Released: August 26
William Orbit returns with a wistful, dreamy collection of largely-instrumental electronic gems on his first solo LP in eight years, ‘The Painter’.
The long awaited follow up to his 2014 self-released ‘Orbit Symphonic’ sees the superproducer – who has worked on mega hits with the likes of Madonna, Blur, All Saints and Betty Boo – team with an array of international collaborators for a collection that demonstrates the breadth of his musical landscape.
Alongside reunions with Katie Melua (Duende) and Beth Orton (I Paint What I Can See, No Other World), the record features contributions from electro pop artist Polly Scattergood (Colours Colliding), Mercury Award nominee and pioneering synth-pop innovator Georgia (Bank of Wildflowers), and Colorado trip-hop sensation Natalie Walker (The Diver), among other big names.
While casual listeners may be better acquainted with his pop classics, ‘The Painter’ showcases a different side to the musician’s catalogue, which began with his first solo effort ‘Orbit’ back in 1987.
“I had been away from music making for some years, holed up in a beach town in California, painting, and writing about my life and reflecting on general observations,” he says. “Then, back in London, inspiration struck with a vengeance. I was feeling the same spirit as I had in the mid ‘90s.
“It was a blessing to have the exquisite contributions from the artists who appear on the album. And a thrill to explore new technologies. It is one of my very best, with the difference being gaining an understanding of a totally new landscape of means to present it to people’s ears”
The album was born after the hitmaker chanced upon a flyer for ‘vino and Van Gogh’ adult art classes, in which “you turn up, get drunk and mess around with cheap acrylics. I fell in love with it!” It’s an approach he applied to his creative process in the studio, throwing out all rules for a collection that segues between electronic beats and acoustic piano, synth-heavy bass lines and trip influences, offering a newfound freedom.
Across its 13 tracks, ‘The Painter’ alternates between sleek four-minute compositions and extended, nine-minute epics, with plans in place for new mixes and interpretations down the line.
Overall, ‘The Painter’ is a triumph of an album and, while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, what can’t be denied is Orbit’s enduring creativity as a master of his craft. And for those who don’t eat up his latest offering, there’s good news. “I’ll work this album really hard! And then, after all this, I’ll go and produce for other artists again and become a pop tart. Because… I like making music again,” he beams.
‘The Painter’ is available now.
