Orbital
About
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 band's 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 1996's In Sides. The LPs sold well with rock fans as well as electronic listeners, thanks to Orbital's busy tour schedule, as well as their music's frequent inclusion in film soundtracks. As the duo's 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.
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