Orphx was formed in the fall of 1993 by Rich Oddie, Christie Sealey, and Aron West. Early recordings and live performances were primarily improvised around a basic structure of tape loops, rhythm sequences, and raw noise, generated with electronics, microphones, and scrap metal. These early experiments were documented on two cassettes (numbered »01« and »02«) released via the Xcreteria label, co-founded by Aron and Rich.

In 1995, a distribution catalogue was created to compliment this small tape label and they began to correspond with other artists and labels, both locally and internationally. During this year, Aron West began to participate less in the activities of both Orphx and Xcreteria - he now continues his own work under the name Tropism. Now a duo, Orphx began to take a more calculating and disciplined approach, both in the studio and during live performances, which now incorporated slides, spliced 16mm films, and video montage to intensify the auditory assault. During the last four years, Orphx has performed over thirty times, including appearances with Hakim Bey, SSHE Retina Stimulans, IAM Umbrella, Manon Anne-Gillis, Con-Dom, and many others.


Antiform was created in 1995 as an outlet for more subdued, drone-based, sound work which had begun to develop within Orphx. Whereas Orphx focuses primarily on abrasive rhythm and noise, Antiform's explorations tend to have a more relaxed and meditative quality. The first full-length recording, »Bhavana«, was released in the spring of 1995 in a limited edition of 100 cassettes on the Xcreteria label.

Christie and Rich began to develop a seperate audio/visual presentation for Antiform, and have since performed live with other »ambient« artists such as Mark Spybey (aka Dead Voices On Air, formerly of Download) and Robin Storey (aka Rapoon, formerly of Zoviet France). The next Antiform release will be a collaborative project with Mark Spybey. This album will be available on CD during 1998 (label to be announced).

During 1996, US label Malignant Records offered to release the next Orphx studio recording. The result was »Fragmentation«: a seventy four minute CD featuring twelve compositions developed during live performances and studio work from 1994 to 1996. This new material places far greater emphasis on layered percussion and structured sound manipulation than previous releases, incorporating the results of earlier »free-form« experimentation into a rhythmic structure which draws from a variety of musical traditions.

»Fragmentation« was released in January 1997 and is now being distributed internationally by Relapse, Staalplaat, Artware, Manifold, Tesco, Nuit et Brouillard, and Old Europa Cafe, among others. The response to this album has been very positive, with the majority of interest coming from European labels and distributors.

Germany's Hands Productions label has just released the latest Orphx recording: a limited edition 10« featuring four tracks that combine harsh electronics and minimal trance rhythms. The second Orphx CD will focus on this interest in certain aspects of techno, trance, and house; exploring these rhythmic elements while continuing to experiment with the use of drones, electronic and acoustic sound, and primitive power electronics. This album is scheduled for release on Hands Productions in the summer of 1998, at which time Orphx will begin a small series of live performances throughout Europe, the first of which is the Xhponozon festival in Erlangen. Orphx will also be performing in late June at the Nursery festival in Stockholm. Other live dates are currently being scheduled in Germany, Italy, Belgium, and France.






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