
WILLIAM ORBIT
The Painter (Warner)
Not only has William Orbit produced and mixed hugely successful artists from Blur and Madonna to U2, Robbie Williams and All Saints, but he’s also released a fair few decent electronic albums himself. The trailblazing remixes he did for Nitzer Ebb early on in his recording career still stand the test of time, as does his own recorded output – including, now, The Painter.
It’s the aural sophistication rubbing shoulders with commerciality that sets Orbit apart from most producers, noticeable in spades on his first album in eight years. For The Painter, William Orbit calls on myriad artists to add their vocal clout to his textured spirited pop soundscapes. It was via her work with Orbit that Beth Orton first gained recognition, and she returns for I Paint What I See and No Other World. Other guests that appear elsewhere include Katie Melua, Georgia, and Natalie Walker, while Colours Colliding with Polly Scattergood delivers the knockout blow on an album of ingenious and subtle pop bangers.
words DAVID NOBAKHT
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