Fronting Pink Floyd since Roger Waters got in a huff and went solo, David Gilmour knows more than a little about guitar textures. His previous solo album – 1984’s About Face – might have been more song structured, but twenty-two years later he’s all about the solos, again.

The title cut does it does, really. The lead in solo of “Castellorizon” gives way to a song that could easily be a Wish You Were Here b-side. David Crosby and Graham Nash surprise by being on backing vocals, but the spacey feel and wide open textures of the song are purely Floyd-ian in nature.

With Waters and Gilmour now back on speaking terms after their reconnection at Live 8, On an Island makes you long for the duo to work together once more. With his wife Polly Samson sharing co-writing credits and adding background vocals here and there, this is as English as a cup of tea in the countryside on a Sunday afternoon.

That said, it needs the danger and excitement that Waters co-writes provide to Gilmour. The positivity that comes through on On an Island is most certainly beguiling, but mostly what strikes about this album is how lovingly it’s been put together. Whilst he obviously hasn’t been working slowly on it for 22 years, it certainly shows that one of the old masters of prog most certainly still has the desire and the ability to connect with his listeners. Fingers crossed he and Waters work together soon on all new Pink Floyd material, as it could be truly wondrous.