Intuitive Music

Orbital

Brothers Paul and Phil Hartnoll were born in Datford, UK in January 1964 and May 1968. They both started learning piano in 1974 and grew up listening to early 80’s punk rock and href=”electro-definition”>electro. During the mid-’80s, Phil worked as a bricklayer while Paul played with a local band called Noddy & the Satellites. In 1984, Phil bought a Korg D10 Latin Percussion, and the duo started making music together. Paul went to art school while Phil moved to the U.S. in search of the hip hop scene, but what he found instead was the new born the acid house scene.

With Hartnoll back in town, and inspired by the emerging parties around London’s M25 Orbital Motorway, they formed Orbital in 1987, doing their debut two years later in a small club in Kent. Their first and successful 12” “Chime” was first released in their friend´s Oh-Zone label, and later re-isued in 1990 in FFRR. “Chime” reached number 17 in the charts in early 1990 and has since been proclaimed one of the best dance records ever. After this Orbital played at famous BBC´s Top Of The Pops fot their first and last time.

Orbital’s first album “Green Album” was released in 1991 when the band´s name was strongly consolidated in the British techno scene, after some very successful 12” like “Omen” and “Satan”. During 1992, Orbital continued their chart success with two EPs. The Mutations remix work, featuring contributions from Meat Beat Manifesto, Moby and Joey Beltram, reached the number 24 of the UK lists in February. Orbital returned Meat Beat Manifesto’s favor later that year by remixing “Edge of No Control” and they also reworked songs by artists like Queen Latifah the Shamen and EMF. Their second EP, “Radiccio”, reached the Top 40 in September. This marked the Hartnolls’ debut for Internal Records in England, though FFRR retained control of the duo’s American contract, beginning with the U.S. late release of their debut album in 1992.

After the success of their debut album, Orbital toured U.K. with several techno artists and people from the Club Dog in a proyect called Midi Circus. In 1993, Orbital released their second LP, also untitled and nicknamed the “brown” album. They toured with Moby and Aphex Twin and they allowed an element of improvisation, 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 and impressive light shows and visuals.

Orbital

The early 1994 release of the “Peel Session” EP, recorded live at the BBC’s Maida Vale studios was a confirmation of the duo’s popularity. They later appeared at Woodstock 2 and Glastonbury Festival. Orbital’s third album “Snivilisation” was released in 1994, consolidating the band in the British techno scene and pushing them into the much more active world of political protest. The album featured the vocals of Alison Goldfrapp of later fame. As Autechre did with the “Anti-EP”, 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 albumn also became the duo’s biggest hit, reaching number four in Great Britain’s album charts.

Orbital’s popularity increased with the version of the soundtrack theme to The Saint TV show for the film remake, and the version of the Doctor Who theme tune, featured on “The Altogether”. The band also created two original soundtracks for the films “Event Horizon” and “Octane”, and the song “technologicque Park” for the film “xXx” in which they appeared.

During 1995, Orbital headlined the Glastonbury Festival in addition to the dance extravaganza Tribal Gathering. In May 1996, Orbital set out on quite a different tour altogether by playing seated venues, including the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London. A fourth album, “In Sides”, featuring Auntie’s vocals, became their most acclaimed album that lead Orbital to the stages around the world. It was followed up by “The Middle Of Nowhere” which featured a number of different vocalists and musicians.

Orbital has been recognised as one of the most powerful and strong live shows of all the techno scene. In 2004, after the release of the album “Blue Album”, the duo split officially. Phil Hartnoll produces music under his own name, including tracks for the Wipout Pure game for the PSP. Paul Hartnoll is concentrated on DJ gigs and has collaborated in different projects.