SPACESEED ARCHIVES!
MP3's and Videos of Live and Studio tracks from 2003-2007

Spaceseed w/ Harvey Bainbridge: The Empire of Night
Zeta Reticuli Records
The North-American space rock act Spaceseed released their second CD some time ago, but I got my review copy only recently because the first pressing disappeared so quickly. They had the legendary ex-Hawkwind member Nik Turner on their debut album, and now they’re included the keyboard player Harvey Bainbridge, who’s also known for his Hawkwind connections, to the line-up. Harvey is well suited for the band’s cosmic and psychedelic style, and like Nik before, he’s also been playing with them on tour. The Empire of Night is rather dark and at times even frightening space rock, and in addition to the basic instruments there are a lot of synthesizers, Theremin, electric violin and saxophone. To complete the core band (Pack-Bainbridge-Fowler-Tart-Sugarkayne) there are a lot of guests on the album. The music varies from very ambient, synthesizer-dominated atmospheres with narration through more melodic psych rock all the way to snotty, heavy space-acid-punk. At times the saxophones of Brother Anubis Re create a bit jazzy feel to the album, as well. They have also sometimes used programming to achieve some electronic atmospheres.

After the about four-minute-long peaceful soundscape the title track continues with a heavy comp and is one of my favourites among the nine tracks on the album bringing to mind Pressurehed and Nik Turner’s US work in the 90’s. I think I can hear some Gong influences in the instrumental track called “Airlock One”. ”Photon Phantasm” just melts your brain and the instrumental “Clouds Over Titan” rocks with a nice, punky touch. “Office Colony” is quite close in mood to Hawkwind’s “Dream Worker”. “Delphi” has an experimental beginning and in its strongly phased section reminds me of Chrome. Harvey’s narration part works excellently. The last track “Wasted Skies” is a more melodic, slow and atmospheric track where they have taken some influences from Hawkwind’s masterpiece “7 by 7”. One of my favourites! The Empire of Night is a great space rock album and luckily for all the fans there is some more new stuff coming out already next summer, when the band will release their next collaboration disc with Harvey. I just can’t wait!

www.spaceseed.org


--Santtu Laakso