Synthesist & producer William Orbit has died at the age of 69.
William Mark Wainwright (December 15, 1956 – July 23, 2026), known professionally as William Orbit, was a Grammy Award-winning British musician, composer and producer.
He is best known for his collaboration with Madonna on the 1998 album Ray of Light, which is considered by many to be her best album and one of the outstanding releases of the ’90s.
Orbit also left his mark on recordings by Blur, U2, Britney Spears, Pink and many others.
His solo electronic music albums include the Strange Cargo series, and Pieces in a Modern Style, which yielded a massive hit in the remixed take (with Ferry Corsten) of Barber’s Adagio for Strings.
His most recent release was The Painter (2022), an album that features collaborations with a variety of vocalists.
Orbit’s productions, and his approach to electronic music, have inspired countless musicians and leave a legacy that continues to shape modern pop and electronic music.
… the 90’s are finally over *sobbing*
https://youtu.be/PneAIfv30jA?si=gUrdRiA277ghz3mX
The Strange Cargo series & Pieces in a Modern Style have been frequent listens for me for decades. Lots of Korg MS-20!
Gutted by this news. He is amongst the giants of modern electronica. He possesses a masterful command of evoking complex emotions through his melodies and progressions.
I would highly recommend listening to the following this evening:
**Cavalleria Rusticana**
**Clavier (Pieces in Modern Style, Vol. 2)**
He weaves enchantingly beautiful melodies and EDM together in a manner few ever have. His life’s work shall always be in the present.
Hello Waveforms and the entire Strange Cargo series are well worth a listen. His work on Beth Orton’s Superpinkymandy was also very good. William Orbit was an amazing musician.
Been a fan since first hearing Torch Song as a kid way back in the early 80s. Sad news, indeed.
bummer. i liked his stuff a lot.
Been a fan since first hearing and being captivated by strange cargo albums in the 90s. In a world of sameness everywhere he had his own unique sound and style. And what a sound he had! Ray of Light is an absolute masterpiece. Thank you William Orbit for your gift to the world!
He and his work will be greatly missed.
I’m glad they wrote “died” instead of “passed”. No B.S. Call it for what it is.
He’ll be an influence on composers and producers for years to come.
Thanks for your excellent music.
What an utterly bizarre thing to fixate on when someone has died. “I’m glad they wrote ‘died’ instead of ‘passed’”, congratulations on bravely defeating the imaginary conspiracy in which “passed away” somehow conceals the fact that someone is dead.
Nobody thinks “passed away” means “temporarily unavailable”. It is a centuries-old euphemism for death, used out of courtesy and respect, especially towards his loved ones. Treating it as dishonest sanitisation is not “No B.S.”; it is spectacularly small-minded.
William Orbit has passed on. Everyone understands that. Perhaps simply pay tribute to the man and his music instead of making his passing about your reading comprehension. And when your time comes, rest assured: WE’LL gladly write “DEAD” for you.
I was a teenager working in a record store when IRS did their “No Speak” series, highlighting instrumental music. Orbit’s “Strange Cargo vol 1” was a pert of that series. I remember as a kid hearing the album in the store many times and it made a lasting impression to the extent that I followed Orbit’s work ever since. Rest in peace.
Huge loss. RIP.
very sad, very sad news.
Pieces in a modern style (the original recording, no commercial remixes)….the entire album is a masterpiece. How brave to do in 2000 this classic music on synth album, a niche genre, still relegated to “bach on moog” approach at that time. Orbit reinvented completely the genre with such strenght, so focused. Classic on synth was always plagued being a little “silly” previously, or worst case, boring. The arrangements are incredible, a lot of pieces in this record sounds much more inspired than the orchestral versions you can find. Never excessive, and a minimalist research of timbres and sounds always serving perfectly the scope. And also, still, purely electronic sounding. Famously juno 106…
Thank you W.O. for this great work. I listened it a lot, is part of my life and one of the reasons I love music and electronic music.
I was just reading this last night. RIP
https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/william-orbit/7510
Such sad news. I remember hearing his remix of ‘Erasure’s ‘Star” when i was around 16 and it blew me away. It wasn’t just an extended 12″ version, he had re recorded his own basslines, arps etc, and used unique vocal processing on Andy Bells voice. It had transformed the original. It, amongst other recordings, got me into wanting to make electronic music. I sought out his remixes and original work after that. Loved ‘Pieces in a Modern Style’ also. Classic stuff. RIP William.
Drowned world by Madonna.
Sad news. Really, really sad news.
I’ve got some of his records (parts 1 and 3 of the “Strange Cargo” series) and they’re awesome; his Bass-o-matic project was also worth checking out. Corsten’s remix of Adagio for strings is also one of my favourite dance tracks of all time. And… Well, “Ray of light”, one of the best albums of the decade. He’ll be sorely missed.
Rest in peace, William. My condolences to his family, friends and fans worldwide.