William Orbit, the influential electronic music producer who designed the sound of classic records like Madonna’s Ray Of Light, has died at the age of 69. “William passed away at home on 23rd July, 2026,” Orbit’s family wrote in a statement shared on Instagram. Born William Wainwright in Enfield, North London in 1956, he dropped out of school at 16 and worked a variety of low-paying jobs while seeking to subsidise his creativity. His first band was the ambient electronic trio Torch Song, which he formed alongside Laurie Mayer and Grant Gilbert in 1980. In addition to all of his remix and production work for other artist, Wainwright released seven studio albums as William Orbit.