The Orb
The Orb are an English electronic music group founded in 1988 by Alex Paterson and Jimmy Cauty. Known for its psychedelic sound, the Orb developed a cult following among clubbers "coming down" from drug-induced highs. Its influential 1991 debut album The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld pioneered the UK's nascent ambient house movement, while its UK chart-topping 1992 follow-up U.F.Orb represented the group's commercial peak.
Beginning as ambient and dub DJs in London, the Orb's early performances were inspired by electronic artists of the 1970s, especially Brian Eno, Cluster, and Kraftwerk. The Orb has maintained its signature science fiction aesthetic despite numerous personnel changes, including the departure of Cauty and members Kris Weston, Andy Falconer, Simon Phillips, Nick Burton, and Andy Hughes. Paterson has been the only permanent member, continuing to work as the Orb with Swiss-German producer Thomas Fehlmann and later with Martin "Youth" Glover, bassist of Killing Joke. Paterson's unauthorised use of other artists' works has led to multiple disputes, most notably with Rickie Lee Jones.
During its live shows in the 1990s, the Orb performed using digital audio tape machines optimised for live mixing and sampling before switching to laptops and other digital media. Featuring colourful light shows and psychedelic imagery, its performances often elicited comparisons to Pink Floyd, whose guitarist, David Gilmour, collaborated with the Orb on the 2010 album Metallic Spheres.
The Orb's 18th studio album, Buddhist Hipsters, was released on 10 October 2025 by Cooking Vinyl.
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