John Darko
London Records has this week announced a deluxe reissue of Orbital’s eponymous debut album, often referred to as the Green Album. Upon its release in 1991, The Green Album came too late to be called ‘rave’ and was too early to be dubbed ‘ambient techno’ despite containing elements of both. It includes the era-defining “Chime”, “Belfast” and the Butthole Surfers-sampling “Satan”.
Of the new reissue formats, the 4CD set contains the most music. The original album occupies disc one (in its original UK track sequence) with discs two and three collating 21 Green Album-era b-sides (including “L.C.1” and “Deeper”), remixes (including the full 12-minute version of “Chime”) and some of the alternative versions used for the original US edition. Also included are “Torpedo Town” – previously only found on the original cassette as a hidden “Untitled” bonus track – and “Macrohead” from the original double vinyl set. In other words, a completist’s dream. Disc four contains two short live sets from 1991/92, both of which have been sourced from the band’s archive of soundboard recordings.
The 4CD deluxe edition comes wrapped in a 12″ box to accommodate three reprinted A6 flyers from 1990/91 and an exclusive 60-page hardback 12” x 12” book that documents the story of the Green Album. The book includes new notes by Andrew Harrison and a track-by-track analysis by Phil and Paul Hartnoll who also sign the bonus 12” x 12” cover art print that ships with the first 1000 orders.
The 12″ x 12″ book and reprinted flyers form the basis of the deluxe 4LP set which also adds a slipmat. Here you’ll find the original vinyl release’s track sequence on records one and two with ten b-sides and remixes (plus “Torpedo Town”) spread across records three and four. Again, a signed print will be sent with the first 1000 orders.
For those wanting to save some coin, a 2LP version containing only The Green Album will be issued as limited green/red and black vinyl editions and a 2CD set will pull discs one and two from the 4CD box to wrap them in a shelf-friendly slipcase. Cassette fans have also not been forgotten.
All formats contain remastered audio but those concerned about the excessive use of dynamic range compression can rest easy. Mastering engineer Dave Turner, a previous Darko.Audio podcast guest, tells me the new audio is “extremely sympathetic” to the original master’s high dynamic range.
The deluxe editions of the Green Album begin shipping on April 19th with pre-orders open now.
Further information: Orbital Web Store
