THE ORB FEAT. DAVID GILMOUR: METALLIC SPHERES

Well, I did pay attention to The Orb's music in the early 90's, but I was kind of swept away by the Seattle and LA scenes, that brought me back to the rock realm. So I kind of lost sight of that group's music and career for almost two decades until the present album, which I obviously borrowed because of Gilmour's name rather than tat Orb moniker, even if I never expected Floydian soundscapes. Graced with a rather nice tech-space reminiscent of Kubrick's Odyssey artwork, this album contains only two lengthy spacey almost-instrumental tracks, both divided in five movements or sections.

Not everything is perfect with Metallic Spheres, as there are some semi-technoid passages, where Gilmour's contributions comes closes to Daevid Allen's glissando techniques, but those weaker technoid spots don't overstay their welcome and are often interspaced by some brilliant pinkish inspirations. The album stays in a quiet spacey mould, despite the presence of Killing Joke's Youth on bass and him being a co-writer. On the whole, Metallic Spheres is quite enjoyable despite some lengths in the second part of the Spheres composition, just before veering Tangerine Dream-like.

Probably Gilmour's best non-Floyd work or collaboration (Supertramp's guest spot aside) since his debut solo album; this modern soundscape is a far cry from David's recent old- curmudgeon image he's developed up until his recent reconciliation with Roger. Obviously intended as a vinyl release first - look at the "side" track titles for confirmation, this is as much a Gilmour album as an Orb-ian product, despite the latter's bigger font on the front artwork, the digipak version being just as fine if less spectacular.

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