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THE ORB
'‘Metallic Spheres’ by The Orb and David Gilmour, the guitar and voice of Pink Floyd, has been reimagined and remixed as ‘Metallic Spheres In Colour’ and will be released on 29th September. Of this new reimagining producer Youth says ‘The idea for Metallic Spheres In Colour, was that Alex Paterson (founder of The Orb) could have done more on the first version, and he didn't really have the opportunity because we had a philosophy of making the music like the Blade Runner soundtrack meets Wish You Were Here. So, I asked him why don't we remix it and make it like an Orb classic? And in doing that, it's almost like a completely different album.’
The original ‘Metallic Spheres’ album was initially released in 2010 was created almost by accident. In 2009 David Gilmour entered the studio to record the Graham Nash track"Chicago/Change The World", originally by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, in aid of the British Hacker Gary McKinnon, who was facing extradition to the USA. The song also featured vocals fromChrissie Hynde, Bob Geldof and Gary himself and the campaign was also supported by Peter Gabriel, Sting and the actress Julie Christie.
The original ‘Metallic Spheres’ album was initially released in 2010 was created almost by accident. In 2009 David Gilmour entered the studio to record the Graham Nash track"Chicago/Change The World", originally by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, in aid of the British Hacker Gary McKinnon, who was facing extradition to the USA. The song also featured vocals fromChrissie Hynde, Bob Geldof and Gary himself and the campaign was also supported by Peter Gabriel, Sting and the actress Julie Christie.
The Orb’s pulsating discography grows ever more huge, with their 18th album, and 3rd helmed by core duo Alex Paterson and Michael Rendall. Despite the connotations of its title, here they continue to rollick freely without inhibition across ambient, house and dub, but also tangent into poetry, pop, full-blown drum ‘n’ bass and actual reggae.
The LP features electronic musicians David Harrow (whose CV includes Anne Clarke, Psychic TV, Razormaid, Adrian Sherwood and Andy Weatherall) and Gaudi (whose credits include Max Romeo, Capleton, Johnny Clarke and Desmond Dekker). Other guests include Orb regular Youth, violinist Violeta Vicci, Kompakt records alumnus Leonardo Fresco, Metamono man Jono Podmore, Guitarist and Alex’s old schoolchum David Lofts, plus vocalists Eric Von Skywalker, Andy Cain and Rachel D’arcy. ‘Prism’ begins with the epic winding journey of ‘H.O.M.E’, which features a poem by Paterson, and traverses through dark ambient into star-surfing Fingers-style house, before ‘Why Can You Be In Two Places At Once…’ kicks into a funked-up, afrobeaty chug.
With Paterson’s decades-long love for Jamaican music and output oft drenched in the dubwise, it should come as little surprise that The Orb have now gone full reggae, on the ebullient nostalgia tale of Von Skywalker’s youthful romance, ‘A Ghetto Love Story’. The album then disappears down a wormhole of rubadub head-music called ‘Picking Tea & Chasing Butterfiles’, which sounds like Colourbox meets Popul Vuh in Shanghai, and also echoes back to Weatherall’s Ultrabass II remix of ‘Perpetual Dawn’.
Flipping the script entirely, by sprinkling a large bag of disco dust, is the slinky boogie wonderland of ‘Tiger’ (the name and nickname of Paterson’s son and late brother respectively), which juxtaposes but somehow coheres with the melodica-tinged thunderous bass music of ‘Dragon Of Oceans’ and it’s Sirius B gazing wordplay. The expertly-executed, floaty 90s trance dance of ‘The Beginning Of The End’ works very nicely within its own familiar parameters; which contrasts sharply with ‘Living In Recycled Times’, which ignites over ten plus minutes into fully-fledged, rave-ready D&B fire, which although out of their comfort zone still sounds very Orb.
Music for the ‘Prism’ of your mind, the album ends with its title track – a big ambient epic in done in fine style – as awe inspiring as the cold, infinite expanse from whence it came.
The LP features electronic musicians David Harrow (whose CV includes Anne Clarke, Psychic TV, Razormaid, Adrian Sherwood and Andy Weatherall) and Gaudi (whose credits include Max Romeo, Capleton, Johnny Clarke and Desmond Dekker). Other guests include Orb regular Youth, violinist Violeta Vicci, Kompakt records alumnus Leonardo Fresco, Metamono man Jono Podmore, Guitarist and Alex’s old schoolchum David Lofts, plus vocalists Eric Von Skywalker, Andy Cain and Rachel D’arcy. ‘Prism’ begins with the epic winding journey of ‘H.O.M.E’, which features a poem by Paterson, and traverses through dark ambient into star-surfing Fingers-style house, before ‘Why Can You Be In Two Places At Once…’ kicks into a funked-up, afrobeaty chug.
With Paterson’s decades-long love for Jamaican music and output oft drenched in the dubwise, it should come as little surprise that The Orb have now gone full reggae, on the ebullient nostalgia tale of Von Skywalker’s youthful romance, ‘A Ghetto Love Story’. The album then disappears down a wormhole of rubadub head-music called ‘Picking Tea & Chasing Butterfiles’, which sounds like Colourbox meets Popul Vuh in Shanghai, and also echoes back to Weatherall’s Ultrabass II remix of ‘Perpetual Dawn’.
Flipping the script entirely, by sprinkling a large bag of disco dust, is the slinky boogie wonderland of ‘Tiger’ (the name and nickname of Paterson’s son and late brother respectively), which juxtaposes but somehow coheres with the melodica-tinged thunderous bass music of ‘Dragon Of Oceans’ and it’s Sirius B gazing wordplay. The expertly-executed, floaty 90s trance dance of ‘The Beginning Of The End’ works very nicely within its own familiar parameters; which contrasts sharply with ‘Living In Recycled Times’, which ignites over ten plus minutes into fully-fledged, rave-ready D&B fire, which although out of their comfort zone still sounds very Orb.
Music for the ‘Prism’ of your mind, the album ends with its title track – a big ambient epic in done in fine style – as awe inspiring as the cold, infinite expanse from whence it came.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: There are few bands making electronica today that have a more profound impact on afterparty culture than The Orb do, mostly owing to their perfectly manicured mix of euphoric acid, crisp dub and otherworldly melodies. 'Prism' has all of that in spades, moving effortlessly from dancefloor to the sofa and everything in-between. Classic Orb.TRACK LISTING
1. ‘H.O.M.E’
2. ‘Why Can You Be In Two Places At Once When You're Not Anywhere At All’
3. ‘A Ghetto Love Story’
4. ‘Picking Tea Leaves & Chasing Butterflies’
5. ‘Tiger’
6. ‘Dragon Of The Oceans’
7. ‘The Beginning Of The End’
8. ‘Living In Recycled Times’
9. ‘Prism’
After releasing their outstanding 17th album 'Abolition of The Royal Familia' earlier this year, The Orb are back with further guest appearances on their remix album 'Abolition Of The Royal Familia - Guillotine Mixes' (April 2021). Including mixes from David Harrow, Moody Boyz, Youth, Violeta Vicci, Andy Falconer and more.
TRACK LISTING
DISC 1
SIDE A
1. Daze - David Harrow Remix (BLM Remix23)
2. Queen Of Hearts - Moody Boys Remix (Duck Or Drown)
3. Ital Orb - Gaudi Remix (Iron Chair)
SIDE B
1. Narcotics – David Harrow Remix 2 (Head Crusher)
2. Hawk Kings - Lost Stoned Pandas Remix (Pear Of Anguish)
3. Honey Moonies – Paul Metamono Remix (Burnt At The Stake)
DISC 2
SIDE A
1. Slave Til U Die - Andy Falconer Remix (Water Boarding)
2. Weekend - Dom Beken & Kris Needs Remix (The Judas Triangle)
3. Pervitin - Violeta Vicci Remix (The Saw Torture)
SIDE B
1. AAA - Violeta Vicci Remix (Hung, Drawn And Quartered)
2. Shape Shifting Part 1 - Youth Bring In The Clown Remix
The Orb (Alex Paterson and Michael Rendall) return with a new album that features Youth (Killing Joke), Steve Hillage (Gong, System 7), Roger Eno (co-creator of the Apollo album with Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois) & Jah Wobble (PiL, Primal Scream Orb, Invaders of the Heart). Really The Orb should need no introduction by now, but in essence they’re a rotating cast of members helmed by Paterson that began in 1988 and still thrives to this day. They were there since UK acid house day one, providing a unique ambient take on the musical milieu and soon rising to chart-topping, huge-venue-headlining prominence. They’ve released 19 albums plus EPs, singles, compilations and live recordings, influencing countless other musicians along the way.
TRACK LISTING
1. Daze - Missing & Messed Up Mix
2. House Of Narcotics - Opium Wars Mix
3. Hawk Kings - Oseberg Buddhas Buttonhole
4. Honey Moonies - Brain Washed At Area 49 Mix
5. Pervitin - Empire Culling & The Hemlock Stone Version
6. Afros, Afghans And Angels - Helgö Treasure Chest
7. Shape Shifters (in Two Parts) - Coffee & Ghost Train Mix
8. Say Cheese - Siberian Tiger Cookie Mix
9. Ital Orb - Too Blessed To Be Stressed Mix
10. The Queen Of Hearts - Princess Of Clubs Mix
11. The Weekend It Rained Forever - Oseberg Buddha Mix (The Ravens Have Left The Tower)
12. Slave Till U Die No Matter What U Buy - L’anse Aux Meadows Mix
Fifteenth studio album and 30th anniversary release from the pioneering UK ambient house duo. Features guest contributions from Hollie Cook, Roger Eno, Youth (Killing Joke, The Fireman), Jah Wobble (PiL), Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd), Brother Culture. Includes singles "Rush Hill Road" and "Doughnuts Forever", with the album receiving positive press from Mixmag, Resident Advisor, Vents, XS Noize, Tiny Mix Tapes. The Orb have sold 700K+ albums worldwide and their catalog has been streamed 7M+ times. Previous album "COW/Chill Out, World!" (2016) received praise from Record Collector, PopMatters, Resident Advisor & Mixmag.
Existing, long serving fans know they're not gonna be disappointed by now - their brand of playful, low-slung, almost 'baggy'-era blend of electronics, downbeat and pop has more than stood the test of time; with The Orb a highly celebrated beacon of UK pop culture. They haven't changed direction, they've just come a long way... baby!
Existing, long serving fans know they're not gonna be disappointed by now - their brand of playful, low-slung, almost 'baggy'-era blend of electronics, downbeat and pop has more than stood the test of time; with The Orb a highly celebrated beacon of UK pop culture. They haven't changed direction, they've just come a long way... baby!
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: The Orb, legendary purveyors of blissed-out house and mellow ambient electronica return for their newest LP, 'No Sounds Are Out Of Bounds'. Brimming with smooth, rolling percussives and simmering dubby breaks, all stitched together with the skill and lightness of touch that only such veterans could achieve. A stunning, evocative collection.TRACK LISTING
1. The End Of The End
2. Wish I Had A Pretty Dog
3. Rush Hill Road
4. Pillow Fight @ Shag Mountain
5. Isle Of Horns
6. Wolfbane
7. Other Blue Worlds
8. Doughnuts Forever
9. Drift
10. Easy On The Onions
11. Ununited States
12. Soul Planet