Orbital

With an ear for delicate electronic textures and earth-shattering breaks, Orbital became an unrivaled force in dance music in the 1990s. As likely to drop a crass sample as a gently caressing synthline, their elaborate tracks are orchestrated with incredible attention to minute detail but often fit into the greater whole of an album's worth of material. They move from chill room atmospheres of tickling rhythms and feather-light melodies to ripping beats that rebound against frazzled synthlines. Orbital never descend into New Age fluff or hardcore macho aggression. While their tracks are exacting demonstrations of studio mastery and performance wit, they achieve equilibrium between mindful headphone music and kinetic body inspiration. Phil and Paul Hartnoll's final release as Orbital is 2004's Blue Album.