Of all the groups that emerged from the UK’s acid house explosion, none were more important than Orbital. Not only did the Hartnoll brothers – Paul and his older sibling Phil – legitimise electronic dance music as an album artform they were also pivotal in validating house and techno in the live arena.
Named after London’s M25 orbital motorway that was heavily used by thrill seekers on their way to raves in the late-80s, the group shot to fame in 1990 when their debut 12-inch, Chime, was re-released on London Records’ ffrr imprint and hit number 17 on the charts. Their first self-titled album (aka The Green Album) came out in 1991 and was followed in 1993 by their eagerly-anticipated second eponymous album (aka The Brown Album). A masterpiece of punk rock attitude and rhythmical dance music, tracks such as Halcyon and Lush soon became live favourites.
Their iconic performance at Glastonbury 1994 helped them crossover to a new audience, while their Snivilisation album that followed was another critical and commercial hit (the album reaching number four on the album chart). The release of The Box single (ahead of album In Sides) in 1996 saw the brothers at the height of their commercial success. The singles Satan Live and The Saint (taken from the soundtrack to the film of the same name) both reached number three.
This momentum was sustained on the albums The Middle of Nowhere (1999) and The Altogether (2001), but ahead of their seventh album, Blue Album, the duo announced this would be their final release. In 2008, the brothers reconciled. A string of ecstatic live shows over the following years culminated in their eighth album, Wonky, and a performance at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics. The group again split up in 2014.
After a three-year hiatus Orbital announced they were reforming in 2017. Monsters Exist, their ninth album, was released in 2018. Following the 30 Something anthology of 2022, acclaimed new studio album Optical Delusion was released by London Records in 2023, featuring inspired collaborations with the likes of Sleaford Mods, Penelope Isles and Mediaeval Babes and reaching number 6 on the UK Charts (as well as topping the UK Dance Album Chart).
The duo’s much-loved torch glasses continue to please live audiences across the globe, most recently a triumphant return to Glastonbury and Coachella festivals in 2024.
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