Synopsis

A man prepares for what appears to be a conventional romantic encounter, but the domestic setting gradually slips into surreal territory. His partner behaves strangely, surrounding herself with water, colored liquids, and aquatic imagery before retreating to the bathtub. As the song develops, the video turns the relationship into a playful fantasy, culminating in the woman's transformation into a mermaid. The deliberately deadpan performance style contrasts with the bizarre reveal, giving the clip a comic, dreamlike quality that suits the Orb's electronic atmosphere.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Once More" was released in 2001 as the first single from The Orb's album *Cydonia* and reached number 38 on the UK Singles Chart.

• The track features vocals by Aki Omori. She had previously sung with Freaky Realistic before working with The Orb.

• Alex Paterson said the song was written unusually collaboratively, with the group sitting around a kitchen table to develop it. The Orb used their earlier collaboration with Primal Scream, "Higher Than the Sun," as a blueprint.

• Although the single appeared in 2001, the song was completed in November 1998, several years before its eventual release.

• The recording combines The Orb's ambient-dub production with a sample from Vietnamese folk music, identified in the release credits as "Cung Dan Dat Nuoc" ("Melody Of The Country").

• The single was issued in multiple configurations, including mixes by Mark Pritchard and Bedrock. The Bedrock version later appeared on Sasha and John Digweed's *Communicate* album.

• The video is notably more literal and story-driven than many of The Orb's abstract or computer-generated clips, using a straight-faced fantasy premise to turn the song's romantic mood into surreal comedy.

• The album version runs for 4:17, while the promotional radio edit is shorter. The official video circulates in a version running approximately four minutes.