The Orb featuring David Gilmour "Metallic Spheres"

If you had played a game of "Name That Band/Artist" with me with a hint that one member of Pink Floyd was involved, I would have guessed Richard Wright, not Gilmour.  There is just enough guitar here to qualify, and most of it is neatly tucked within the mix, and no way would I think David Gilmour.  Hell, I could have made those noises eventually and I don't play guitar!  Multiple reviews have compared this record to early Pink Floyd albums (and why not since there have been so many Floyd references over the course of the Orb's existence), but I'll be damned if I once thought that to myself while listening. 

I'm not going to delve into the history of this band, but I own their first album from 1991 (I need to dig it out for a 21st century spin).  The Orb was all the rage in the new ambient/house age, remixing tracks by artists like Primal Scream, Mike Oldfield, and Wendy & Lisa.  And twenty years ago I may have partied more, and that could have had some influence on my tastes. 

A listen to "Metallic Spheres" would benefit from some of the substances available at the alleged parties of two decades ago.  I would guess it would be best absorbed while in a minimally altered state achieved by your method of choice.  If I was the proprietor of a hip, ultra-chic martini bar, I'd have this CD playing in heavy rotation.  It's essentially one track broken into two "Sides" which are composed of several vignettes, each several minutes in length, neatly tied together with subtle edits.  Gilmour's involvement stemmed from his version of Graham Nash's "Chicago" (another typical Orb trick in a couple of ways), recorded long before this project was ever conceived.  You will hear the song in vocal samples briefly on each side, and that's the only connection to the original. 

So the Orb pays Gilmour for the use of his name and a track of work. They slice, dice, marinate and fold it into a retro-Orb recipe, and I'm sure it has sold well worldwide in the four months it has been available.  I'm not going to label it a sell-out, but is Gilmour aiming to become England's equivalent of Gene Simmons?