Exclusive: Orbital Reveals Influential Albums

British indie-electronic duo Orbital, consisting of brothers Paul and Phil Hartnoll, formed in 1989 and remains one of the biggest names in British electonica. The group split up in 2004 after playing several farewell shows, but reunited in 2009. The duo continues to tour and play festivals around the world.

Orbital is featured in FILTER’s 40th issue, hitting newsstands May 28, as a band You Should Already Know. As a bonus, Paul Hartnoll revealed to us the top three albums that inspired the brothers to begin making music:

The Severed Heads, Since the Accident (1983)
'It scared and entranced me at the same time. I wouldn’t sound the way I do now without having heard it."

Mark Stewart &The Maffia, As The Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade (1985)
"Produced by Adrian Sherwood, it took electro and dub production so far, it’s almost sort of scary. [It] also went into a political arena and really painted a bleak view of the U.K. at that time."

Crass, Penis Envy (1981)
"About women and their place in society, it was very informative to me as a teenage boy and taught me that I needn't follow the rat race."

For more on Orbital, check out the latest issue of FILTER, on sale this Friday.