The Brvtalist is pleased to premiere a new video from Orphx. One of the most prolific and important acts of contemporary electronics, the Candian duo has been at the forefront of industrial, rhythmic noise, techno and beyond for over two decades. Rich Oddie, Christina Sealey & Aron West founded the project in 1993, creating pitch black noisescapes inspired by early industrial music and the extreme fringes of metal. By 1996, West had departed to focus on his absurdist noise project Tropism, while Oddie and Sealey began to push Orphx in a more rhythmic direction.

Fragmentation is Orphx third full-length album and was originally released in 1996 on Malignant Records. Now, 24 years later, the album is being reissued by legendary imprint Hospital Productions & includes the original album, rare compilation tracks, selections from the Obsession And Progress cassette (BloodLust!, 1996), The Final Moments cassette (Third Force / Isolation, 1997) & live recordings from 1995 & 1996.

To mark the release/re-issue today we present the brand new video for the title track created by Berlin-based visual art and producer Stanislav Glazov. The clip is a powerful representation of the track with a striking mix of visuals that is no doubt mesmerizing. In addition, I had the please of speaking with Rich and Christie about Fragmentation, looking back on their work and what’s next. (see below)

You can also order the release now via HOSPITAL PRODUCTIONS.

-JRS

The Brvtalist: Originally released in 1996 on Malignant Records, Fragmentation is your third full length album. What sparked the decision to re-issue it now?

Rich: In 2017, Hospital Productions and Mannequin Records jointly reissued music from our early tapes. This was well received and we started making plans with Hospital to re-release Fragmentation and related music from that era.

Christie: Our first two albums were released on our tape label Xcreteria. Fragmentation was the first release on an international label and our first album on CD so it was a big milestone for us.

Rich: Malignant Records originally released the album and we were very excited to work with them. They have released a lot of excellent dark ambient and industrial music, and it was the perfect match for us at that time.

Christie: It has been fun for us to re-examine our process and sound on this release within the context of over twenty five years of music creation. While this album was very much grounded in our industrial roots, the more structured and rhythmic tracks distinguish it from our earlier releases. For those discovering our music in the last few years, this early release could give some insight into our current sound and themes. With our recent re-introduction of vocals and return to improvised performances and recordings, it feels like we have come full circle in many ways. The original release of Fragmentation on Malignant reached many industrial fans but it is probably less well known to people who are familiar with our more techno-oriented work from the last ten years or so. This re-issue gives us the opportunity to share this material with a wider audience.

TB: Nearly 25 years on, do you see any similarities in the sound or themes of the record to the type of material you’re producing nowadays?

Christie: Definitely. Although our recent music is typically more complex and dynamic, the social critique, existentialist themes, and the energy and experimentation with sound that defined this release still underpin the music we are creating.

Rich: Like Christie said earlier, revisiting all of this older material during the last few years has influenced the music we are making now. We have been returning to some of the techniques and instruments we used in the past and shifting the emphasis back towards our industrial and experimental music influences.

TB: This is a massive 4 x LP which also includes over an hour of previously unreleased bonus material. Can you tell us a little bit about the extras included and how you decided on what to include?

Rich: In addition to the album, this reissue includes live recordings and compilation tracks from 1995 to 1997, as well as the Final Moments cassette from 1997.

Christie: We wanted to include material that would give the listener further insight into our sound from that era, with live material and improvised jams that led to or came out of the Fragmentation album. These tracks explore the process behind our sounds and give a sense of the layers and organized chaos that are part of the more structured tracks.

Orphx - Fragmentation (Hospital Productions)

TB: Today we’re premiering the video for Fragmentation. It’s a visual feast with a fast paced mixture of modern and ancient imagery with a very eastern sound. Tell us about the video and how do you feel hearing this track now?

Rich: This video was created by the Berlin-based artist Stanislav Glazov. The sound is from the track “Tanha.” This is a Buddhist term for thirst or craving and the idea was to explore a pathological level of desire, a feeling that sweeps over you or consumes you. Stanislav’s video is a great visual representation of this. “Tanha” has all the basic elements of our later work and this is one of the few points on the album were you can hear some of the techno influence starting to appear.

TB: How has Orphx been handling the pandemic and what are your plans for the coming season?

Rich: The pandemic has definitely been a challenge. It’s been difficult to find inspiration and direction when things seem so uncertain and unpredictable. But it’s also been a good opportunity to step back from familiar routines and reassess things and try new experiments. It’s taken a while to get creative again but a few different projects are starting to gain speed now.

Christie: The lack of shows has had a huge monetary effect but also a creative one, as the energy of the live shows often inspires new work and creative energy. New experiences while travelling and conversations with other artists, promoters and fans have been a big source of inspiration and I think we are both missing it. We have been working on a new full-length release which is now almost done but the process during the pandemic has been very slow despite the abundance of time. We are planning to have our new album out early next year and hoping to perform live again at some point in the relatively near future…