Space Elektel

Extensive set exploring the space rock and free festival scene, 1978-1998. Compiled with the legendary Dave Brock, frontman of Hawkwind, figurehead of the scene and inspiration for counteless like-minded heads.

Portland-based psychedelic improv rock ensemble SubArachnoid Space are not a "jam band" in the pejorative, trustafarian-hippie sense of that term. For one thing, the members don't attempt lame funk or sing quirky songs (indeed, they don't sing at all). For another, there's a decided darkness about their music, as befits a group named for the part of the central nervous system that separates the blood from the brain in the cerebral cavity. This stuff is meant to be heard late at night, maybe on headphones with all the lights off. While earlier records (the ones with founding guitarist Mason Jones still in the band) were drifting and spacy, this album, which is dominated by the instrumental voice of Melynda Jackson, frequently heads into hard rock/metal territory - the last three or so minutes of the 13-minute "Hunter Seeker" are positively Led Zeppelin-esque…

The French synth-pop band Space had international hits with their 1977 dance numbers "Carry on Turn Me On" and "Magic Fly," leading to a deal with Casablanca Records and gold records for the band's songwriter and leader Didier Marouani…

A small committee formed by founding father Robert Fripp of King Crimson, ProjeKct Two lies somewhere between the guitarist-in-chief's rich solo riffwork and the rawkin' yet dead-tight group efforts of his infamously pretentious prog rock ensemble…

It is the perfect sequel to "Reflections and Odysseys", their highly acclaimed debut that spawned an equally acclaimed series of live performances. The trio have taken the dynamics, textures, moods, and perfect blend of subtle detailing and big sonic gestures to new levels, and have picked up new elements of 60s psychedelia and punk energy along the way. If you ever wondered what would happen if a Krzysztof Komeda score for a Polanski movie collided with Fugazi, look no further; if you need to know what Chopin writing doom metal might sound like, you might just find the answer you seek. The prog and fusion elements you already know and expect are still here, but with different colours and markings. If "Reflections and Odysseys" was a first expedition into earth orbit, "Spacesailors" goes far beyond. This just might be their "moon landing" album.

Space rock at its best! A stunning performance by SubArachnoid Space which is highly recommended to fans of this music style who don't fear some crashing droning guitars appearing here and there. This courage will be rewarded. "These Things Take Time" is a fascinating documentation of the band's live qualities, recorded 1999 in California. A set played without any break, 45 minutes lasting (unfortunately way too short) and divided in seven parts titled with the letters from A to G.

Despite being renowned in certain parts of the world (especially in Italy and their hometown of Paris), the space-age outfit Rockets remains largely obscure – even though they arrived on the scene at almost he same exact time as Kraftwerk and prefaced Devo by several years. The multi-membered outfit originally formed in 1972, under the name Crystal, performing on-stage in their regular street clothes. But by 1974, Crystal had evolved into Rocket Men, issuing a debut self-titled single, while its members began to assume the identities of aliens; complete with silver makeup covering their skin, grey contact lenses, space suits, and bald heads.

Nik Turner is one of the founding members of Hawkwind. He was a member from 1969 to 1976 and rejoined the band from 1982 to 1984. Turner played saxophone and flute and he occasionally sang. "Space Gypsy" (2013) features Turner's vocals, and his trademark saxophones and flutes front a quintet whose sound is drenched in synths, mellotrons, electric guitars, and drums. His vocals are awash in reverb but they ride cleanly just above the instrumental fray. While this music isn't so much prog as cosmic rock, it has enough weirdness in both its production and with the man himself singing of Mayans, space aliens, multidimensional realities, and mystic and occult practices to please most acid travelers. Clocking in at 50 minutes, standout tracks include opener "Fallen Angel STS-51-L," with its crunchy guitar driving through the layered mellotrons and drums, the gently spacy "Galaxy Rise"…