SPACE: THE DEMOS

Among the various prog musicians that I have met, many (if not most) have often admitted that the very first takes (also known as demos) can be as inspiring as the finished product, possibly due to creative juices swimming in synchronized adrenalin (great name for a song, wot!) as opposed to correcting the little bugs or just trying to upgrade with layers of additional sound. Perhaps that is how producers earn their keep, I guess. Which brings me to this 2023 release from All India Radio, one of my favourite recent discoveries, and not even bothering to figure out the differences with the original 'Space' recording of 2018. Why, may you ask am I such a lazy Tasmanian devil? Because both options are equally delicious slices of adventurous electronic prog, welding onto the synthesized array some dense bass lines, Nick Mason-like steady beat and some glittering guitar cascades. Yes, it may be Floydian in a cinematographic sense but the core is essentially atmospheric trippy music of the utmost order.

After an obligatory into, 'Vega (demo Version 2)' settles in securely with a bright disposition, a view towards the stars above, where jangling guitars, whooshing mellotrons and a concrete rhythm, focus in on the imagination, trying to figure out what lies beyond our understanding. Like a luminous beacon, a celestial object will grab your mind with more questions than answers. The search goes on. Is there anything out there. The early version of the tremendous 'Monsters' continues to feature the cosmic soul vocals of Leona Gray, fondly rekindling images of a Moon's darker side, her chorus scat howl is sultry and poignant, on a surrealistic pillow of cloudy cotton that induces a calm euphoria that hits the nodes with elegance and comfort. The warm mellotron winds sweep along in utter melancholic splendour, a superb piece of music. The original Space version of 'Heirs of Ineptitude' was a tectonic 13 minutes and 18 seconds, while the demo version slips in at 4 and a half! Whether one partakes in the full-blown tasting menu track or chooses just the main plate, the appetite will be satiated. Swirly-twirly synths, a metronome beat, and echoing slivers of shimmering melody takes the listener to another dimension, perhaps reminiscent of Exit-era Tangerine Dream. A perfect segue into another platform for Leona Gray to prove her mettle, 'Holding' has a celestial echoing theme, were that one word just lingers on in deep lucidity, bathing in synthetic luxuriance with the shuffling drums offering the main propulsion. Clanging guitar shards only add more sparkle to the existing lament, a perfect companion piece to the earlier 'Monsters'. A bit of a musical Greek mythology theme in the title 'Eurydice in Scarlet', does not take away from the futuristic, sound effect-laden scope of luscious keys and reverberating guitars that dance in unison, and together with the supple rhythm section, all seeking to revive the dead with some enthralling music. 'Anja's Eternal Light' comes in as a two-piece sandwich in which the filling is the tremendous 'Sonda IV', loaded with voice effects, tranquil heartbeat details, soaring electronics with mood as its only momentum. Now the center piece is about a Brazilian built orbital rocket called Sonda or Probe, so it should come as no surprise that the spatial theme is ultra chill, like a torrid sun-drenched day on Ipanema, where sand, sea and 'sausade' combine to enchant the body and the soul. Anja then returns for a final bite, a tropical twangy guitar and a lizard-like beat from Michael Evans Barker that suggests an extremely relaxing atmosphere. A revisit to the first version of 'Vega', a tad longer and perhaps a bit slower but just as entrancing. Brooding yet not really menacing, just a bit unsettling, as the soporific sounds permeate both the inner and outer world of your mind. The droning winds blow serenely on this, the brightest star in the Lyra constellation and that effect is perfectly translated here into sound. Speaking of which, nothing like an album outtake to keep things honest and interesting with 'Sounds Like Air' coming across as a soundtrack for some adventure in arid climes that could be featured in a sensual Bond moment somewhere in the desert, led by a rolling bass guitar from Mark Wendt.

Whether you choose the 2018 model or this new version, rest assured that the road travelled will be a secure, road hugging journey into new sonic horizons. You should still buckle up though, you never know what might be waiting around the bend.

4.5 cosmic samples