OUTER SPACE

Haeka are a four-piece from Milan featuring Vitorio Zambon, Alberto Guglielmo, Jacopo Scibilia, and Marta Ceccarini. Their debut is entitled "Outer Space" and it was released in 2020, just four tracks in the six-to-ten minute range each. Thus a short album, but that seems to be a badge of honor for Italian bands. Going all the way back to the early '70s, they seemed to realize that less is more. In an era of 75 minute albums, I love the whole short album thing that many of the classics had. Haeka is an interesting variant of modern space rock that carves out its own sound. While I suspect Porcupine Tree may be an influence to some in the band, they don't mention it, and it's not particularly obvious. As of 2025, they are currently working on their second album.

Their debut sound is heavy and augmented with plenty of textural nuance and pauses for breezy escapades. The wildcard of Ceccarini's ethereal vocal and the echo and harmony applied to it create a mesmerizing effect. (The lyrics I could make out were pretty cool too, though I'm not a big lyrics guy.) I was reminded at times of Lagartija, although that band veers more jazzy while Haeka stay more in the spacey rock realm. When the shimmering harmonies near the beginning of "Stable as Change" kicked in, I immediately felt deja vu like I had heard them before but can't say where. But it is so beautiful. Indeed it is the detailed, stellar vocal arrangements more so than even the chops of the instrumentalists that knocked me out---so well sung and recorded. That's not to say the jamming is anything less than impressive. During the instrumental sections of the title track, it was almost like something from The Sky Moves Sideways. The album at different times exudes gorgeous formlessness and other times a sense of fluidity more structured. Heavy, lighter, intoxicating ventures and melodies. Great stuff.

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