Few have reached the heights that brothers Paul and Phil Hartnoll have with their project, Orbital. They have remained at the top of their game longer than anyone in the post-1988 Acid House class, consistently delivering thoughtful, provocative music that pushes the boundaries of sound and lyricism.
They recently released their highly anticipated 10th LP, “Optical Delusion”, and once again Orbital further cements their legacy with what is a sensational album from start to finish. Sketched in part during lockdown but entirely recorded in the uncertain After Times, the album conjures up conflicting emotions and seductive images of recent times, when the sci-fi apocalyptic days the Hartnoll brothers watched on television then that children have finally come true.
There are haunting tracks with names like “The new abnormal“, “moon princess”And “You are the frequencythat seem to bend the mind through hypnotic rhythms and swirling sounds. There are also a few bangers, including “Are you alive? pi Penelope Isles“and of course, the incendiary first single, “dirty ratwith Sleaford Mods.
In all, ‘Optical illusion‘ proves to be another gem of the Orbital Mine, interwoven with important thoughts and questions for the human race to contemplate, while providing club appeal.
Listen below!
