Allmusic album Review : Electronica perennials Orbital faded very suddenly. In 1999 (circa Middle of Nowhere), ten years after their debut, the Hartnoll brothers sounded as invigorated and exciting as they had at the beginning of their career; two years later came The Altogether, which made them appear as confused as Eric Claptons ill-fated T.D.F. project and as uninspired as Juno Reactor. By mid-2004, they had announced their retirement and revealed that Blue Album would be their last. The announcement was a surprise (if not an unexpected one), but the sound of the record that followed isnt. As could be predicted after the scattershot Altogether, Blue Album returns them to the green fields of their early days and positively brims with back-to-basics techno. The evidence peaks with "Pants" and "Acid Pants" (the latter is a collaboration with another famous brothers combo, Sparks). Both of the tracks revel in the type of glazed-eye acid patterns, ringing melodies, and stark rhythms that evoke decade-old Orbital singles like "Choice" and "Satan." Another Orbital prototype is the dire-warning track, here titled "You Lot" and featuring a sample from Christopher Ecclestons speech in the British TV movie The Second Coming (hes weary at the ease with which scientists play God). A few tracks reveal (again) the Hartnolls early fascination with spy or sci-fi soundtracks, but here too theres little ground they havent worked over several times before. When Orbital were busy collaborating with Metallicas Kirk Hammett or attempting yet more aggro-techno fusions, this was exactly what fans begged for: a return to basics. Unfortunately, now that they have it, Blue Album will inspire little reaction other than an urge to return to brilliant records like Orbital 2 and Snivilisation. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 31 Title: Halcyon Released: 2005-09-12 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:01:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Moebius (07:01) 2 Chime (03:14) 3 Belfast (08:07) 4 Halcyon (03:52) 5 Nothing Left (03:42) 6 Frenetic (04:07) 7 Farenheit 303 (08:26) 8 The Box, Part 2 (06:00) 9 Philosophy by Numbers (06:38) 10 Oi! (05:04) 11 Doctor? (05:30) |
 | Album: 25 of 31 Title: Orbital: Live at Glastonbury 1994-2004 Released: 2007-06-11 Tracks: 16 Duration: 2:18:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Walk Now (1994) (08:02) 2 Are We Here? (1994) (15:44) 3 Attached (1994) (08:21) 4 Kein Trink Wasser (1995) (07:38) 5 Impact (The Earth Is Burning) (1995) (10:35) 6 Remind (1995) (09:19) 7 Halcyon (1999) (08:04) 8 The Box (1999) (05:20) 1 Style / Bagpipe Style (1999) (08:57) 2 The Girl With the Sun in Her Head (2002) (05:58) 3 Funny Break (Weekend Ravers) (2002) (09:46) 4 Belfast (2002) (07:30) 5 Frenetic (2002) (09:05) 6 Satan (2004) (07:00) 7 Dr Who? (05:26) 8 Chime (2004) (11:18) |
 | Album: 26 of 31 Title: Orbital 20 Released: 2009-06-08 Tracks: 20 Duration: 2:18:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Chime (Live Style mix) (04:18) 2 Belfast (08:07) 3 Satan (06:16) 4 Halcyon (Tom Middleton Re-Model) (08:19) 5 Lush 3 (10:22) 6 Impact (Live From Royal Albert Hall) (12:39) 7 Are We Here? (Who Are They?) (07:33) 8 The Box (04:15) 9 Nothing Left (Much Ado About Nothing Left) (05:13) 10 One Perfect Sunrise (radio edit) (03:47) 1 Omen (07:01) 2 Choice (05:33) 3 The Naked and the Dead (06:24) 4 Sad but True (07:49) 5 Style (04:07) 6 Funny Break (One Is Enough) (03:57) 7 The Girl With the Sun in Her Head (10:26) 8 Remind (Live From New York) (06:46) 9 Lush (Herves Tree and Leaf Remix) (05:06) 10 Impact (The Earth Is Burning) (10:27) |
 | Album: 27 of 31 Title: Original Album Series Released: 2011-08-22 Tracks: 48 Duration: 5:59:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Moebius (07:01) 2 Speed Freak (07:16) 3 Oolaa (06:21) 4 Desert Storm (12:05) 5 Fahrenheit 303 (08:24) 6 Steel Cube Idolatry (06:34) 7 High Rise (08:22) 8 Chime (live) (05:56) 9 Midnight (live) (06:53) 10 Belfast (08:07) 11 I Think It’s Disgusting (00:51) 1 Time Becomes (01:43) 2 Planet of the Shapes (09:36) 3 Lush 3-1 (05:39) 4 Lush 3‒2 (04:40) 5 Impact (The Earth Is Burning) (10:27) 6 Remind (07:57) 7 Walk Now… (06:48) 8 Monday (07:07) 9 Halcyon + On + On (09:27) 10 Input Out (02:10) 1 Forever (07:57) 2 I Wish I Had Duck Feet (04:06) 3 Sad but True (07:49) 4 Crash and Carry (04:43) 5 Science Friction (05:04) 6 Philosophy by Numbers (06:38) 7 Kein Trink Wasser (09:24) 8 Quality Seconds (01:25) 9 Are We Here? (15:33) 10 Attached (12:25) 1 The Girl With the Sun in Her Head (10:26) 2 P.E.T.R.O.L. (06:20) 3 The Box, Part 1 (06:28) 4 The Box, Part 2 (06:00) 5 Dŵr Budr (09:56) 6 Adnan’s (08:41) 7 Out There Somewhere? Part 1 (10:42) 8 Out There Somewhere? Part 2 (13:28) 9 The Saint (04:32) 1 Way Out → (08:01) 2 Spare Parts Express (10:07) 3 Know Where to Run (09:40) 4 I Don’t Know You People (07:44) 5 Otoño (05:44) 6 Nothing Left 1 (07:49) 7 Nothing Left 2 (08:10) 8 Style (06:24) |
 | Album: 28 of 31 Title: Wonky Released: 2012-02 Tracks: 9 Duration: 50:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 One Big Moment (06:16) 2 Straight Sun (05:28) 3 Never (04:43) 4 New France (04:47) 5 Distractions (07:05) 1 Stringy Acid (05:19) 2 Beelzedub (04:54) 3 Wonky (06:13) 4 Where Is It Going? (05:50) |
| Wonky : Allmusic album Review : In retrospect, Orbital dissolved at the right time, just when their work began to sound aimless -- a big surprise, considering their music of the 90s was the most purposeful, inspired electronic dance produced during electronicas golden age. After five years out of the public eye (so to speak), plus another two years after their live reunion, comes their eighth regular LP, Wonky. Rejuvenated and relaxed, Paul and Phil Hartnoll return with help from Flood, not just one of the best producers active but one of the best electronic producers of the past 30 years. Orbital call this an electronic album, not a dance album, and its true that the first half recalls the early 80s, with a wealth of analog electronics gear (both from the Hartnolls as well as Flood himself). The opener, "One Big Moment," is one of their best tracks since 1999s The Middle of Nowhere, and they invite American gothic muse Zola Jesus to provide vocals for "New France." More intriguing yet is the second half of Wonky, where a trio of joined tracks, majestic and acid-tinged, form a very conscious return to Orbitals style circa their 1990 landmark "Chime." The suite begins with the rather straightforward "Distractions," then peaks with the string-laden "Stringy Acid," and concludes with yet another aptly titled track called "Beelzedub" (perhaps a nod to 1991s "Satan"?). Much like Prodigys return to their rave-era prime on Invaders Must Die, it feels a touch forced, but what remains clear is that the Hartnolls still have the ability to make magic more than 20 years after their debut. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 31 Title: Pusher Released: 2012-10-08 Tracks: 26 Duration: 1:14:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Pusher Theme (01:22) 2 Pay Me the Money (00:46) 3 Driving and Clubbing (01:12) 4 Turkish Tension (01:30) 5 Bridge Deal (01:48) 6 Cutting and Doing (02:17) 7 Chase (02:16) 8 Cell (03:10) 9 Frank Mirror (01:10) 10 Haken Bar (02:10) 11 Serious Pet Shop (00:52) 12 Vvip (02:50) 13 Heroin Bath (01:17) 14 Pet Shop Suicide (02:14) 15 Frank Car Freak (02:01) 16 Kiss (00:44) 17 Coffee Kneecaps (01:57) 18 Cab to Danakas (03:58) 19 Safe Kitchen (00:52) 20 Party Freak (02:49) 21 Post Nipple (01:34) 22 Go With the Flo (11:27) 23 Guns and Party (06:35) 24 Higher (04:05) 25 The Music (instrumental) (07:39) 26 Beat and the Pulse (Still Going remix) (06:07) |
| Pusher : Allmusic album Review : Like their work for 2003s Octane (aka Pulse), the Hartnoll brothers score for Luis Prietos 2012 action film Pusher is dark, sleek, and mostly atmospheric with a handful of pulse-racing moments. Naturally, its character is distinctively different from that of Wonky. This material is more shadowy than direct, and even the tracks with beats are more fluid than rigid. Orbital fans who dont expect to be thrown around the room can take this as a pleasing, if occasionally menacing, late-night ambient companion to Wonky. Following 23 tracks of Orbital, there is additional material from Lloyd Perrin, Marcus Marr, and Austra (remixed by Still Going). | ||
 | Album: 30 of 31 Title: Monsters Exist Released: 2018-09-14 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:24:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Monsters Exist (05:52) 2 Hoo Hoo Ha Ha (04:04) 3 The Raid (05:00) 4 P.H.U.K. (07:25) 5 Tiny Foldable Cities (05:45) 6 Buried Deep Within (04:27) 7 Vision OnE (05:44) 8 The End Is Nigh (04:36) 9 There Will Come a Time (07:13) 1 Kaiju (05:25) 2 A Long Way From Home (01:30) 3 Analogue Test Oct 16 (03:06) 4 Fun With the System (04:15) 5 Dressing Up in Other People’s Clothes (04:37) 6 To Dream Again (04:38) 7 There Will Come a Time (instrumental) (07:13) 8 Tiny Foldable Cities (Kareful remix) (03:36) |
 | Album: 31 of 31 Title: Live at Eventim Hammersmith Apollo 15.12.18 Released: 2018-12-16 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:41:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Intro (01:46) 2 Monsters Exist (06:21) 3 There Will Come a Time (We Will Die remix) (07:06) 4 Impact (The Earth Is Burning) (09:33) 5 P.H.U.K. (07:00) 6 Wonky (06:16) 7 Tiny Foldable Cities (05:39) 8 Satan (06:51) 9 Hoo Hoo Ha Ha (04:50) 10 Halcyon (08:24) 11 Vision OnE (07:01) 12 Belfast (09:14) 13 The End Is Nigh (03:43) 14 Doctor? (04:02) 15 Chime (05:39) 16 Where Is It Going? (07:58) |