Orbital's new album Optical Delusion charts at No.6, giving the seminal electronic music duo their first UK top 10 album for 24 years
“Orbital remain a comforting presence, and still have plenty to say.” MOJO
“A moreish album – their best in years.” DJ Magazine
"Orbital’s best album since 1996’s In Sides.” Classic Pop
“Deliciously danceable” Record Collector
“Orbital still have it” The Arts Desk
“(Orbital) have come up trumps again with probably their best album to date.”
Louder Than War
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
“Orbital remain a comforting presence, and still have plenty to say.” MOJO
“A moreish album – their best in years.” DJ Magazine
“Probably their best album to date” Louder Than War
"Orbital’s best album since 1996’s In Sides.” Classic Pop
"a fantastic return from the rave heroes.” CLASH
"There’s a genuine vitality to Optical Delusion, on which the cast of featured artists suggests that Orbital’s techno stylings remain crucial to UK music.” Rolling Stone UK
CONTAINS THE BBC 6MUSIC PLAYLISTED SINGLES “DIRTY RAT” WITH SLEAFORD MODS
+ “ARE YOU ALIVE?” FEATURING PENELOPE ISLES
27.02.2023: With their critically acclaimed new album Optical Delusion seminal electronic music duo Orbital have scored their first UK Album Chart Top 10 position since 1999’s Middle Of Nowhere. Entering the album chart last week at No.6, Optical Delusion has also been one of the Hartnoll brothers’ most well received albums, with rave reviews from titles including The Observer, Mojo and DJ Magazine.
Comment Orbital: “We are so happy to be at number 6 in the charts. It’s our first time in the top ten this millennium!
Be seeing you!”
Optical Delusion includes the BBC6 Music playlisted lead single "Dirty Rat" with Sleaford Mods, plus new single “Are You Alive?” featuring Penelope Isles, which has just been added to the station’s playlist.
Orbital will take the album on tour in the Spring, with the Optical Delusion UK & Eire Tour kicking off on March 16th in Limerick and culminating in Brighton – where both the brothers are based - on April 8th, taking in London’s Eventim Apollo on April 1st (rescheduled from O2 Academy Brixton).
Optical Delusion 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.
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