Orbital C/D

I thought it was interesting to see in an interview with both of them (not sure how recent exactly, maybe very but within the last ten years I guess) Paul just flatly said he was the composer of the Orbital stuff. I think the writing credits have always been mostly or entirely for both of them and it seems like at some point he's felt entitled to claim that. Fair enough.

I figured that was the case given how Orbital-esque Paul's solo albums are. Phil's only non-Orbital thing is a duo called Long Range which sounds like something totally different (and it's not very good for that matter). I had assumed that was where a lot of the tension was coming from.

When they are together in interviews, i'm not sure which one, but one of them looks like he's taken too much speed and has a tenuous grip on reality. They seem to not be on the same page. I don't think they're viable as a duo capable of creating interesting music anymore.

That's Phil. They haven't really been creating as a full duo since Blue in 2004 - Phil only co-wrote one track on Wonky, and worked on half of Monsters Exist. I get the impression (from the multiple breakups, their interviews, and the credits) that Paul brings Phil in just about as much as he can stand, for the more banging or squelchy techno stuff, and that their relationship as brothers is better for it. (Also, based on their output afterward, probably that the first breakup was prompted by an imbalance in writing contributions despite a shared credit and publishing.)

And Phil is obv essential to the live energy and improv.

At this point they should just start focusing on any live recordings they have sitting around

TBF they're not really taxing your patience with two new albums in 17 years, and they've released four triple live albums, a quadruple live compilation, and a best-of with some live tracks on it, in that time :)

Paul did perhaps waste an opportunity by putting all that old live stuff on youtube instead of Bandcamp last year, but probably wasn't expecting to still be indoors ten months after he started...


considering their setlist has basically been the same since 2001

Those 2017/18 live albums look to have been hits-heavy specifically because they were getting recorded - otherwise their non-festival setlists in recent years are mostly new stuff with four '90s classics spaced out to keep the old farts' attention.

ha ha xp, I typed that and then relistened to Monsters Exist and a live session to confirm my confidence

xp thanks, i need to investigate their live releases. I didn't realize they had so many.

The fan-made six-hour career-spanning live box set is also very worthy of investigation

(discussed in the other Orbital Classic Or Dud thread two years ago)

OK, Orbital have never done very much for me but I'm about 40 minutes into this live set ^^^ and I'm liking it a lot more than any of their albums. Thanks for that link!

🎧. 🎶 👍🏻

thank u sic for that link. working on this presentation is going to be a lot more merciful.

The Gun Is Good is imo the last great classic Orbital track they put out.

thanks, i need to investigate their live releases. I didn't realize they had so many.

I just remembered that one of the two new albums also had a full live album as a bonus disc!