Eschaton: When Orphx and Ancient Methods merge
· re:union Radio editorial · 2 min read
Orphx presents Eschaton, a collaboration with Ancient Methods – industrial techno with a political undertone since the 2000s.
When Orphx collaborates with Ancient Methods, a unique project emerges: Eschaton. It exemplifies how permeable the boundaries between industrial, power noise, and techno are in this scene.
At a glance
- Orphx is a Canadian duo consisting of Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey, active since the early 1990s
- They release on labels such as Sonic Groove, Hands Productions, Hymen Records, Hospital Productions, and Malignant Records
- Eschaton is one of their side projects – a collaboration between Orphx and Ancient Methods
- Other side projects by Orphx: O/H (with Dave Foster) and Oureboros (with Aron West)
Orphx: Techno with a Political Undertone
Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey have been making music spanning techno, industrial, and experimental since the early 1990s, with numerous releases on CD, vinyl, and cassette on independent labels. Their music often revolves around social, political, or psychological-spiritual themes: “Circuitbreaking” (Hymen, 2004), for instance, was a political commentary on economic globalization, and “Insurgent Flows” (Hands, 2005) thematically followed suit.
Eschaton: The Link to Ancient Methods
Eschaton is one of the projects where Orphx collaborates with other artists – in this case, with Ancient Methods, another name from the industrial techno scene. Such collaborations are not an exception in this niche: The joint performances and recordings of Orphx with JK Flesh (Justin Broadrick) also demonstrate how closely industrial and techno are networked across national borders.
| Artist | Orphx (Rich Oddie, Christina Sealey) |
|---|---|
| Active since | early 1990s |
| Labels | Sonic Groove, Hands Productions, Hymen Records, Hospital Productions, Malignant Records |
| Side projects | Eschaton (with Ancient Methods), O/H, Oureboros |
Why This Matters for the Scene
Collaborations like Eschaton show how permeable the boundaries between industrial, noise, and techno truly are. If you're interested in current dark techno, you'll find much of what goes by that label today in the roots of Orphx and Ancient Methods. The connection to Phase Fatale, who treads similar paths between EBM and techno, is also evident – all three names operate in the same niche between club and industrial.
FAQ
How long has Orphx been active?
Orphx has been active since the early 1990s and has since released numerous works on independent labels.
What is Eschaton?
Eschaton is a side project of Orphx, in which they collaborate with Ancient Methods – one of several collaborative projects alongside O/H and Oureboros.
Source: Wikipedia – Orphx
