<\/a><\/figure>\nadapted from the press release by Ben Hogwood<\/strong><\/p>\nIn a changing, unpredictable and turbulent world, something we can always rely on is a new\u00a0Orb<\/strong>\u00a0album, with the next holiday-for-the-head never far away. On what is quite possibly the millionth longplayer helmed by electronic lifer Alex Paterson<\/strong>;\u00a0partnered with the now firmly-entrenched boy wonder Michael Rendall<\/strong>; the inspirationally productive outfit yet again deliver the goods, with one of their best yet.<\/p>\n\u201cI was having a dream, and in this dream was an escalator descending out of the clouds, upon which were Buddhists and hipsters travelling downwards, and beckoning me down from the top, was Roger Eno. When I woke up, I had a text from him, asking if we fancied more collabs, so\u00a0<\/em>he\u2019s\u00a0on the record, amongst other\u00a0friends.<\/em><\/p>\nNew single Under The Bed<\/em>, the second track to be taken from forthcoming album Buddhist Hipsters<\/em> sees long-time\u00a0Orb\u00a0cohort Andy Falconer<\/strong>, whom Alex calls \u201can ambient god\u201d, join forces with Alex, and the pair go so many fathoms deep that they aren\u2019t merely out of their pit, but Under The Bed<\/em>, and it displays all the awe of the cosmos like a planetarium from heaven. As the press release says \u2013 it is nearly ten minutes of pure, easy, hot-weather ambience.<\/p>\n\u201cRecording the album and playing recent gigs have been comfortable, happy, and therapeutic experiences, largely due to Michael Rendall, who\u2019s a genius that picks up anything he turns his hand to. We have a wonderful, simpatico relationship on record and on stage. Overall, the length, arc, and energy of Buddhist Hipsters energy mirrors one our fans\u2019 faves, U.F.\u00a0Orb.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Alex Paterson<\/strong><\/p>\nSpontaneously Combust<\/em> kicks off in fine style, with Steve Hillage<\/strong>\u2019s unmistakeable guitar, Miquette Giraudy<\/strong> on vintage EMS synth, plus blue roomy bass, backwards vocals, and gentle dream house grooves. It features a top-secret sample, suggested to Alex by shopkeeper-par-excellence Michael King, taken from his mythical basement vaults at West Norwood\u2019s Book and Record Bar.<\/p>\nA recent live set starter, P~1<\/em> slowly builds\u00a0into firing cosmic D&B cyclones, whilst the bleeped-up late 70s synth of Baraka<\/em> is an ode to a famous Kenyan blind rhino, who, tellingly is known as a symbol of resilience. Already a firm live favourite, A Sacred Choice<\/em> is prime leaping reggae skank,\u00a0with Youth on bass, Paul Ferguson on drums, Andy Falconer on atmospherics, and vocals by Eric Von Skywalker.<\/p>\nThe title of the eastern influenced, orchestral drama of hip hop banger Arabebonics<\/em> is a word invented by rapper Rrome Alone<\/strong>, who lends vocals to the track, with added BVs and strings\u00a0from\u00a0Violeta Vicci<\/strong>.<\/p>\nElsewhere, prog-throbber It\u2019s Coming Soon<\/em> features Andy Cain<\/strong>\u2019s dulcet tones, that grace this plaintive-arpeggiated-prog-throbber, on which Alex manages to smuggle a nod to his aunties Rose and June into the lyrics, before the dusty nostalgic\u00a0vibes\u00a0of Doll\u2019s House<\/em> glows and pulsates in all the right ways, scattering sound beams like a planet sized disco ball.<\/p>\nWith Alex having met lovers rock legend Trevor Waters and discovering his classic Love Me Tonight<\/em>, Rendall isolated the vocal using Logic, transforming the original into the pinnacle of the\u00a0LP\u2019s\u00a0house music passage. Newly titled The Oort Cloud (Too Night)<\/em>\u00a0and aided by cult Manchester disc jockey Dr D, they\u00a0embark on a classic NYC deepside journey, for\u00a0a moment of dancefloor ecstasy.<\/p>\nElsewhere, Andy Falconer joins forces with Alex on Under The Bed<\/em>, while the delightful Kh\u00e0ron<\/em>, named after the sister planet of Pluto, conjures a universe alive with light and celestial beings, largely\u00a0aided by Roger Eno<\/strong>\u2019s stunningly sparing piano. Finishing on a high, it bids us a warm goodnight.<\/p>\nBuddhist Hipsters<\/em> is released on October 10th<\/sup>\u00a0via Cooking Vinyl and will be available on CD with a 6 panel fold out sleeve, black double LP vinyl with a gatefold sleeve and limited-edition rust red, pink marble and yellow marble vinyl.<\/p>\nPublished post no.2,637 \u2013 Monday 25 August 2025<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n