Legendary guitarist David Gilmour has been in the studio recording new music, confirmed by his wife and collaborator Polly Samson.
The former Pink Floyd guitarist has been working the past few months in the UK at Salvation Music Studios in Brighton and Mark Knopfler's British Grove Studios in West London. Samson has been sharing images on her Facebook and Instagram accounts, but there's been no official announcement on what exactly Gilmour has planned for 2024.
Pictures from the studio showed Gilmour with a large group of friends and family, including daughter Romany on harp and vocals, pianist Roger Eno (brother of musician Brian Eno and himself an ambient music composer), bassists Tom Herbert (Adele, St. Vincent) and Guy Pratt (Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets), drummers Adam Betts (Colossal Squid) and Steve Gadd (Paul Simon, Steely Dan), and producer Charlie Andrew (Alt-J, Wolf Alice).
This year, Gilmour revisited a project he worked on with the Orb: 2010's Metallic Spheres was a collaboration with Alex Paterson and Michael Rendall, and produced by Youth. The album was essentially two tracks: the 5-part "Metallic Side" and the 5-part "Spheres Side." In September, a reimagined version entitled Metallic Spheres In Colour was issued with a different mix, and then in November, the project took one step further with the AI Global Remix Project. Fans can collaborate not only with machine learning engines, but also join in fashioning unique album art and remix tracks from Metallic Spheres In Colour.
The Orb and David Gilmour ‘Metallic Spheres In Colour’ AI Global Remix Project (AI Covers From Fans)
Gilmour last released new material in 2022. As Pink Floyd (with Pratt, original Floyd drummer Nick Mason and keyboardist Nitin Sawhney), the group released "Hey Hey Rise Up," a standalone track featuring Ukrainian vocalist Andriy Khlyvnyuk of Boombox. The project was a benefit single, and all proceeds went to Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief. Before this, 2015 was the last time Gilmour put out a full-length album. Rattle That Lock was Gilmour's fourth studio album and second UK Number 1 solo album.
Samson, while sharing images (she is a noted photographer) is also a novelist and lyricist. She has contributed to all of Gilmour's work since 1994's The Division Bell. Earlier this year, in an interview with the Romanian website Zile si Nopti, she was asked about her writing future. She commented, "At the moment I'm working with David Gilmour on new songs. Promising right?"
