50/Fifty Coming Down: #1 Orbital

Here we are then. Acid Ted’s fifth birthday and the end of 50/Fifty with my top tune for coming down. It’s Orbital. You didn’t really expect anything else did you?

From the Green album (1991) comes this lovely dreamy sad tune. Originally released in instrumental version, it was also released in a vocal version. Both use a sample of soprano Emily Van Evera performing “O Euchari” from the Gothic Voices album A Feather on the Breath of God. The same sample had appeared on The Beloved’s hit “The Sun Rising” a year earlier, but had not been credited. The vocal version was released on Volume CD magazine and had vocals by Grant Fulton, who would also provide vocals for Orbital’s The Box.

As to the reason for the song title, as I understand it Orbital were in Belfast staying with DJ David Holmes. David was driving them around the city showing them all the sites. They also had a new track which at this point was nameless. They therefore decided to call it Belfast after their experience there.

Why is it so great? It just is. And if you don’t get that from just listening, there’s no hope for you. For me, it’s the way that the intro spins out, the vocals beguile and the beats gradually come in. They help to manage your earthly re-entry after a night out. And there’s real emotion here. The sound of a gradual sunrise. Just makes me want to cry at its beauty and sense of wonder. This version was done for Volume magazine and is my favourite version:

Orbital – Belfast (album version)

Orbital – Belfast (Live 2002)

http://www.orbitalofficial.com/

~ by acidted on February 14, 2013.