David Gilmour - On An Island

On An Island is the third solo studio album by English musician David Gilmour, originally released in March 2006 via EMI Records in the UK and Columbia Records in the US and Australia.

It was his first solo album in twenty-two years since 1984's About Face and twelve years after 1994's Pink Floyd album The Division Bell.

The album features guest contributions from Robert Wyatt, Jools Holland, Georgie Fame, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Richard Wright, early Pink Floyd member Bob Klose and Pink Floyd session and touring musician Guy Pratt.

Chris Thomas and Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera assisted with production duties. The lyrics were principally written by Gilmour's wife, Polly Samson.

Much of the album was recorded in Gilmour's private studio aboard his houseboat Astoria.  Other sections were recorded at David's farm in Sussex and Mark Knopfler's British Grove Studios.

Orchestrations on the album were arranged by noted Polish film composer Zbigniew Preisner and conducted by Robert Ziegler. The orchestra was recorded at Abbey Road Studios by Simon Rhodes.

The album produced two singles; the title track “On An Island” (which peaked at #27 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart) and “Smile” (peaking at #72 on the UK Singles Chart).

Promo Single edits of “Take A Breath” and “This Heaven” were issued to coincide with the US leg of the tour, while "Smile" was the second single in the UK.

On An Island entered the UK charts at #1, giving Gilmour his first ever chart-topping album outside of Pink Floyd. It reached #1 on the European Chart, and #2 in Canada, Portugal and Iceland. It has also provided Gilmour with his first US Top 10 album, reaching #6. The album has sold over 1,000,000 copies worldwide.

This album is a 2018 repress on 180 gram black vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve with a printed inner sleeve and lyric poster, pressed in Europe via Columbia Records.