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When we speak of The Orb perhaps we subconsciously think of a planet suspended in a void, with everyone on the surface staring out into space. It would be perhaps more fitting to see their world as a bubble where they exist on the inner surface and can only look inwards at their self-contained universe. Metallic Spheres, the electronic ambient outfit's latest studio album, suggests they have neither more nor fewer influences than when they started in 1989. So ostensibly this is another herbal cigarette-friendly selection of celestial synth washes, whacked-out aqueous FX, big slabs of booming dub bass and light dalliances with mid-tempo house and techno.
The one constant of the group, 'Dr' Alex Paterson is this time joined by auxiliary member Youth, who has been quite busy elsewhere over the last few years, collaborating with Paul McCartney on his Fireman project and rejoining seminal post-punk/industrial rock/goth pioneers Killing Joke, who have recently released their first album with him on bass, Absolute Dissent, since 1981. But without a doubt, the most interesting guest member on this project is David Gilmour of stadium prog titans Pink Floyd. Paterson and Gilmour were first brought together to work on a version of Graham Nash's Chicago project for charity. Such, they felt, was the fruitfulness of the partnership that they dragged in Youth to complete a remix and their work has basically effloresced to album length.
Ever since scoring early hits two decades ago with Little Fluffy Clouds and Blue Room, The Orb have been described incessantly as the rave generation’s Pink Floyd, so it was perhaps inevitable that these two institutions would eventually combine in some form or other. And of course it will surprise no one but the most uptight and partisan fans of either group to learn that Gilmour's honeyed, chiming and unchallenging guitar work is a sensual fit for The Orb's expansive, uplifting and soporific electronica.
Helpfully split into two sides for all chillers of a certain vintage, both the Metallic and Spheres sides run to under 30 minutes each, which then break down into five separate tracks. Outside of their bubble, of course, there is a seething world of new genres such as dubstep, glo-fi and drag; but these are of no interest to the elder statesmen of rave chill-out, who just want you to switch on a lava lamp, plump up some cushions and drift along to their soothing grooves.
--John DoranFind more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album has David Gilmour stamped all over it and quite a wonderful creation it is. More trippy than ambient, this collaboration is more than just the sum of it constituent parts. It plays to the strengths of all the collaborators and the finished article is a rich, immersive experience. Indeed, the "3D60" version is mixed specifically for headphone use to mimic a surround sound environment.Through a set of good earphones, the music plays through much more sharply and the arrangement of tracks is changed to make the overall effect of a very different album. When the sleeve says 'bonus disc', it actually means what is says on the tin.
If you are a fan of The Orb and Pink Floyd, you are in for a treat.
Just as an aside, all artist royalties from this album will be contributed to the support of Gary McKinnon, the man the US wants to put on trial for hacking the Pentagon. You would have thought that someone that smart would be offered a job and taken very good care of wouldn't you?
So to my mind, a very worthwhile cause.
If you are a fan of The Orb and Pink Floyd, you are in for a treat.
Just as an aside, all artist royalties from this album will be contributed to the support of Gary McKinnon, the man the US wants to put on trial for hacking the Pentagon. You would have thought that someone that smart would be offered a job and taken very good care of wouldn't you?
So to my mind, a very worthwhile cause.
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Although I listened to The Orb's Live album many many years ago and got my hands on the Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells singles remixed by The Orb I have not listened to much of The Orb's music. OK' Fluffy Little Clouds is superb, but from the amount of tracks I have heard I really cannot say that much about how this album rates amonst The Orb's output.
I have very recently returned from Ibiza after a totally "More" inspired holiday - not the drugs but I had the Floyd lp on my mp3. Whilst shopping in the town of Ibiza I could not help but hear techno. In one shop I enquired as to each type of music I was enjoying, was it Techno Ambient? No, the answer - Techno Minimal. So now I have a new musical term. And guess what, just by chance this album is Techno Minimal ( I think or should that be "I dink"?).
By watching the video supplied to Amazon one can get the feel of David's guitar playing. Minimal notes. minimal effort (for an axe god) but maximum mood setting. Reviews in the press liken this guitar work to Echoes or Shine On... well, yes and no. The soundscapes here are lush. Very suited to over dubbing the Landscape Channel on Sky 205 or playing with Winamp visuals.
The 3D cd must be played through headphones to get the full effect. In much the same way as The Final Cut and The Pros & Cons of Hitchhiking with their holophonics recording method.
David does rock out a little on track 2 in the style of Echoes but it is soooo well hidden. Cluster One and Signs of Life also come to mind as to types of playing found here.
So I am loving this chillout album and possibly this is where The Floyd could have gone post Wish You Were Here. On the quieter side I also listen to Jarre, Oldfield and Brian Eno so just to give you an idea this album sounds nothing like any of their outputs. But you could find shades here of Ummagumma, The Division Bell, Meddle etc.
Metallic Spheres has a duration of about 50 mins (per disc) but it designed to be looped over and over.
Thanx for reading.
I have very recently returned from Ibiza after a totally "More" inspired holiday - not the drugs but I had the Floyd lp on my mp3. Whilst shopping in the town of Ibiza I could not help but hear techno. In one shop I enquired as to each type of music I was enjoying, was it Techno Ambient? No, the answer - Techno Minimal. So now I have a new musical term. And guess what, just by chance this album is Techno Minimal ( I think or should that be "I dink"?).
By watching the video supplied to Amazon one can get the feel of David's guitar playing. Minimal notes. minimal effort (for an axe god) but maximum mood setting. Reviews in the press liken this guitar work to Echoes or Shine On... well, yes and no. The soundscapes here are lush. Very suited to over dubbing the Landscape Channel on Sky 205 or playing with Winamp visuals.
The 3D cd must be played through headphones to get the full effect. In much the same way as The Final Cut and The Pros & Cons of Hitchhiking with their holophonics recording method.
David does rock out a little on track 2 in the style of Echoes but it is soooo well hidden. Cluster One and Signs of Life also come to mind as to types of playing found here.
So I am loving this chillout album and possibly this is where The Floyd could have gone post Wish You Were Here. On the quieter side I also listen to Jarre, Oldfield and Brian Eno so just to give you an idea this album sounds nothing like any of their outputs. But you could find shades here of Ummagumma, The Division Bell, Meddle etc.
Metallic Spheres has a duration of about 50 mins (per disc) but it designed to be looped over and over.
Thanx for reading.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Well, this is interesting. I have looked through the reviews so far, and has this collaboration really caused a stir? I absolutlely love "the" Orb. And, I am a toptastic 'Floyd fan. In fact my order for 'Spheres included the remastered Syd albums which, strangely, were released on the same day. Even the 'stranger' offerings like Pomme Fritz do 'float my boat'. So you read this review from a biased observer. I love the comments "like relaxing in a boat" and "repetitive". Er, hold on mate - this the Orb, I do like the idea of "floating in a boat". Will carry that on with my for some time.
As with all Orb, this takes a couple of takes. But as ever, there are elements in there that simply grow on you. In all my years of listening to any form of music, I always feel that music must grow. If you like it first time, you will get bored very soon. But hey, thats how the 3 minute market make their money.
Yes, this is one almighty Jam session. To be fair, that is what Orb are. Just this time around they have got together with one of the greatest guitarists in the world today.
So, to conclude. If you are hear looking for a great guitar solo from Mr Gilmour in the style of "Comfortably Numb" then you are going to be disappointed. If it is yet another rambling chill fest from Mr Patterson and Youth with some input from one of the most respected musicians of our time, then sit back, slap on the Sennheisers and chill.
As with all Orb, this takes a couple of takes. But as ever, there are elements in there that simply grow on you. In all my years of listening to any form of music, I always feel that music must grow. If you like it first time, you will get bored very soon. But hey, thats how the 3 minute market make their money.
Yes, this is one almighty Jam session. To be fair, that is what Orb are. Just this time around they have got together with one of the greatest guitarists in the world today.
So, to conclude. If you are hear looking for a great guitar solo from Mr Gilmour in the style of "Comfortably Numb" then you are going to be disappointed. If it is yet another rambling chill fest from Mr Patterson and Youth with some input from one of the most respected musicians of our time, then sit back, slap on the Sennheisers and chill.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not Good at All
I bought this CD because it featured Dave Gilmour on it, as I had enjoyed his "On an Island" CD. This CD was a terrible disappointment, the music if I can call it, that just... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Dr. Jonathan D. G. Heels
poor
Don't know what the 4 and 5 star reviewers are listening to. This is an unresolved meandering mess to my ears.
Published 3 months ago by John R. J. Taylor
cool
Mason is just his usual self, adds his touch to a chillax album..and the orb are also chillaxed as always..
Published 7 months ago by JB
disppointing
I bought this hoping to enjoy a trip of ambient and guitar.
The cd gave me nothing in return. The 2nd track even succeeded in making me nervous.... Read more
The cd gave me nothing in return. The 2nd track even succeeded in making me nervous.... Read more
Published 12 months ago by KD
Didn't live up to hype
The second disk is much better than the first. I must admit I had in my mind the idea of music sweeping me up and taking me on a journey. Progressing and evolving melodies. Read more
Published 13 months ago by R. Lowe
Relax, Turn Off Your Mind, Float Downstream
Wow! I love The Orb and I love Pink Floyd. So to have the two combined is for me, pure bliss. There are hints of Echoes in the album and if you can imagine that combined with the... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Grace Poole
hahahaha
some 40 years after turning his back on the psychedelic counterculture out of which the Pink Floyd grew, David Gilmour only goes on to collaborate with The Orb in creating the... Read more
Published 14 months ago by M. A. Ratcliffe
Good for what it is
First of all its nowhere near the best album Orb ever did,nor the best work Gilmour ever did.
Having said that it is actually a lovely little meditative excursion well worth... Read more
Having said that it is actually a lovely little meditative excursion well worth... Read more
Published 15 months ago by The Spyridon
Metallic Sphere
I think this album is brilliant. I hope Dave and the Orb pair up again for another master work in the not too distant future.
Published 15 months ago by G. Haines
The Ambient Guitar Dub Universe
Excellent mature album by The Orb (Dr Alex Patterson/Youth), collaborating with David Gilmour from Pink Floyd. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Tec-know
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