William Orbit
Encyclopedia
William Orbit is an English
musician
, composer and record producer
, perhaps best known to most for his work on Madonna
's album Ray of Light
. He has also co-produced several unreleased Madonna songs
originally recorded for other albums. He produced 13
by Blur
and remixed some of the songs on the album.
, London
. In addition to being a producer, Orbit is also a composer and multi-instrumentalist who has specialised in keyboard electronica. Much of his work also features accomplished guitar
and bass guitar playing. He has also recorded several largely instrumental solo albums on I.R.S. No Speak
under the name Strange Cargo which features vocals by Beth Orton
, Laurie Mayer
and Joe Frank
, among others. "Water from a Vine Leaf" was a popular track from the album Strange Cargo 3
.
Prior to that he formed the group Torch Song
with Laurie Mayer in the 1980s. At that time the band developed Guerilla Studios in an abandoned school on the Harrow Road. They shared the premises with a group of Spanish anarchists and it became known as El Centro Iberico
. They were later joined by a third member, Rico Conning
.
Orbit was the musical force behind Bassomatic
in the early 1990s; "Fascinating Rhythm" hit in 1990.
He has also produced and remixed songs by other artists, such as French pop star Étienne Daho
. With Rico Conning he produced the Pop Satori album, Scottish act One Dove
and Seal
. He remixed Prince's song "Batdance
", from Batman
in 1989. Orbit's remixes carry his signature electronic sounds and techniques, making them sought after by fans of his solo work.
Orbit produced a version of Samuel Barber
's "Adagio for Strings
" (the original version of which gained fame as the main theme of the soundtrack to Platoon
). "Adagio" was lifted from the album Pieces in a Modern Style
a compilation of classical re-workings, released under the alternatively-spelled artist name William Ørbit.
Orbit's version of the track was remixed in 1999 by Ferry Corsten
and became a big club music hit.
He has worked with girl group
s All Saints
("Pure Shores
", "Black Coffee", "Dreams", "Surrender") and Sugababes
("Spiral") and Pink
("Feel Good Time
" from Charlie's Angels 2). He produced "Dice" for Finley Quaye
in collaboration with Beth Orton; Quaye also played guitar and sang on other Orbit tracks including the unreleased 'Arioso' featuring Madonna. He produced and played keyboards with U2
in the song "Electrical Storm" of their album The Best of 1990-2000
.
He founded Guerilla Records
in 1989.
Orbit has also created several radio shows. In the late 1990s, he had a series on Los Angeles KCRW
called Stereo Odyssey. Orbit's song "Time To Get Wise" was used as a tag line in the 2004 film What the Bleep Do We Know!?
. Orbit gained wide recognition after working with American singer Madonna
on her seventh studio album, Ray of Light
(1998). The album garnered critical acclaim and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. It also won four Grammy Award
s, including "Best Pop Album
" and "Best Dance Recording
" which are credited to Orbit. After the success of their collaboration, Orbit co-produced two Madonna's soundtrack project "Beautiful Stranger
" for the film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
(1999) as well as "American Pie" and "Time Stood Still" for The Next Best Thing
(2000). His songwriting on "Beautiful Stranger" gave him a Grammy Award for Best Song Written For A Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
.
In 2006 Orbit's album Hello Waveforms
was released on the Sanctuary
label. Subsequently he produced two tracks — "Louise" and "Summertime" — for Robbie Williams
' 2006 album, Rudebox
. He also mixed several tracks on Laurie Mayer
's most recent album, Black Lining.
In autumn 2006 "Purdy", a track Orbit co-composed with Laurie Mayer and Rico Conning was used as the soundtrack in a television ad campaign for H&M
which starred Madonna and was directed by her and Dan Cadan.
In 2007 Orbit composed his first orchestral suite for a full orchestra. The composition debuted on 8 July 2007 by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in the Bridgewater Hall
at the Manchester International Festival.
.
Orbit lives in North London and Los Angeles
and has his office and studio in Hoxton Square
, London.
He often DJs at various locations. Additional information concerning the dates and places of his live performances appears on his webpage.
A remix of his track "Purdy" done by Chicane
can be found on Ministry of Sound: Inferno (2009).
‘Odyssey’ is a compilation of 42 tracks, including some of William Orbit’s own exclusives. The album was released in January 2010 and is divided into 3 discs; Discs 1 and 2 are unmixed, with many tracks reinterpreted to a greater or lesser extent, while Disc 3 is a continuous DJ mix by William Orbit.
Orbit has recently enabled an internet radio (streamcast) which allow listeners to hear more than 10 hours of his music, completely for free. In the playlist are variations of his well-known tracks, as well as released material. In addition, and what's more appreciated by fans, unreleased and rare material can also be found in this streamcast.
He produced Katie Melua
's fourth album, called The House
. It was released on 24 May 2010 and had a remarkable chart performance (Gold in Germany and United Kingdom
, as well as Platinum in Poland
).
He also produced a track on Nadine Coyle
's debut solo album "Insatiable" released on 8 November 2010.
In September 2011 it was confirmed a collaboration on Madonna's 12th studio album, the extent of the collaboration is unknown.
In August 2010 Orbit released Pieces in a Modern Style 2
, on Decca, which is follow-up a to the successful Pieces in a Modern Style
. The two CD version containing some notable remixes of interpretations of Vaughan Williams Violin Concerto - Lark Ascending.
Orbit is working as part of the art collective Luxor, with former English National Ballet dancer Anna-Mi Fredriksson and the artist Pauline Amos
.
}
Labels: N-GRAM Recordings (1995 release), WEA
(2000 release)
| 2
| 33
| 198
|-
| 2006
|align="left"| Hello Waveforms
| 136
| –
| –
|-
| 2009
|align="left"| My Oracle Lives Uptown
| –
| –
| –
|-
| 2010
|align="left"| Pieces in a Modern Style 2
| –
| –
| –
|-
|}
Compilation albums
Singles
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, composer and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, perhaps best known to most for his work on Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's album Ray of Light
Ray of Light
Ray of Light is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 3, 1998 by Maverick Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. After giving birth to her daughter Lourdes, Madonna collaborated with Patrick Leonard and William Orbit in developing the album...
. He has also co-produced several unreleased Madonna songs
Unreleased Madonna songs
The following is a list of songs recorded by Madonna not released commercially. Some songs have been given to other recording artists for recording.Conditions for listing here* Studio quality recording by Madonna....
originally recorded for other albums. He produced 13
13 (Blur album)
13 is the sixth album by English band Blur, released in March 1999. The album reached number one in the UK Albums Chart and number 80 in the US Billboard 200. 13 spawned three hit singles: "Tender", "Coffee & TV" and "No Distance Left to Run"...
by Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
and remixed some of the songs on the album.
Biography
Orbit was born in ShoreditchShoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, London
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
. In addition to being a producer, Orbit is also a composer and multi-instrumentalist who has specialised in keyboard electronica. Much of his work also features accomplished guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and bass guitar playing. He has also recorded several largely instrumental solo albums on I.R.S. No Speak
I.R.S. No Speak
I.R.S. No Speak was an instrumental-only imprint of the I.R.S. Records record label, founded by Miles Copeland III in January 1988. Inspired by the success of Peter Baumann's Private Music, Windham Hill Records and Capitol Records Cinema Records, Copeland wanted to feature some of the many...
under the name Strange Cargo which features vocals by Beth Orton
Beth Orton
Beth Orton is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter, known for her 'folktronica' sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid 1990s. However, these were not Orton's first...
, Laurie Mayer
Laurie Mayer (composer)
Laurie Mayer is a composer and songwriter who has spent much of her career working in collaboration with William Orbit. She is credited with vocals and writing of several songs on the 1990 album Set the Controls for the Heart of the Bass by Orbit's Bassomatic and the 2009 album My Oracle Lives...
and Joe Frank
Joe Frank
Joe Frank is an American radio personality, known best for his often philosophical, humorous, surrealist, and sometimes absurd monologues and radio dramas.-Early life:...
, among others. "Water from a Vine Leaf" was a popular track from the album Strange Cargo 3
Strange Cargo III
Strange Cargo III is the fourth album by electronic instrumentalist William Orbit. It is the third in a series of similarly titled albums: Strange Cargo , Strange Cargo II, and Strange Cargo Hinterland....
.
Prior to that he formed the group Torch Song
Torch Song
Torch Song was a British synthpop and dance band of the early 1980s consisting of William Orbit, Laurie Mayer and Grant Gilbert. In 1985, Grant left to pursue other projects and long-time friend Rico Conning officially joined the group. After the release of 'Exhibit A' in 1987, Torch Song as a...
with Laurie Mayer in the 1980s. At that time the band developed Guerilla Studios in an abandoned school on the Harrow Road. They shared the premises with a group of Spanish anarchists and it became known as El Centro Iberico
Centro Iberico
Centro Iberico was a squatted school in Notting Hill, England, that became a Social centre, a live venue and a studio.Centro Iberico, also known as the Anarchy or Alternative ‘A’ Centre, at 421 Harrow Road alongside the canal, was a former school squatted by Spanish anarchists in the early 80s...
. They were later joined by a third member, Rico Conning
Rico Conning
Rico Conning is a producer, songwriter, sound designer, and guitarist. In his early career he was a singer, guitarist, and songwriter with London based band the Lines. During the 80s he worked often at North London's Guerilla Studios, producing and mixing such artists as Depeche Mode, Renegade...
.
Orbit was the musical force behind Bassomatic
Bassomatic (band)
Bassomatic were a British band, that recorded house music in the 1990s. A project of William Orbit, the band included vocalist Sharon Musgrave and rapper MC Inna Onestep amongst others....
in the early 1990s; "Fascinating Rhythm" hit in 1990.
He has also produced and remixed songs by other artists, such as French pop star Étienne Daho
Étienne Daho
Étienne Daho is a French singer, songwriter and record producer who has released a number of synth-driven and rock-surf influenced pop hit singles since 1981.- Career :...
. With Rico Conning he produced the Pop Satori album, Scottish act One Dove
One Dove
One Dove was a Scottish alternative dance music group active in the early 1990s, consisting of Dot Allison, Ian Carmichael and Jim McKinven, a former member of Altered Images.-History:...
and Seal
Seal (musician)
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
. He remixed Prince's song "Batdance
Batdance
"Batdance" is a song by Prince, from the 1989 Batman soundtrack. Helped by the film's popularity, the song reached number one in the U.S., becoming Prince's fourth number-one single, and first since 1986's "Kiss".-Song development:...
", from Batman
Batman (1989 film)
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
in 1989. Orbit's remixes carry his signature electronic sounds and techniques, making them sought after by fans of his solo work.
Orbit produced a version of Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber
Samuel Osborne Barber II was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. His Adagio for Strings is his most popular composition and widely considered a masterpiece of modern classical music...
's "Adagio for Strings
Adagio for Strings
Adagio for Strings is a work by Samuel Barber, arranged for string orchestra from the second movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11. Barber finished the arrangement in 1936, the same year as he wrote the quartet...
" (the original version of which gained fame as the main theme of the soundtrack to Platoon
Platoon (film)
Platoon is a 1986 American war film written and directed by Oliver Stone and stars Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and Charlie Sheen. It is the first of Stone's Vietnam War trilogy, followed by 1989's Born on the Fourth of July and 1993's Heaven & Earth....
). "Adagio" was lifted from the album Pieces in a Modern Style
Pieces in a Modern Style
Pieces in a Modern Style is the sixth album by electronic instrumentalist William Orbit. He is credited as arranger, programmer, producer, and performer of the album. Released in 2000 by WEA and Warner Music UK in Europe and Maverick Records in the United States, it was responsible for...
a compilation of classical re-workings, released under the alternatively-spelled artist name William Ørbit.
Orbit's version of the track was remixed in 1999 by Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
and became a big club music hit.
He has worked with girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
s All Saints
All Saints (band)
All Saints were a British/Canadian girl group. Founded in 1993 as All Saints 1.9.7.5, the group consisted of founding members Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis, and sisters Nicole Appleton and Natalie Appleton...
("Pure Shores
Pure Shores
"Pure Shores" is a song by All Saints, released as the first single from their second album, Saints & Sinners. The song was written for the film The Beach and produced by William Orbit.-Reception:...
", "Black Coffee", "Dreams", "Surrender") and Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
("Spiral") and Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
("Feel Good Time
Feel Good Time
"Feel Good Time" is a song by Pink featuring William Orbit. It was on the soundtrack of the 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and was later included on the non-U.S. editions of Pink's third album, Try This. "Feel Good Time" samples "Fresh-Garbage" by the band Spirit, from their 1968 album...
" from Charlie's Angels 2). He produced "Dice" for Finley Quaye
Finley Quaye
Finley Quaye is a British musician. He won the 1997 Mobo Award for best reggae act, and the 1998 BRIT Award for Best British Male Solo Artist.-Life:...
in collaboration with Beth Orton; Quaye also played guitar and sang on other Orbit tracks including the unreleased 'Arioso' featuring Madonna. He produced and played keyboards with 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...
in the song "Electrical Storm" of their album The Best of 1990-2000
The Best of 1990-2000
The Best of 1990–2000 is the second greatest hits compilation album by Irish rock band U2. The album was released on 5 November 2002 by Island Records, except in the United States where the album was released on the Interscope label as a single-disc CD compilation...
.
He founded Guerilla Records
Guerilla Records
Guerilla Records was a British record label that was founded in 1990 by William Orbit and Dick O'Dell. It featured progressive house from artists such as Bass-O-Matic, React2Rhythm, Spooky, Moody Boyz, Felix Da Housecat, and Billie Ray Martin...
in 1989.
Orbit has also created several radio shows. In the late 1990s, he had a series on Los Angeles KCRW
KCRW
KCRW is a public radio station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, carrying a mix of National Public Radio news, talk radio and freeform music format. The general manager of KCRW is Jennifer Ferro...
called Stereo Odyssey. Orbit's song "Time To Get Wise" was used as a tag line in the 2004 film What the Bleep Do We Know!?
What the Bleep Do We Know!?
What the Bleep Do We Know!? is a 2004 film that combines documentary-style interviews, computer-animated graphics, and a narrative that describes the spiritual connection between quantum physics and consciousness...
. Orbit gained wide recognition after working with American singer Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
on her seventh studio album, Ray of Light
Ray of Light
Ray of Light is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 3, 1998 by Maverick Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. After giving birth to her daughter Lourdes, Madonna collaborated with Patrick Leonard and William Orbit in developing the album...
(1998). The album garnered critical acclaim and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. It also won four Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s, including "Best Pop Album
Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop music albums...
" and "Best Dance Recording
Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording
The Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for works containing quality vocal performances in the dance music genre...
" which are credited to Orbit. After the success of their collaboration, Orbit co-produced two Madonna's soundtrack project "Beautiful Stranger
Beautiful Stranger
"Beautiful Stranger" is a Grammy Award winning dance-pop song written and produced by American singer Madonna and British song-writer and musician William Orbit, drawing heavily on the 1966 song "She Comes in Colors" by Love. "Beautiful Stranger" was written for the film soundtrack Austin Powers:...
" for the film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, released in 1999, is the second film in the Austin Powers series that began with 1997's Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and continued with Austin Powers in Goldmember. The film was directed by Jay Roach, co-written by Mike Myers and screenwriter...
(1999) as well as "American Pie" and "Time Stood Still" for The Next Best Thing
The Next Best Thing
The Next Best Thing is a soundtrack album released by Maverick Records on February 21, 2000. It was released to accompany and promote the 2000 film, The Next Best Thing. It reached number 34 on the US Billboard 200 album chart....
(2000). His songwriting on "Beautiful Stranger" gave him a Grammy Award for Best Song Written For A Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media has been awarded since 1988 and is awarded to songs written for films, television, video games or other visual media...
.
In 2006 Orbit's album Hello Waveforms
Hello Waveforms
Hello Waveforms is the ninth album by British electronic musician and record producer, William Orbit. It was released in the UK on February 20, 2006...
was released on the Sanctuary
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
label. Subsequently he produced two tracks — "Louise" and "Summertime" — for Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
' 2006 album, Rudebox
Rudebox
Rudebox is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, released on 23 October 2006 in the United Kingdom.-Background:...
. He also mixed several tracks on Laurie Mayer
Laurie Mayer (composer)
Laurie Mayer is a composer and songwriter who has spent much of her career working in collaboration with William Orbit. She is credited with vocals and writing of several songs on the 1990 album Set the Controls for the Heart of the Bass by Orbit's Bassomatic and the 2009 album My Oracle Lives...
's most recent album, Black Lining.
In autumn 2006 "Purdy", a track Orbit co-composed with Laurie Mayer and Rico Conning was used as the soundtrack in a television ad campaign for H&M
H&M
H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
which starred Madonna and was directed by her and Dan Cadan.
- Orchestral Suite
In 2007 Orbit composed his first orchestral suite for a full orchestra. The composition debuted on 8 July 2007 by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in the Bridgewater Hall
Bridgewater Hall
The Bridgewater Hall is an international concert venue in Manchester city centre, England. It cost around £42 million to build and currently hosts over 250 performances a year....
at the Manchester International Festival.
2009 - present days
The 4 May 2009 saw Orbit's return with a new album, My Oracle Lives UptownMy Oracle Lives Uptown
My Oracle Lives Uptown is the tenth album by British electronic musician and record producer, William Orbit. It has been released digitally on 4th May 2009 on Kobalt Digital, as a 12-track limited edition. It was released as a physical CD on 8th June 2009 with 16 tracks...
.
Orbit lives in North London and Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and has his office and studio in Hoxton Square
Hoxton Square
Hoxton Square is a garden square situated in Hoxton in the London Borough of Hackney, in London's East End. Formerly home to industrial premises, since the 1990s it has become the heart of the Hoxton arts and media scene, as well as being a hub of the thriving local entertainment district...
, London.
- Live performances
He often DJs at various locations. Additional information concerning the dates and places of his live performances appears on his webpage.
A remix of his track "Purdy" done by Chicane
Chicane (recording artist)
Chicane is a British electronic dance music act, and the guise of British musician, composer, songwriter and record producer, Nicholas Bracegirdle....
can be found on Ministry of Sound: Inferno (2009).
- William Orbit Odyssey by Ministry of SoundMinistry of SoundMinistry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
‘Odyssey’ is a compilation of 42 tracks, including some of William Orbit’s own exclusives. The album was released in January 2010 and is divided into 3 discs; Discs 1 and 2 are unmixed, with many tracks reinterpreted to a greater or lesser extent, while Disc 3 is a continuous DJ mix by William Orbit.
- Orbit Streamcast
Orbit has recently enabled an internet radio (streamcast) which allow listeners to hear more than 10 hours of his music, completely for free. In the playlist are variations of his well-known tracks, as well as released material. In addition, and what's more appreciated by fans, unreleased and rare material can also be found in this streamcast.
- Latest productions
He produced Katie Melua
Katie Melua
Ketevan "Katie" Melua is a British-Georgian singer, songwriter and musician. She moved to Northern Ireland at the age of eight and then to England at fourteen. Melua is signed to the small Dramatico record label, under the management of composer Mike Batt, and made her musical debut in 2003...
's fourth album, called The House
The House (album)
-Peak Positions:-End of year charts:-Certifications:-Chart procession and succession:...
. It was released on 24 May 2010 and had a remarkable chart performance (Gold in Germany and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as well as Platinum in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
).
He also produced a track on Nadine Coyle
Nadine Coyle
Nadine Coyle is an Irish singer, songwriter, actress, and model who rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the band Six before becoming a member of successful girl-group Girls Aloud. The group amassed a joint fortune of £25 million by May 2009...
's debut solo album "Insatiable" released on 8 November 2010.
In September 2011 it was confirmed a collaboration on Madonna's 12th studio album, the extent of the collaboration is unknown.
- Solo career
In August 2010 Orbit released Pieces in a Modern Style 2
Pieces in a Modern Style 2
Pieces in a Modern Style 2 is the eleventh album by British electronic musician and record producer, William Orbit. A follow-up to Orbit's 2000 album Pieces in a Modern Style, it was released in compact disc and digital download formats on August 22, 2010 through Decca Records...
, on Decca, which is follow-up a to the successful Pieces in a Modern Style
Pieces in a Modern Style
Pieces in a Modern Style is the sixth album by electronic instrumentalist William Orbit. He is credited as arranger, programmer, producer, and performer of the album. Released in 2000 by WEA and Warner Music UK in Europe and Maverick Records in the United States, it was responsible for...
. The two CD version containing some notable remixes of interpretations of Vaughan Williams Violin Concerto - Lark Ascending.
Orbit is working as part of the art collective Luxor, with former English National Ballet dancer Anna-Mi Fredriksson and the artist Pauline Amos
Pauline Amos
Pauline Amos born in Liverpool, UK; currently based in London, works internationally.First came to media attention in 2005, with a painting on sale in London for £1.3m, a comment on the art/commodities markets;...
.
Discography
More details and information about his discography can be found when exploring external linksTorch Song
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1984 | Wish Thing Wish Thing Wish Thing was Torch Song's first album, released in 1984. At this time, Torch Song consisted of William Orbit, Laurie Mayer, and Grant Gilbert.-Track listing:#Don't Look Now#Telepathy#Ode To Billy Joe#Another Place...
|
| 1986 | Ecstasy
|
| 1987 | Exhibit A
|
| 1995 | Toward the Unknown Region
|
Bassomatic
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1990 | Set the Controls for the Heart of the Bass Set the Controls for the Heart of the Bass Set the Controls for the Heart of the Bass is a 1990 album by Bassomatic. The title and title track are derived from the Pink Floyd song "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun".-Track listing:# In the Realm of the Senses...
|
| 1991 | Science & Melody
|
Solo
Studio albums| Year | Album | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
||
| 1987 | Orbit Orbit (album) Orbit is the first album by William Orbit. While all of his later solo albums are predominantly instrumental, this album consists mostly of songs with lyrics, with vocals performed by Peta Nikolich....
|
– | – | – |
| Strange Cargo
|
– | – | – | |
| 1990 | Strange Cargo II Strange Cargo II Strange Cargo 2 is the third album by electronic instrumentalist William Orbit. It is the second in a series similarly titled albums: Strange Cargo, Strange Cargo III, and Strange Cargo Hinterland.-Track listing:#"Dark Eyed Kid"#"Atom Dream"... |
– | – | – |
| 1993 | Strange Cargo III Strange Cargo III Strange Cargo III is the fourth album by electronic instrumentalist William Orbit. It is the third in a series of similarly titled albums: Strange Cargo , Strange Cargo II, and Strange Cargo Hinterland.... Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... |
– | – | – |
| 1995 | Strange Cargo Hinterland Strange Cargo Hinterland Strange Cargo Hinterland is the fifth album by electronic instrumentalist William Orbit. It is the fourth in a series similarly titled albums: Strange Cargo, Strange Cargo II, and Strange Cargo III.-Track listing:# "Million Town"... |
– | – | – |
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
(2000 release)
| 2
| 33
| 198
|-
| 2006
|align="left"| Hello Waveforms
Hello Waveforms
Hello Waveforms is the ninth album by British electronic musician and record producer, William Orbit. It was released in the UK on February 20, 2006...
- Labels: Sanctuary RecordsSanctuary RecordsSanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
| 136
| –
| –
|-
| 2009
|align="left"| My Oracle Lives Uptown
My Oracle Lives Uptown
My Oracle Lives Uptown is the tenth album by British electronic musician and record producer, William Orbit. It has been released digitally on 4th May 2009 on Kobalt Digital, as a 12-track limited edition. It was released as a physical CD on 8th June 2009 with 16 tracks...
- Labels: Kobalt
| –
| –
| –
|-
| 2010
|align="left"| Pieces in a Modern Style 2
Pieces in a Modern Style 2
Pieces in a Modern Style 2 is the eleventh album by British electronic musician and record producer, William Orbit. A follow-up to Orbit's 2000 album Pieces in a Modern Style, it was released in compact disc and digital download formats on August 22, 2010 through Decca Records...
- Labels: Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
| –
| –
| –
|-
|}
Compilation albums
- The Best of Strange CargosThe Best of Strange CargosThe Best of Strange Cargos is a compilation album by electronic instrumentalist William Orbit. In it, selected tracks from the first three of Orbit's four-album Strange Cargo series are included. All recordings in the compilation — including a 1993 remix of 1992's "Water From A Vine Leaf" —...
(1996, I.R.S.) — A compilation from Orbit's first three Strange Cargo albums, highlighted by two versions of "Water From A Vine Leaf", another collaboration with Beth Orton - Strange Cargo Vol.1-3 (2000, EMI RecordsEMI RecordsEMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
) — 3 CD Box Set - William / Orbit (2002, Universal) — U.S. two-disc publishing CD set to support William Orbit's publishing catalogue
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
US DC/P |
|||
| 1987 | "Feel Like Jumping" | – | – | – | Orbit |
| "Love My Way" | – | – | – | ||
| 1993 | "Water From A Vine Leaf" (William Orbit featuring Beth Orton Beth Orton Beth Orton is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter, known for her 'folktronica' sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid 1990s. However, these were not Orton's first... ) |
59 | – | – | Strange Cargo III |
| 1999 | "Barber's Adagio For Strings Adagio for Strings Adagio for Strings is a work by Samuel Barber, arranged for string orchestra from the second movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11. Barber finished the arrangement in 1936, the same year as he wrote the quartet... " |
4 | 23 | 13 | Pieces in a Modern Style |
| 2000 | "Ravel's Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte Pavane pour une infante défunte Pavane pour une infante défunte is a well-known piece written for solo piano by the French composer Maurice Ravel in 1899 when he was studying composition at the Conservatoire de Paris under Gabriel Fauré. Ravel also published an orchestrated version of the Pavane in 1910... " |
31 | – | – | |
| 2003 | "Feel Good Time Feel Good Time "Feel Good Time" is a song by Pink featuring William Orbit. It was on the soundtrack of the 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and was later included on the non-U.S. editions of Pink's third album, Try This. "Feel Good Time" samples "Fresh-Garbage" by the band Spirit, from their 1968 album... " (Pink Pink (singer) Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress.... featuring William Obit) |
3 | 7 | 8 | Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle is a 2003 American action comedy film. It is the sequel to 2000's Charlie's Angels. It opened in the United States on June 27, 2003, and was number one at the box office for that weekend and made a worldwide total of $259.2 million.The cast again includes Cameron... (OST) |
| "Dice" (Finley Quaye Finley Quaye Finley Quaye is a British musician. He won the 1997 Mobo Award for best reggae act, and the 1998 BRIT Award for Best British Male Solo Artist.-Life:... & William Orbit) |
– | – | – | Much More Than Much Love (Finley Quaye album) | |
| 2009 | "Purdy" | – | – | – | My Oracle Lives Uptown |
| "Opitical Illusions" | – | – | – | ||
Miscellaneous
- Stereo Odyssey — 4-CDR set of KCRW radio show William produced circa 1996
- Rare Orbit Vol.1 — A 3-CDR collection of rare & unreleased material & productions. 2008, source unknown. Contained unreleased sessions with Madonna, and some new material.
- Essential Mix — 2-CDR set of UK BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, 6 February 2000
- XFM 2003 — 30 minute CDR of UK XFM Radio 'Superchunk', a mix/mashup collection of special rare and unreleased material, 17 August 2003
- XFM 2006 — 30 minute CDR of UK XFM Radio 'Superchunk', another mix/mashup collection, 12 March 2006
- World Odyssey Mix — 25 minute CDR of UK BBC Asia Network Radio 'Pathaans Musical Rickshaw', a diversified mix/mashup collection, 17 May 2009
- KCRW 2009 — 40 minute CDR of Los Angeles KCRW Radio Station show 'Morning Becomes Eclectic', a two piece live session with Laurie Mayer and interviews with Jason Bentley - 2 July 2009
- In 2010, some of the rare tracks were made public on www.orbitstreamcast.com.