It’s not every day that a legendary electronic duo ropes in one of cinema’s most enigmatic figures for a track, but Orbital have never played by the rulebook.
The Hartnoll brothers—long hailed as the Godfathers of Rave—have dropped “Deepest,” a glistening reinterpretation of their 1989 track “Deeper,” with none other than Tilda Swinton lending her voice in a mesmeric spoken-word performance. Released April 4 as part of their Radiccio EP, the single arrives on a wave of anticipation that’s been building since Swinton’s now-iconic live cameo with Orbital on Glastonbury’s Park Stage last year—a moment that went viral and left the festival crowd in collective awe.
Swinton doesn’t sing. She doesn’t need to. Her voice, cool and commanding, weaves itself through “Deepest” like a hypnotic incantation, transforming the original into something altogether stranger, richer, more cinematic. It’s a move only Orbital could pull off without it feeling like a stunt. Instead, it reads as the next logical step in the duo’s ever-evolving soundscape—a seamless fusion of rave history, cinematic drama, and avant-garde experimentation.
And this isn’t a one-off. “Deepest” is the opening salvo in what’s shaping up to be a full-scale celebration of Orbital 2—universally known as the Brown Album—as the pioneering 1993 LP gets a deluxe reissue treatment on May 23 via London Records. It’s been over a decade since the album was last pressed on vinyl, and this reissue doesn’t skimp on substance: a 4LP boxset, 4CD boxset, a kaleidoscope of vinyl variants, cassette editions, and a rich selection of unreleased and rare cuts (23 bonus tracks to be exact). Add in mixes from titans like Underworld, CJ Bolland, and Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia, and this reissue feels less like a rehash and more like an excavation of a time capsule.
The Brown Album wasn’t just another rave record. It was the moment Orbital stopped simply soundtracking parties and started reimagining what electronic music could mean. From the apocalyptic crunch of “Impact (The Earth Is Burning)” to the dreamlike glide of “Halcyon + On + On”—an ethereal track that later found a second life in film soundtracks and late-night DJ sets—the album carved out a space for emotion, intellect, and chaos to co-exist. Composed at Shoreditch’s Strongroom Studios, it stitched together everything from Reichian minimalism (pioneered by composer Steve Reich) to squat-punk grit and didgeridoo samples, embodying the spirit of the early ‘90s with a visionary’s eye.
This reissue, cut at half speed for high fidelity, goes beyond nostalgia. It invites a new generation to explore Orbital’s unclassifiable legacy while giving longtime fans a treasure trove of expanded content. A hardback book included in the vinyl box set digs deep into the album’s lore—complete with interviews, essays by music writer Andrew Harrison, and track-by-track commentary from Phil and Paul Hartnoll themselves.
The reissue also lands amid a stretch of sold-out tour dates across the UK and Europe, proving that Orbital are not simply revisiting the past—they’re still very much in motion. After well received headline performances in New York, Chicago, and Coachella last year, the Brown & Green Album Tour has already stormed through Paris, Amsterdam, and Glasgow, with a highly anticipated Brixton Academy stop on April 5. For a full list of live shows and to purchase tickets, click here!
For an act that’s always pushed against the limitations of genre and format, the return of The Brown Album feels timely. Not just as a nod to rave’s golden age, but as a reminder that great electronic music doesn’t date—it evolves. And with Tilda Swinton now orbiting their universe, the Hartnoll brothers seem more expansive, and more fearless, than ever.
Listen to “Deepest” by Orbital (featuring Tilda Swinton):
Got thoughts on the Brown Album or that hypnotic Tilda Swinton collaboration? Hit us up on X @celebmix and connect with Orbital on Instagram, or pre-order/save the reissue.