Steve Hillage is best known for his work with Gong and his solo work. He’s also responsible for the electronic project System 7. This album combines that group with the Japanese band Rovo. The result is a great set that sits between space rock and electronic. This is good stuff that should please fans of Hawkwind and other space rockers. 

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2013  Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.

This opens with ambient music that rises up with bits of chirps and other textural sounds. It’s almost as if Hawkwind were to merge with Vangelis. Drums come in after a while, bringing more energy, but the mood remains largely unchanged until around the two and a half minute mark where it starts to rock out more. It builds out and the percussion really starts to get pretty intense around the four and a half minute mark. As it continues to build and evolve some serious space music is heard over the top of frantic drumming. Working out to more power-house rocking from there, it really does resemble Hawkwind quite a bit. Somehow the jam that emerges from that makes me think of some of the more powered up and lush versions of early Genesis quite a bit. The drums again drive the piece through another space like movement. It drops way down to end.