Optical Delusion

Optical Delusion
Studio album by Orbital
Released	17 February 2023
Length	51:07
Label	Orbital
Producer	Orbital
Orbital chronology
30 Something (2022) Optical Delusion (2023)
Singles from Optical Delusion
"Dirty Rat" Released: 20 October 2022[1] "Ringa Ringa (The Old Pandemic Folk Song)" Released: 7 December 2022[2] "Are You Alive?" Released: 1 February 2023[3]

Optical Delusion is the tenth studio album by English electronic music duo Orbital, released on 17 February 2023.^[1]

Reception

Optical Delusion ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.2/10[5]
Metacritic	75/100[4]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
The Arts Desk	[7]
Clash	8/10[8]
The Guardian	[9]
Louder Than War	[10]
Mojo	[11]
PopMatters	7/10[12]
Record Collector	[13]
Slant Magazine	[14]
Uncut	7/10[15]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Optical Delusion received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 from 8 critic scores.^[4]

Year-end lists

Optical Delusion on year-end lists

Publication	#	Ref.
Louder Than War	80	[16]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Paul Hartnoll except where noted

Optical Delusion track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ringa Ringa (The Old Pandemic Folk Song)" (featuring Mediæval Bæbes)		4:14
2.	"Day One" (featuring Dina Ipavic)		5:16
3.	"Are You Alive?" (featuring Penelope Isles)	Jack Wolter Lily Wolter Paul Hartnoll	7:49
4.	"You Are the Frequency" (featuring the Little Pest)	Jimmy Day Lily De Brouwer Phil Hartnoll	4:39
5.	"The New Abnormal"		5:05
6.	"Home" (featuring Anna B Savage)	Anna B Savage Paul Hartnoll	5:18
7.	"Dirty Rat" (with Sleaford Mods)		5:16
8.	"Requiem for the Pre-Apocalypse"		5:20
9.	"What a Surprise" (featuring the Little Pest)	Jimmy Day Phil Hartnoll	3:51
10.	"Moon Princess" (featuring Coppe)	Jimmy Day Miller Y. Coppe Phil Hartnoll	4:19
Total length:			51:07

Personnel

• Orbital – producer (1-8, 10)
• Paul Hartnoll – producer (7)
• Andrew Fearn – producer (7)
• Mediæval Bæbes – vocals (1)
• Dina Ipavic – vocals (2)
• Penelope Isles – vocals (3)
• The Little Pest – vocals (4, 9)
• Anna B Savage – vocals (6)
• Coppe – vocals (10)

Charts

Chart performance for Optical Delusion

Chart (2023)	Peak position
Australian Physical Albums (ARIA)[17]	32
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[18]	70
Irish Albums (IRMA)[19]	83
Scottish Albums (OCC)[20]	4
UK Albums (OCC)[21]	6
UK Dance Albums (OCC)[22]	1
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[23]	2

References

1. Pearis, Bill (20 October 2022). "Orbital announce new LP, share fantastic Sleaford Mods collab "Dirty Rat"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
2. Eede, Christian (7 December 2022). "Orbital release new single, "Ringa Ringa (The Old Pandemic Folk Song)"". DJ Mag. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
3. DeVille, Chris (1 February 2023). "Orbital – "Are You Alive?" (Feat. Penelope Isles)". Stereogum. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
4. "Optical Delusion by Orbital Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
5. "Optical Delusion by Orbital reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
6. Simpson, Paul (15 February 2023). "Orbital – Optical Delusion". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
7. Green, Thomas H (15 February 2023). "Album: Orbital – Optical Delusion". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
8. Crowe, Josh (16 February 2023). "Orbital – Optical Delusion". Clash. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
9. Empire, Kitty (19 February 2023). "Orbital: Optical Delusion review – plague songs and hyper-pop". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
10. Carey, Wayne (12 February 2023). "Orbital: Optical Delusion – review – Album of the Week!". Louder Than War. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
11. Worthy, Stephen (January 2023). "Orbital - Optical Delusion". Mojo. p. 85. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
12. Garratt, John (15 February 2023). "Orbital Entertain Our Collective Optical Delusion". PopMatters. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
13. Johnstone, Johnnie (27 January 2023). "Optical Delusion | Orbital". Record Collector. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
14. Erickson, Steve (13 February 2023). "Orbital Optical Delusion Review: A Grim, Pre-Apocalyptic Rave". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
15. Wray, Daniel Dylan (January 2023). "Orbital – Optical Delusion". Uncut. p. 32. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
16. "Louder Than War Albums of 2023". Louder Than War. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
17. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 27 February 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1721. Australian Recording Industry Association. 27 February 2023. p. 7.
18. "Ultratop.be – Orbital – Optical Delusion" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
19. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Orbital". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
20. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
21. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
22. "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
23. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 February 2023.