The The Orb

A new collection of mixes from the pioneers of Ambient House, The Orb. Curated and mixed by Alex Paterson and Michael Rendall.
“Baraka” and “Exoplanet Ross 128B” are new recordings by The Orb, making their debut on Holloway Brooch. “Baghdad Batteries (Ambient Mix)” is a new mix of the title track of The Orb’s 2010 album, “Pervitin (Empire Culling & The Hemlock Stone Version)” is taken from the 2020 album “Abolition Of The Royal Familia”. “Plateau (All Hands On Deck Mix 2AM)” is a new edit of a recording that appeared on the 2008 reissue of “Orbus Terrarum.” This is the first time it has been on vinyl. “Prism” is the title track of The Orb’s most recent studio album, released in 2023.The album title was inspired by the brooch designed by Sylvia Pankhurst, and awarded to members of the Women's Social and Political Union who were incarcerated in London’s Holloway Prison for ‘militant’ suffragette activity. It features new artwork designed by long time Orb collaborator Mike Coles and will be available as a limited-edition release on 140g green vinyl.

Absurd title aside, Okie Dokie marks the Orb's absolute absorption into Cologne's Kompakt label, following a series of 12" releases and compilation appearances dating back to late 2002. The principal factor is Thomas Fehlmann, a longtime associate and Kompakt elder statesman whose presence is felt on every track, consequently inhibiting Alex Paterson's whimsical impulses. There are no incongruous vocal appearances, silly spoken bits, or lumbering dubwise squibs.

Comprised of recordings made just after 1997's Orblivion (and subsequently trapped in major-label-restructuring limbo for nigh on three years), Cydonia is a hodgepodge of Orb styles and sounds, a quality production that nevertheless meanders too far and duplicates too many ideas first heard on Orb records ten years in the past. Much of Cydonia (the title is a reference to a region of Mars where astronauts reportedly found evidence of ancient civilization) aligns to the slightly spacey, slightly noisy dub heard on Orblivion and 1995's Orbus Terrarum.

A brief, 12-track trip through the Orb's singles archive, U.F. Off includes mixes of just about every single from "A Huge Evergrowing Pulsating Brain" through "Toxygene" (though not in strictly chronological order). Singles compilations for electronic artists hardly ever fit the bill for longtime listeners or neophytes, yet this one is put together well and remains a solid addition to any collection. The double-disc version includes additional remixes plus a few unreleased tracks ("Mickey Mars," "Pi"). ~Allmusic

A career-spanning, 2CD & limited-edition quadruple vinyl octagonal set including new and rare mixes, compiled by Dr. Alex Paterson 'Orboretum: The Orb Collection' goes way back, but also focusses on recent highlights from albums such as 'Abolition Of The Royal Familia' (2020) and 'Prism' (2023) - which were cited by the media as some of their greatest work - up there with the bonafide gold of yesteryear. The limited edition 4lp set is uniquely packaged in a beautiful octagon-shaped set, which folds out into a huge flower. Each disc will be pressed on a different colour, green, lilac, orange and blue, with sleeve notes by Kris Needs. Each side of vinyl is grouped by Alex to represent the 4 seasons, hence its botanical title. The comp's "roots and more recent shoots" traverses their work for Universal across discs A and B, whilst discs C and D explore their music for indie labels Cooking Vinyl, Kompakt, Malicious Damage, and Liquid Sound Design. In addition, 'Orboretum' will also be available on a 6 panel 2CD with 24 page booklet. "I don't want The Orb to end up milking it like Roxy Music, who were always cranking out another best-of, although we did release the 'History Of The Future' best-of in 2013, and its part 2 in 2015 to be fair. We have such a gigantic catalogue though, that sometimes even I need a reminder of what I've done, especially these days. This is a sort of director's cut, reframing our output, making new neuro pathways, and new juxtapositions. Some of these tracks are 30 years apart, but there are clear through lines, a continuum." Alex Paterson

A career-spanning, 2CD & limited-edition quadruple vinyl octagonal set including new and rare mixes, compiled by Dr. Alex Paterson 'Orboretum: The Orb Collection' goes way back, but also focusses on recent highlights from albums such as 'Abolition Of The Royal Familia' (2020) and 'Prism' (2023) - which were cited by the media as some of their greatest work - up there with the bonafide gold of yesteryear. The limited edition 4lp set is uniquely packaged in a beautiful octagon-shaped set, which folds out into a huge flower. Each disc will be pressed on a different colour, green, lilac, orange and blue, with sleeve notes by Kris Needs. Each side of vinyl is grouped by Alex to represent the 4 seasons, hence its botanical title. The comp's "roots and more recent shoots" traverses their work for Universal across discs A and B, whilst discs C and D explore their music for indie labels Cooking Vinyl, Kompakt, Malicious Damage, and Liquid Sound Design. In addition, 'Orboretum' will also be available on a 6 panel 2CD with 24 page booklet. "I don't want The Orb to end up milking it like Roxy Music, who were always cranking out another best-of, although we did release the 'History Of The Future' best-of in 2013, and its part 2 in 2015 to be fair. We have such a gigantic catalogue though, that sometimes even I need a reminder of what I've done, especially these days. This is a sort of director's cut, reframing our output, making new neuro pathways, and new juxtapositions. Some of these tracks are 30 years apart, but there are clear through lines, a continuum." Alex Paterson

It's fair to say that the Orb never would have reached the British pop Top 40 without the influence and promotion of John Peel, who sponsored three sessions between 1989 and 1995. (There have also been two additional dates for other presenters.) Peel, a veteran of the late-'60s British music scene, appreciated the Orb's blend of futurism and folky traditionalism, seeing them not just as dance saviors but another dot in the line that connected pixilated popsters like T. Rex and the Incredible String Band (both of which Peel had been closely associated with). the Orb's first session was recorded in 1989, well before they had released an album, and it boosted the popularity of both the group and the ambient house phenomenon immeasurably.

Bicycles & Tricycles is the sixth studio album from the Orb. It brought together The Orb's style of the early 1990s with current electronic music to mixed reactions.