aaamusic | On 19, Oct 2010

With their latest offering ‘Metallic Spheres’, The Orb have created an emulation of the old vinyl LP format, providing us with two sides, logically named the ‘Metallic Side’ and the ‘Spheres Side’. Both are long slabs of ambient electronic music, weighing in at approximately 29 and 20 minutes respectively.

Right from the onset of Metallic Side, David Gilmour’s presence is immediately conspicuous, as his fingerprints are all over the overt Pink Floyd guitar sound as it quietly wails and whines slow, pseudo-bluesy melodies all over the soft dance accompaniments. The track builds but doesn’t really seem to be headed in any particular direction. Admittedly, the musicianship on offer is indeed of a high quality. Gilmour’s sparing yet evocative and distinct musical fingerprints are as enjoyable as ever, and the gently jostling electronic beats and atmospheric layers of tinkling and whooshes create an entire landscape in the listener’s mind, one of a quiet, almost desolate plain. Occasionally the guitars soar and plunge climactically, but this is then regulated into yet more smooth melodicism backed up by trance instrumentation. A regular, chilled beat is introduced four minutes or so in, and the melody fully establishes itself and unfurls, become a gently psychedelic narrative with hints of funk and world. Six minutes in, trance becomes the driving force, and the guitar takes a supporting role behind the shifting, pulsating keyboards and electronics, giving a much more optimistic yet no less laid-back feel. Surreal and possibly exotic melodicism is just about perceptible in the slow motion and subtle depths of the track as it explores itself, occasionally faltering in texture and volume to indicate a new layer. Ten minutes in, a heavily-processed and distant voice starts up, ushering in a distinctive hip-hop influenced beat to the track. Whether this is daring or comedic is hard to discern, but doubtless it is one way of changing mood and it grows into itself as it settles. This then fades into a jangling, world- and folk-tinged melody accompanied by small tinkling noises, before lapsing into spaced-out psychedelia, lulling the listener before an unexpected dance beat finale brings things to a slightly less soporific close.

‘Spheres Side’ leads directly on from the previous track’s finale, which possibly defeats the idea of having separate sides, before embarking on a slightly glitchier and overtly electronic approach, albeit retaining any and all spacey atmospherics, just in a slightly more dance-tinged manner. Heavy drum machine thuds softly beat out rhythm over keyboard noodlings and Gilmour’s trademark guitar musings. This track feels much more sinuous, appealing, and indeed perhaps even a bit more focused than its predecessor, held up by much more decisive sounds, particularly in the vaguely tribal drum tones. The result is a much more coherent and therefore rewarding and pleasurable musical experience as it keeps what feels like a constant musical narrative and picture in place. However, the strange vocal sounds then appear, creating a focal point but also a jarring interruption. Despite the good intent and noble sentiment of the few words, as a sonic feature it is somewhat akin to the Mona Lisa putting on a pair of jeans. After this point, things gain a whole new level of strange, with a minute of what sounds like a symphony on cartoon springs leading to something that wouldn’t go amiss on a sci-fi soundtrack before organic drums and a catchy bassline bring in a considerably more conventional musical moment, which lapses back to a section similar to the opening of the Metallic Side, before reappearing for closure.

In all honesty, this is one of those things I wished I liked. Much like reading classics for school, I am able to appreciate the craftsmanship involved, but it just doesn’t excite me. Gilmour’s guitar is indeed beautiful and evocative, but somehow stripped of intent, and although the two aspects of the album (Pink Floyd prog rock and chilled-out ambient dance) often gel, they simply don’t offer much in the way of interest. Perhaps I haven’t taken enough narcotics, or maybe I’m just cranky and chilly, but I can’t personally find a place in my heart for this. In the context of hip/hippie café ambient music or a classy yet up-to-date dinner party in sleek modern home, this is near flawless, but it just can’t sustain nearly an hour’s direct interest without lapses in concentration.

Author: Katie H-Halinski