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OSS Sees Orb Man Putting the Kettle On: Alex Paterson of UK electronic pioneers The Orb originally formed OSS as “Orb Sound System” with old pal Fil Le Gonidec. They toured a lot in the 2000’s, including a stint in Australia with Kraftwerk.

“Then a few years ago, we started making our own industrial techno and kept OSS and started having fun,” Paterson says. “Fil is a best mate and as we walked on to a stage at Glastonbury, he turned to me and said, ‘Not bad for a couple of ex-Killing Joke roadies.’ And that, my friends, is why we needed a recording of us and not just amazing gigs!”

Thankfully, The Orb is still a going concern too.

“[We] started recording a new album for the year after next,” Paterson says. “We have a new anthology coming out on Cooking Vinyl too. I’m starting a book with the Abolition of the Royal Familia tour in the fall in the UK. That’s this year sorted.”

Paterson describes the OSS sound as “industrial techno prisoners of the light.”

“Hard, dark and fluffy with sharp words of immense reason,” he says. “Or just ‘on some shit’.”

OSS’ new album, out through Cooking Vinyl, is Enter the Kettle. Paterson says that it’s getting a limited vinyl release. Beyond that, he’s delightfully cryptic.

“It’s not a kettle,” he says. “There’s basically a South side and a North side. Oh, and no animals were harmed making this kettle.”

Looking ahead, Paterson says that he’s planning more touring and more releases, for OSS and other acts on the Obscure imprint.

“Chocolate Hills’ new album Yarns from the Chocolate Triangle,‘ an EP from Uganda,” he says. “‘Albert & Roland,’ both on Orbscure . A soundtrack for a Malicious Damage art exhibition and playing every week on my radio station I set up with friends in South London — WNBC London. Tune in and drop off. Deep step and heavy beats with the mysterious Dadaist and blasts from beyond the blues with King Michael every Thursday with the good doctor sandwiched in between. Long live OSS.”

OSS Sees Orb Man Putting the Kettle On: OSS’ Enter the Kettle album is out November 19.

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