The Orb

The Orb are a London-based electronic music group formed in 1988. They are associated with ambient, ambient house, ambient dub, ambient techno, chillout, dub techno and electronica, and are widely identified with the development of ambient house. Their music also draws heavily on dub, and much of their later work moves further into electronic dub than into ambient house.

Formation and early work

The group begins with Dr Alex Paterson, whose full name is Duncan Robert Alex Paterson, and Jimmy Cauty, who is also known for work with The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu and The KLF. Their first release is the acid house track “Tripping on Sunshine”. In May 1989 they issue the “Kiss EP”, which is influenced by New York station KISS FM.

Paterson is DJing around London at this time and meets Paul Oakenfold. At Oakenfold’s suggestion, he begins DJing at Land of Oz, the chill-out room at Heaven. He develops a studio approach that mixes BBC nature recordings, NASA space broadcasts and other samples into electronic music shaped by the work of ambient artists such as Brian Eno.

Singles, albums and collaborators

In October 1989 the group releases the 22-minute single “A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From the Centre of the Ultraworld”, which uses material from Minnie Riperton’s “Loving You” and reaches the lower end of the UK chart. Paterson and Cauty are working on a debut album, but split in April 1990. Cauty removes Paterson’s contributions and issues the remaining material as Space.

Killing Joke’s Youth assists on “Little Fluffy Clouds”, but his other commitments mean that he is only a part-time member. Paterson then brings in Kris Weston, also known as Thrash, a studio engineer who had worked on “Little Fluffy Clouds” and had recently left Fortran 5.

The debut album Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld appears in 1991 and receives critical acclaim. The double album reaches the UK top 30. U.F.Orb follows in 1992 and includes “Blue Room”, a 39-minute 59-second single and their third UK charting single, although the album version is shorter. Early pressings of the album are issued in different sealed plastic packs and include an extra disc with music from the mail-order video Patterns & Textures.

During 1993 and 1994 the group objects to Big Life’s plans to reissue earlier material. Paterson and Thrash leave the contract, and Paterson signs an international deal with Island Records. Live ’93 follows, built from recordings made in Glastonbury, Copenhagen and Tokyo, and its credits include Simon Phillips, Nick Burton, Kris Weston, Fluff and Paterson.

The first studio album for Island is Pomme Fritz (The Orb’s Little Album) in 1994. It reaches number six in the UK. Later that year they issue FFWD, a collaboration with Robert Fripp, Thomas Fehlmann, Weston and Paterson. Weston leaves while Fehlmann joins. Orbus Terrarum appears in 1995, followed by Orblivion in 1997 after an extensive world tour. The compilation U.F.Off arrives in 1998. Cydonia, recorded in 1999, is released in 2001 after a delay. Bicycles & Tricycles appears in 2004 and moves away from their earlier ambient sound, adding strong hip-hop-influenced rhythms and rap on one track. In 2005 they release Okie Dokie It’s The Orb On Kompakt, which focuses on microhouse and pop ambient styles associated with Kompakt.

Later line-up and members

Over time the group includes a long list of contributors and members, among them Tim Bran, Nick Burton, Jimmy Cauty, Andy Falconer, Thomas Fehlmann, Paul Ferguson, Martin Glover, Andy Hughes, Lewis Keogh, Fil Le Gonidec, Dr Alex Paterson, Simon Phillips, Guy Pratt, John Roome, Kris Weston and Keith York.

Labels

The Orb are associated with Absorbing Music, Orb Music and Fruits de Mer Records.