Columbia

U.K. ambient great The Orb has always made music that caters more to the immaculate stoner bliss of a Pink Floyd laser show at the local planetarium than the Ecstasy-fueled euphoria of a warehouse rave. So this surprising sonic kismet between Orb co-founder Dr. Alex Paterson, producer Youth and David Gilmour makes perfect sense. The resulting recording session, a largely instrumental affair broken up into five movements split between two lengthy tracks, is precisely what you’d expect if you’ve ever spent time zoning out to The Orb’s mind-bending trance remix of “Echoes” on YouTube. If Gilmour’s guitar playing had been as exploratory and adventurous on The Division Bell as it is on Metallic Spheres, then Floyd would have enjoyed a more appropriate swan song.