There is one element of space music that is most frequently true. It evolves very slowly, shifting in gradual waves rather than turning corners. That is the case here. This is a strong space rock album. It's fully instrumental and moves along lines that are sometimes Hawkwind-like. At other points it calls to mind early Pink Floyd. Still, the bulk is even more unique than that. This is quite an entertaining ride, really.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2016 Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Timeframes
Space music droning starts this and the cut grows outward from there in fine fashion. The rocking groove on this is very much a Hawkwind kind of thing. This screaming hot and just so cool. It's so cool and doesn't feel like its nine minutes of length. It turns a bit heavier before dropping way down to segue into the next piece.
Darkstar This begins mellow with musical space that ended the last track starting this. There is some cool jamming that's heavy, trippy and still rather mellow as it continues. They create some almost metallic elements in the jamming while still keeping it fairly dropped down. I love some of the swaying sound as this gets into sort of an echoey bluesy rock direction. From there it gets a bit proggier as some things that feel more like early Pink Floyd emerge. This piece is a particularly tasty way to spend roughly twelve and a half minutes.
Keeper of the Spice The epic of the album, this cut is over twenty one minutes of music. It comes in quite atmospheric and builds gradually. This definitely evolves very slowly, but it evolves for certain. There are sections that are more rock like. Others lean more toward electronic trippy sounds. This is classy stuff for sure. It grows into some pretty powerful jamming around the halfway mark. I really dig the fast paced build up around the three quarters of the way mark. It dissolves out into some serious space as that part continues. This turns out to some seriously hard rocking stuff as it continues onward. As it nears the end, trippy mellower space takes over and works it to the closing.
Ayakashi There is a big chunk of silence at the start of this. In fact, that makes up about the first two minutes. Then it rises up with some mellow guitar music that's part bluesy rock and part space. This definitely turns to something that's a bit like a jazzier early Pink Floyd as it continues It continues to evolve and grow as the journey stretches outward. It drops way down at the end.
