Orbital

Group / 1989 - present / United Kingdom

UK techno group

electronic ambient house ambient techno breakbeat electronica techno house idm

Biography

Orbital are an English electronic music duo from Dunton Green, Kent, England, consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. The band's name is taken from Greater London's orbital motorway, the M25, which was central to the early rave scene during the early days of acid house. Additionally, the cover art on three of their albums showcase stylised atomic orbitals. Orbital have been critically and commercially successful, known particularly for their live improvisation during shows.

Source: Wikipedia -- text available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Image via Wikipedia -- Orbital (band).

Elsewhere

Analysed songs (7)

Are You Alive?

Orbital

A fragmented, mantra-like track that circles a question about whether emotional or authentic life survives inside systems of…

alienation under capitalism authenticity vs. performance emotional numbness

Belfast

Orbital

An instrumental electronic piece built around a slowly unfurling synth melody and a wordless, choir-like vocal pad, 'Belfast'…

reconciliation memory place and naming

Halcyon (Tom Middleton Re-model)

Orbital

This is a remix of Orbital's 1992 ambient-techno landmark "Halcyon," reworked by Tom Middleton for the duo's 20th-anniversary…

nostalgia memory and repetition chemical euphoria

Halcyon and On and On

Orbital

Halcyon and On and On is an instrumental electronic piece built almost entirely from a small set of looping synth phrases and a…

repetition and cyclicality altered states / drug culture euphoria and calm

The Box, Pt. 2

Orbital

This is the second part of a long, largely instrumental Orbital piece built around slow accumulation rather than song form. As…

continuation/fragmentation containment vs release cyclical time

The Saint

Orbital

"The Saint" is an instrumental electronic track built almost entirely from a driving arpeggiated synth line and mounting layers…

momentum and acceleration tension and release machine-like repetition

Tiny Foldable Cities

Orbital

Tiny Foldable Cities is an instrumental piece from Orbital's Monsters Exist, its title suggesting miniature, collapsible urban…

urban miniaturism impermanence and portability construction and collapse