RELEASE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED NEW ALBUM ‘OPTICAL DELUSION’
“Plenty of bold moments” – Pop Matters
“A moreish album – their best in years.” DJ Mag
“UK rave scene dance veterans.” – Stereogum
“A rave just before the end of the world.” – Slant Mag
“The duo have constantly kept their finger on the pulse with an ever-evolving sound and live show entices an entirely new generation, whilst not alienating those who’ve supported since their inception.” -Clash Mag
“Orbital sound energized, fresh and as original as when they started.” – Northern Transmissions
INCLUDES THE SINGLES “DIRTY RAT” WITH SLEAFORD MODS
“RINGA RINGA (THE OLD PANDEMIC FOLK SONG)” FEAT. THE MEDIAEVAL BAEBES
+ NEW SINGLE “ARE YOU ALIVE?” FEATURING PENELOPE ISLES
+ OPTICAL DELUSION UK TOUR MARCH – APRIL 2023
INCLUDES LONDON EVENTIM APOLLO ON APRIL 1ST
For Immediate Release, February 17, 2023 — Orbital have today released their critically acclaimed new studio album Optical Delusion via London Records. The album includes the BBC6 Music playlisted lead single “Dirty Rat”, an incendiary collaboration with Sleaford Mods, “Ringa Ringa (The Old Pandemic Folk Song)” featuring The Mediaeval Baebes, plus new single “Are You Alive?” featuring Penelope Isles.
With Optical Delusion, their 10th studio album, Orbital dig deeper into the unquiet psyche of our increasingly surreal and disordered world. Sketched out partly during lockdown but fully recorded in the uncertain After Times, the album summons up conflicting emotions and beguiling images from recent times, when the science fiction doomsdays that the Hartnoll brothers watched on TV as kids finally came true.
The new album is the latest in a burst of renewed post-pandemic creativity for two brothers who’ve stayed at the top of their game longer than anyone from the post-1988 Class of Acid House. Last year’s thirtieth anniversary package 30 Something – featuring reinterpretations of “Chime”, “Satan”, “Belfast” and more by fans ranging from Jon Hopkins to ANNA to David Holmes, plus studio versions of Orbital live favourites – reintroduced Paul and Phil Hartnoll to a worldwide fanbase.
Internationally renowned for their incredible live show, Orbital will embark on the Optical Delusion UK headline tour in the Spring.
Orbital (L – R): Phil Hartnoll, Paul Hartnoll
credit Kenny McCracken
ORBITAL UK TOUR 2023
March 28 Glasgow SWG3
March 29 Newcastle NX
March 30 Manchester Albert Hall
March 31 Bristol O2 Academy
April 1 London Eventim Apollo*
April 5 Leeds O2 Academy
April 6 Cambridge Corn Exchange
April 7 Nottingham Rock City
April 8 Brighton Centre
*venue change