William emphasises he’d continued to work during the bad times, stating: “I was never more than 20 yards away from my rig, and I went up a lot of blind alleys. Tingen, Paul (October 1991). "William Orbit: Urban Guerilla". Sound On Sound. United Kingdom. pp.58–64 . Retrieved 29 November 2020. Currently working on a piano-based version of The Painter in the vein of his classical epic Pieces In A Modern Style, Orbit is determined to enjoy himself much more this time round. “I’ve had a lot of new acts in my life,” he summarises.

The Best of Strange Cargos (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 He says: “As much as I love producing, it’d hold me up from the freewheeling life I’m in now. But if I got a call from Cher or Shakira asking to twist my arm, I’d say: ‘I’m twisting it for you already,’ because I’m a pop tart when it comes to working with divas.” That balance between glamour and toil was epitomised by working with Madonna on one of the all-time great pop albums.Orbit made four albums in the Strange Cargo series of aural travelogues, critically acclaimed but failing to match the success of fellow ambient travellers The Orb or The KLF. By the mid-noughties, Robbie Williams was the biggest popstar in the world but strange things were happening in the wake of his split with hit collaborator Guy Chambers. Finding a new collaborator in Stephen ‘Tin Tin’ Duffy, he belatedly went electroclash with their first fruit of labour ‘Radio’. He then went all Synth Britannia on ‘Rudebox’, working with PET SHOP BOYS but also covering his new writing partner’s ‘Kiss Me’ and THE HUMAN LEAGUE’s ‘Louise’ which Orbit produced… However, it was within dance-oriented pop that Orbit made his fortune through productions characterised by his trancey soundscapes, sparing fretwork and understated rhythmic construction. He even had a Top5 hit bearing his own name, albeit with a radically different trance remix by Ferry Corsten of ‘Adagio For Strings’ in 2000. One moment he could be performing an intimate show in the Roxy with just Madonna and his trusty guitar, the next he could be DJing in an underground club or participating as a lecturer in any high level international arts and culture festival. He could be creating or hosting arts programs for the BBC World Service, developing steampunk drum robots such as his and Rico Conning’s Gogobot or simply painting. A new discipline he’s explored in recent years, Orbit’s creations often articulate a similar methodology he’s approached his music with; a vivid fusion of analogue and digital, ideas both old and new, and a sharp eye for the ergonomic and mechanical. Once again, they reflect that sense of adventure that’s characterised William’s career, galvanised his artistry in all its capacities and created a unique vantage point in electronic music that’s rooted in the flux of multiple musical traditions and artforms. It’s a flux that he continues to create his own universes in with his latest endeavour ‘WFO’.

He performed in 2015 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and at a gala at Banqueting House in London's Whitehall for the charity Together for Short Lives, a group that sponsors and supports children with terminal illnesses and their families. [22] a b c "The Official Charts Company: William Orbit". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 29 April 2011. Goodyer, Tim (November 1990). "The Heart Of The Bass". Music Technology. United Kingdom. pp.52–56 . Retrieved 29 November 2020. There’s a wry glint of mischief to William Orbit if you ask about his art. A sense of adventure and the notion that anything is possible. And why not? He’s proved it can be done, time and time again…The success of Ray Of Light propelled William’s career, but he reflects: “I didn’t know how to deal with that level of success. A cleverer person than me would have gone: ‘You’ve won the lottery! You’ve made a record everyone loves and made a shitload of money.

He participated in the Liberatum International Cultural Festival [19] in Russia, during which he performed DJ sets in Moscow and Novosibirsk, Siberia. Despite being a competent guitarist, Orbit considered himself unable to play keyboards well and admitted that it was the advent computers in music that allowed him to fully realise his creative potential. In 2015, his composition "The Name of the Wave" was used in the Oscar winning documentary Amy directed by Asif Kapadia. [21]

Credits (7)

Having artists from Mute Records and their dance subsidiary Rhythm King who included S-EXPRESS being remixed at Guerilla Studios gave Daniel Miller first-hand exposure to William Orbit’s capabilities. So who better to ask to house-up ERASURE’s cover version of Cerrone’s electronic disco landmark? The end result was suitably vibrant while still importantly retaining the core of the tune amongst all the fascinating dance rhythms and interplanetary effects. It’s not like I’m a great painter,” he smiles. “Still, what better way to get my art out there than on a beautiful vinyl sleeve?” Madonna is really overlooked as a producer,” Orbit emphasises, pointing out her own vital role in Ray Of Light’s sound has been neglected. “Madonna has never had the time to produce other people, but I learned so much as a producer from her. With his high-public profile thanks to MADONNA and ALL SAINTS, it was no big surprise when U2 came calling. With a suitably airy beginning and heavy on acoustic guitar for the more esoteric sound that the Dubliners had been peddling since working with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, in the end ‘Electrical Storm’ built up to sound just like U2, albeit with occasionally prominent windy electronic textures. There was also a second Orbit produced tune in ‘The Hands That Built America’.

Combining modern developments in house music and dub with the feel of SOUL II SOUL, Orbit slotted right into the zeitgeist with ‘Fascinating Rhythm’ featuring vocalist Sharon Musgrave and rapper MC Inna One Step with an uplifting club friendly number that had “pulsating action” and was “breaking into heaven”. BASSOMATIC lasted for just two albums but it cemented Orbit’s position as a studio wizard who understood sound as well as the dancefloor. Ewing, Jerry (26 September 2023). "William Orbit to perform with Hawkwind at the Royal Albert Hall". Louder Sound . Retrieved 28 September 2023. William Mark Wainwright (born 15 December 1956), [1] known professionally as William Orbit, is an English musician and record producer who has sold 200 million recordings worldwide of his own work, his production and song-writing work. [ citation needed] He is a recipient of multiple Grammy Awards, Ivor Novello Awards and other music industry awards.The album was performed, produced and mixed by William Orbit at Guerilla Studios, London. Mark Rutherford and Sugar J co-performed "Deus Ex Machina" with William Orbit, with Rutherford also co-writing the song. Rico Conning contributed flexible bleeps and roadhouse piano on "Time to get Wize", spiky piano and strings on "The Story of Light" and additional programming on "A Touch of the Night". [ citation needed] I ’ m coming in from the cold,” announces William Orbit, as he prepares to release his first album for eight years. I’ve put myself in a slightly crass position with my new record, though, of thinking I’d like to get people to hear my stuff beyond the niche.”