Though Orblivion was recorded in May 1996, it was not released until almost a year later, due to Island Records' desire to promote it as a follow up to U2

U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

's techno-rock

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 album Pop. Orblivion sold very well in Europe as well as the United States, where it reached the Billboard Top 200. The first Orblivion single, "Toxygene

Toxygene

"Toxygene" is a single by electronic music artist The Orb. It was released in 1997 as the first single from the album Orblivion."Toxygene" was originally commissioned as a remix of Jean Michel Jarre's "Oxygène 8" from Oxygène 7–13...

", was the highest charting single by The Orb, reaching #4 in the UK on 8 February 1997. Despite high sales, Orblivion received a lukewarm reception from UK critics. Similarly to the case of Orbus Terrarum, Orblivion received better praise from American critics, including Rolling Stone who called it a "scintillating contrast of chaos and euphony". To support the album, The Orb embarked on the Organic Tour with Orbital

Orbital (band)

Orbital are a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, England consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Their career initially ran from 1989 until 2004, but in 2009 they announced that they would be reforming and headlining The Big Chill, in addition to a number of other live shows...

, Meat Beat Manifesto

Meat Beat Manifesto

Meat Beat Manifesto, often shortened to Meat Beat or MBM, is an electronic music group originally consisting of Jack Dangers and Jonny Stephens formed in 1987 in Swindon, UK...

, Underworld

Underworld (band)

Underworld are a British electronic group, and principal name under which duo Karl Hyde and Rick Smith have recorded together since 1980.- Early years: 1979–1986 :...

, Zion Train

Zion Train

Zion Train are a British dub reggae ensemble . Initially formed in Oxford as a sound system in 1988 by Neil Perch and Ben Hamilton, Colin Cod and Dave Tench joined in 1990 upon relocation to London. The line-up was added to with vocalist Molara in 1992...

, and The Chemical Brothers

The Chemical Brothers

The Chemical Brothers are a British electronic music duo comprising Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Originating in Manchester in 1991, along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method, and fellow acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture.- Background...

. The Village Voice

The Village Voice

The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...

described The Orb as "on its way down" and the stresses of touring sat heavily on Paterson, but The Orb decided not to "pack it in" and instead continued touring and producing. The Orb then released the second Orblivion single, "Asylum".

Orblivion features many samples, including "72" from which features a clip from Hair

Hair (musical)

Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...

 proclaiming "the youth of America on LSD

LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...

!". The track "S.A.L.T." is based around samples taken from Mike Leigh

Mike Leigh

Michael "Mike" Leigh, OBE is a British writer and director of film and theatre. He studied theatre at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and studied further at the Camberwell School of Art and the Central School of Art and Design. He began as a theatre director and playwright in the mid 1960s...

's film Naked

Naked (film)

Naked is a 1993 British film directed by Mike Leigh. Before this film, Leigh was known for subtler comedic dissections of middle-class and working-class manners. Naked was more stark and brutal than his previous works...

, which features rantings from the main character's apocalyptic preaching.

Track listing

1. "Delta MKII" – 7:00
2. "Ubiquity" – 6:13
3. "Asylum" – 5:19
4. "Bedouin" – 4:31
5. "Molten Love" – 6:39
6. "Pi" – 1:05
7. "S.A.L.T." – 7:54
8. "Toxygene
   Toxygene
   "Toxygene" is a single by electronic music artist The Orb. It was released in 1997 as the first single from the album Orblivion."Toxygene" was originally commissioned as a remix of Jean Michel Jarre's "Oxygène 8" from Oxygène 7–13...
   
   " – 5:19
9. "Log of Deadwood" – 1:13
10. "Secrets" – 5:32
11. "Passing of Time" – 9:27
12. "72" – 11:43
    • – 0:06 [sample]
    • – 5:00 -silence-
    • – 6:37 [hidden track]

Remastered and Expanded edition - 2008

CD1

1. "Delta MKII" – 7:00
2. "Ubiquity" – 6:13
3. "Asylum" – 5:19
4. "Bedouin" – 4:31
5. "Molten Love" – 6:39
6. "Pi" – 1:05
7. "S.A.L.T." – 7:54
8. "Toxygene
   Toxygene
   "Toxygene" is a single by electronic music artist The Orb. It was released in 1997 as the first single from the album Orblivion."Toxygene" was originally commissioned as a remix of Jean Michel Jarre's "Oxygène 8" from Oxygène 7–13...
   
   " – 5:19
9. "Log of Deadwood" – 1:13
10. "Secrets" – 5:32
11. "Passing of Time" – 9:27
12. "72" – 11:43
    • – 0:06 [sample]
    • – 5:00 -silence-
    • – 6:37 [hidden track]

CD2

1. "Delta MK II (Love Bites Mix)" – 14:20
2. "Bedouin (The Sheik's Film Mix)" – 10:04
3. "Log of Deadwood (Implanting Machines Mix)" – 1:24
4. "Secrets (I Love a Woman in Uniform Mix)" – 8:25
5. "Passing Of Time (Ambient Mix)" – 9:03
6. "Molten Love (Orbits Of Venus Mix)" – 12:24
7. "S.A.L.T. (Snow Mix)" – 9:19
8. "Toxygene (Kris Needs Up for a Fortnight Mix)" – 7:14
9. "Asylum (Soul Catcher Mix)" – 7:29