reaxinterviews
THE ORB U
pon first listen, I was certain The Orb’s new CD The Dream wasn’t “my” Orb, although it is The Orb, through and through. Surprisingly, The Dream is growing on me in much the same way Massive Attack’s Blue Lines did when it was first released in the States, slowly and surely. Unsampled vocals have been missing from The Orb’s records for at least a decade, with perhaps a few obscure exceptions; with this release, mellow toasters and measured, soulful sirens replace the heady textures MIA Orbsman Thomas Fehlmann normally contributes. Over the past two decades, the music produced by Dr. Alex Paterson and his vast array of friends has inspired thoughts and dreams of creative movement: you choose the plain, or plane, to dance on or get comfortable in. There is a notable lack of over-the-top humor in this current incarnation, but make no mistake – Paterson and his cohorts abhor predictability, and doubtlessly are in the throes of forging new amalgams of future music whether as DJs, producers or players. now, on to The Dream… REAX: Was there any specific idea behind
The Dream? Alex Paterson: It’s basically just going back to our roots, really, maybe too far to our roots, but no, it’s fine. It’s kind of a reflection of our first two albums. I think the next album needs to be totally revolutionary from that, kind of where we left off with [2005’s] Okie Dokie ... what I think it really is, is a mash of the two as opposed to having this kind of one or two-sided Orb. I think over time that will develop ... and it may not. [Laughs] It’s down to the people I’m working with. With The Dream it’s really a British pop element, even though it comes from The Orb of Okie Dokie, it’s quite actually a European disco, kind of disco feel, which, quite honestly I prefer, because at the end of the day you can only take so much of vocals. If it’s a good tune it can stand the test of time, like Autobahn By Kraftwerk or Oxygene by Jean Michel Jarre! [Laughs] REAX: How much of The Dream was an actual collaboration and how much of it was developed in separate parts and then brought to the table? AP: Most of it was done in that fractured way, like you said it. Some of it was put
together, some of it was put together apart, and some of it was mixed by other people. Andy Hughes mixed a couple, trying to get back to that old Orb style. greg Hunter is on there too. In a lot of respects Thomas Fehlmann should have been doing stuff, as well. The new dynamics were Tim Bram and David nock coming in; Youth coming in and playing some bass lines. I had him playing everything four or five times instead of just once. ‘I like that, but do it again, a bit lower.’ [Laughs] I mean, after 25 years of DJing I must have some kind of ear for drums and bass. I’m actually on tour right now, DJing around Europe. REAX: How did it turn out that Thomas Fehlmann wasn’t part of The Dream? AP: I never wanted it to be that way, but Thomas and Youth are kind of, like, alteregos, as far as Youth is concerned. It was primarily me and Thomas who did Okie Dokie, but when me and Youth began work on The Dream it wasn’t really just me and him. A lot of people got involved and it became like the first two Orb records, and to be quite honest, I’ve already done a new album with Thomas. It’s a film soundtrack for a film called Plastic Planet, which is
made by one of the directors of March of the Penguins. I’m actually quite proud because it’s that European eclectic, but kind of experimental sounds that are fresh and very very trippy. It’s soundtrack music; it’s not like a twelve-inch mix off an album. Thomas and I have also been working on music for a video game. The makers of that game will be getting back to us shortly. As far as Youth goes, he’s going on tour with Killing Joke. We won’t be working together again until he’s off tour. REAX: As far as remixes from The Dream go, who might we see working their magic on the singles? AP: We’ve got some happening with the ‘DDD (Dirty Disco Dub)’ tune right now. We’ve got a remix by Belkin Stelker, and by Thomas Fehlmann, and this other band Tripswitch, which I’ve been playing out at DJ gigs. The Thomas one is being couriered over at the moment. ‘Beautiful Day’ will (also) be remixed in the next month. The Orb’s new album, The Dream, is out now on Six Degrees. For the full interview, go to reaxmusic.com.