The Orb are an English
electronic music group known for spawning the genre of
ambient house. Founded in 1988 by
Alex Paterson and
KLF member
Jimmy Cauty, the Orb began as
ambient and
dub DJs in London. Their early performances were inspired by ambient and electronic artists of the 1970s and 1980s, most notably
Brian Eno and
Kraftwerk. Because of their
trippy sound, the Orb developed a cult following among
clubbers "coming down" from drug-induced highs. The Orb has maintained their drug-related and
science fiction themes despite personnel changes, including the departure of Cauty and other Orb members
Kris Weston, Andy Falconer,
Simon Phillips, Nick Burton and
Andy Hughes. Paterson has been the only permanent member, continuing to work as the Orb with the Swiss-German producer
Thomas Fehlmann and, later, with
Killing Joke's Martin "Youth" Glover and Tim Bran of
Dreadzone.