ORBITAL

Though they might not have envisioned it when they recorded debut single Chime inside a cupboard at their parents’ house for less than a fiver, Orbital would go on to become giants of electronic music.

Phil and Paul Hartnoll both redefined what dance music could do and the place it took within popular culture itself. Their music has influenced and inspired artists from Björk to Bicep and the brothers have collaborated with minds as diverse as Madonna, Kraftwerk, Professor Stephen Hawking and – in one of their many memorable Glastonbury performances – an actual Time Lord, in the shape of Doctor Who actor Matt Smith.

Unlike many of their dance contemporaries at the time, Orbital didn’t rely on pre-programmed DAT tapes and instead took a far more fast-thinking, improvisational approach, meaning that any gig can present a multitude of organic mutations of their songs.

They completely reinvented the notion of what a “dance” act could do live and turned multitudes of rock fans on to the limitless pleasures of electronic music. It’s not for nothing that the band’s colossal set at Glastonbury Festival in 1994 is regularly cited as one of the greatest gigs of all time.

Following a hiatus between 2004 and 2008, the brothers re-united and Orbital continue to record and perform across the globe, inspiring a whole new generation of talent.