Electronic music group The Orb will release their next album called Metallic Spheres in October 2010 and features the work of Pink Floyd guitarist, David Gilmour.
The album will be released in multiple formats worldwide and, according to the blog on David Gilmour's website, all artist royalties will be going to helping British hacker Gary McKinnon fight off extradition to the USA.
The Orb, the successful and influential UK 'ambient/house' collective, came to collaborate with David Gilmour after working together on a version of Graham Nash's "Chicago" for a charity project. Youth (aka Martin Glover), a frequent Orb accomplice, was invited to create a remix, and he and Alex Paterson, as The Orb, were so energized by the task that they continued working until it was an album-length entity. Having asked Gilmour to bring his guitars to Youth's studio in South London to prolong and enrich their new creation, the trio worked up a sonic mixture in a range of styles. Thus, the 'Metallic Spheres' project was born.
'Metallic Spheres' is designed to be heard in two parts - 'Metallic Side' (24'48"), and 'Spheres Side' (25'09"). Also present are five musical sub-divisions in each part. The album uniquely utilizes David Gilmour's discernable electric guitar and lap steel guitar, Alex Paterson's sound manipulation, keyboards and turntables, and Youth's bass guitar and keyboards.
The album will be available in the following formats:
Standard CD
Double CD: The second disc is a 3D60 mix - www.3d60.co.uk - of the album which allows the listener to experience the album in three-dimensional sound
Standard album Download
Double album Download
Double LP
Artwork, continuing and expanding on The Orb's spatial art style, has been created by longtime Orb visuals designer Simon Ghahary.
Additionally, special laser light shows created specifically for the release of 'Metallic Spheres' will be shown to the public in early October in New York and Los Angeles. More details to follow.
Gary McWho??
The American's want to get their hands on Gary McKinnon for hacking into US Military computer systems in the wake of the September 11th attacks.
Gary, who has Aspergers Syndrome, claims he was just looking for the existence of aliens on the computer systems. He has admitted he did the crime but it is felt by some that sending a man with mental illness to the likes of Guantanamo Bay (where the Americans routinely torture British citizens) is not on!
Perhaps the Americans should think twice about putting sensitive information on the Internet in the first place, especially with China and Russia's blatant use of it as an economic and political weapon!
Standard Album and 3D Sound Version!
In addition to the standard album, there will be a ‘Deluxe’ double-disc version: the first disc is the same as the standard, the second is a 3D60™ version, which, as the name suggests, allows you to listen in glorious three-dimensional sound.
3D60™ is a new sound production process developed by Youth, Mike Brady (The Jam’s live sound engineer) and Ian Thompson (musician and multimedia producer). You don’t need any special equipment to enjoy 3D60™, by the way; it will sound amazing on any headphones in any format. Have a listen.
As well as the option of downloading the standard album from iTunes, there will also be a vinyl version, exactly the same as the standard CD, but including a download card permitting you to download the full album plus an additional ambient bonus. So that’s something you’ll be familiar with from the various guises of Live in Gdańsk.