𝙊𝙪𝙧’ 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝘽𝙮 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠’ 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨’ 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙘.
We love pulling back the curtain on the stories and inspirations behind intriguing new releases. It’s always fascinating to hear the personal anecdotes, creative processes, and little-known tales that shaped each track. These insights not only give us a deeper appreciation for the artistry that goes into crafting these musical gems but also create a sense of connection with the artists.
Hill Collective‘s Fire In Orbit is an EP that thrives on chemistry rather than perfection. Rooted in spiritual jazz but open to free improvisation, modal harmony, and subtle global influences, the Brighton ensemble lets each composition breathe naturally. Across four expansive pieces, the band values conversation over virtuosity, creating music that feels communal, patient, and emotionally grounded. The result is a focused statement that balances structure with spontaneity, revealing a group confident enough to leave space between the notes.
With Pete Piskov at the helm, Hill Collective channel Brighton’s close‑knit scene, carrying echoes of Sun Ra, Mingus and the Art Ensemble of Chicago in their sound.
The title track, ‘Fire In Orbit‘, immediately establishes that approach. A warm piano introduction, an elastic double bass groove, and an uplifting vocal refrain lay the foundation before the ensemble gradually opens into expressive solos and collective improvisation. The transitions remain fluid, allowing the rhythm section to maintain momentum while horns and flute stretch outward without losing the piece’s welcoming spirit.
‘Keep Breathing‘ offers a contrasting mood, trading outward energy for quiet reflection. Gentle horn interplay gradually evolves into a mantra-like vocal refrain, transforming the composition into something deeply meditative. Rather than relying on dramatic crescendos, it finds emotional power through repetition, restraint, and unwavering groove.
The simple but lovely ‘A House Is A Home Like Honey‘ unfolds slowly, built on a relaxed, sunrise‑like head and plenty of space. A brief horn swell around seven minutes adds intensity before easing back.
Closing song, ‘Song For A Blossom Baby‘ offers a simple chorus–solo–chorus shape, lifted by angular phrasing and modal colour. The improvisation expands, then settles, ending the EP with gentle release.
At just four tracks, Fire In Orbit feels remarkably complete, capturing the warmth of musicians creating together without unnecessary polish or excess.
Fire In Orbit is out now, courtesy of Batov Records (buy here). Take a listen to the album right below, and then dive into Pete Piskov’s track-by-track guide.
Fire in Orbit
The first seed that then grew into Fire in Orbit came from watching this film, Neptune Frost, with a soundtrack by Saul Williams. There’s a lyrical motif throughout where voices are chanting “fire in the sky, fire in the sky”. Over the next few days, I kept finding myself singing made-up melodies with the word “fire” at the centre. I began thinking about why the concept of fire and how the word sounded had such a strong impact on me. The more I thought about it the more it became clear that fire meant passion, raw emotion, expression, creative drive, chaotic focus and it existed at the core of all things. At the centre of our solar system, at the centre of prehistoric gatherings, our relation to food, smoking cigarettes, war. The tune is about expression, and its form allows the improvisers to fully express themselves. The two main voices you hear singing the head are Jay and Chris, but the whole band did the choir thing it. The synchronicity of this release was wild; when “Fire in Orbit” came out, it was one of the first days of the May heatwave! For all these tunes we assigned “chaotic agents” – people who were allowed to play whatever they liked throughout the track; on this one, they were Chris Luu, Jay Orpana and Vincent Malloch. Solos from Pete Piskov, Ivy Loska, Jay Orpana and Joe Edwards.
Keep Breathing
A long time ago I’d written the concept for a tune which was basically just an on/off switch form for free improvisation. The band would play whatever they wanted, and a conductor would have the power to stop the whole band, until someone would call out “Keep Breathing!” And the whole band could continue playing. This idea was based on a spiritual exercise Gurdjieff would do with his students, where in the middle of any sort of activity, someone could call for stillness and silence; this sudden call to “meditation” could jumpstart a very small and very big spiritual realisation. That’s where the name came from. The tune itself doesnt use this system, although we have a little call and response between Jay and the rest of the band. This one started with the bass line when i was just messing around on the guitar with an added turnaround where my intention was to gently guide our bass player Joe Snelling into an almost gimbri (moroccan folk instrument) sensibility as another avenue in his playing. On live shows he almost never plays that bit, opting for something guided by his own heart and head. Chaotic agents on this one: Chris Luu, Vincent Malloch. Solos from: Pete Piskov, Chris Luu and Will Roberts.
A House is a Home, like Honey
I wrote this tune right after being evicted from a house I’d lived in for four years that got me in a real spin about the value of a “home” the value of a “house”, looking back on all the special moments in that place, hosting dinners, parties, day to day life with my partner at the time, practising saxophone in the living room, while neighbours would walk pass giving friendly waves and smiles! An old man called Simon who lived at the top of the road, whose house was covered in mosaics he’d made – a dragon on each step up to his front door. All of this meant home to me, until the rug was pulled from under my feet in the form of an eviction notice, my partner and I also broke up around that time. I felt lost. Shortly after, I moved into a new place near Preston Park with two wonderful people, Julia, a poet and Sam, a free spirit, and a new home was built; any house can be home. A house is a home, like honey – sweet, necessary and something we create. Chaotic agents: Chris Luu, Vincent Malloch. Collective improvisation from everyone and double bass solo by Joe Snelling.
Song For A Blossom Baby
This is a song of growth; no one ever asked me what a blossom baby is or why we have a song for a blossom baby on this album. Maybe it has immediate meaning to some people with need of clarification. For me, we are all blossom babies; we’re always growing, blossoming, but often forget this, or life gets in the way, and we feel stunted. The song is meant to promote growth in a person or a thing, like a spell. I consider every album, and to further extent any collection of ordered items or art, to represent an archetypal journey. On this record, we started at a galactic level, talking about the sun, the creator, etc, then Keep Breathing is a message to the earth, then we zoom in closer, into homes, habitation, and then finally zoom again into the hearts of the people in the houses, on earth, in space. And what else is there left to do but grow?
