We All Fall Down

Dirty Rat is still on regular rotation, but I'm also loving Ringa Ringa (The Old Pandemic Folk Song), the latest single by Orbital, this time featuring the Mediæval Bæbes. 

 

Based on the nursery rhyme, Ring a Ring o' Roses, it recalls Orbital's (excuse the pun) halcyon days, with hints of Satan and Chime. I can imagine this one tearing off the roof when the brothers Hartnoll go on tour next year.

 

Great video too, though I can't see it turning up on the Christmas Top Of The Pops.

 

It's Like A Cry For Survival

Side 2 of a mixtape, "mixed and demixed" (according to the cassette sleeve) by me on 30th January 1997 and featuring Paul and Phil Hartnoll aka Orbital. A long overdue follow up to Side 1, which was posted in August 2021.

 

As with the previous selection, I've swapped out one of the versions featured on the cassette compilation. Back in 1997, I had the 1995 reissue of the Midnight/Choice CD issue which had replaced the Sasha Mix from the original 1991 issue with Orbital's own mix from the 12" single. For this recreation, I've gone back to Sasha's remix.

The sole remix on this side, Come Into My Life, is by Abfahrt aka German powerhouse trio Jens Zimmermann, Jürgen 'Nosie' Katzmann and Torsten Fenslau. Not household names in the UK but behind a slew of 1990s Europop hits, most notably by Culture Beat. Sadly, Torsten passed in November 1993, a month after Come Into My Life got a UK release via the Guerilla label.

 

I mentioned in my previous post that Orbital are one of the best live acts I have ever experienced and Impact: The Earth Is Burning was a setlist highlight. Here, you get the mighty USA remix, a (nearly) eleven and a half minute epic and still one of my favourite Orbital tracks.

 

As the opener is called Sunday, I perhaps should have held this post over for a couple of days but, hey, you've all waited long enough for Side 2 already! Once you've listened to both sides, why not pop back to my post three weeks and enjoy Orbital's latest single, Dirty Rat, all over again? The Hartnoll brothers have still got it.

1) Sunday (1992)

2) Open Mind (F.A. Mix By Orbital) (1991)

3) Midnight (Sasha Mix) (1991)

4) Impact USA (Remix By Orbital ft. MC Tea Bag) (1993)

5) Come Into My Life (Hart Fab Mix By Orbital): Abfahrt (1993)

6) Analogue Test Feb '90 (1991)

1991: Funky Alternatives Six: 2

1991: Midnight / Choice EP: 3, 6

1992: Radiccio EP: 1

1993: Come Into My Life EP: 5

1993: Impact: The Remix (USA 12" single): 4

Side Two (47:03) (Box) (Mega)

Side One here

What Does God Think?

Side 1 of a mixtape, cut and pasted 30th January 1997 and featuring Paul and Phil Hartnoll aka Orbital. One of the best live acts I have ever experienced and way, way overdue for a spotlight post on this blog.

 

1)  Are We Here? (What Was That? Remix By Orbital) (ft. Alison Goldfrapp) (1994)

2) Lush (Salt Tank's Guitar Mix) (1993)*

3) Times Fly (Slow) (RemIx By Orbital) (1996)

4) The Naked And The Dead (Radiccio EP Version) (1992)

5) Semi-Detatched (Original Mix) (1993) **

6) Attached (Album Version Edit) (1994) **

1992: Radiccio EP: 4

1993: Trance Europe Express: 5

1994: Are We Here? EP: 1

1994: Totally Loved Up: 6

1996: Times Fly EP: 3

1998: Head Straight For The Salt Tank Mix (promo CD): 2

Side One (52:20) (Box) (Mega)

* The original mixtape featured the CJ Bolland remix (Lush 3-5), but I prefer this one. The Salt Tank mix dates from the same period, but was unreleased. It eventually appeared on the 'bootleg' CD-R Head Straight For The Salt Tank Mix, limited to 50 copies and available on the Salt Tank website in 2000. 

** The original mixtape also featured the John Peel session version of Semi-Detached/Attached. Again, I've swapped out for different studio versions, which has pushed up the running time of this side.