Critically acclaimed UK duo Orbital is back with a new album, Optical Delusion, which revives nostalgia for its classic inspirations, but provides a very real and relevant message for the world we live in today.

One of the remaining artists from the post-1988 Class of Acid House, Paul and Phil Hartnoll are iconic DJs that have stayed relevant in the global dance conversation with consistent bodies of work and a revered live show. Last year, the duo celebrated its 30th anniversary with 30 Something, a mixture of new tracks, re-recordings of classics, and remixes from the artists ranging from Jon Hopkins to ANNA to David Holmes.

Inspired by a (mis)quote from Albert Einstein, which speaks to the human experience versus reality, the Hartnoll’s began creating an album that spoke towards the delusion of reality and the inherent hope of finding a universal theory of humanity. This juxtaposition is represented well in the dual electronic and live elements found throughout the album.

“As soon as I saw ‘optical delusion’ I thought Oh hey, that’s the album title,” said Paul Hartnoll via a Press Release. “It just seemed to say so much about how people construct their own realities, how we see patterns that aren’t there, how we see what we want to see.”

The album is led by the single “Dirty Rat”, an incendiary collaboration with Sleaford Mods, an English post-punk music duo. The track showcases Orbital’s ability to blend classic production sounds with contemporary collaborators and influences seamlessly.

Written partly during the lockdown and then fully recorded in the uncertain “After Times,” the album reflects the producer’s emotions and the overall struggle of our times.

Internationally renowned for its incredible live show, Orbital will embark on the Optical Delusion UK headline tour in the Spring.

Listen to Orbital’s Optical Delusion below:

ORBITAL UK TOUR 2023
March 28 Glasgow SWG3
March 29 Newcastle NX
March 30 Manchester Albert Hall
March 31 Bristol O2 Academy
April 1 London Eventim Apollo*
April 5 Leeds O2 Academy
April 6 Cambridge Corn Exchange
April 7 Nottingham Rock City
April 8 Brighton Centre
*venue change