VOL. 1

Scott Heller aka Dr Space takes a break from keyboard duties for cosmic rockers the Øresund Space Collective to deliver `Alien Planet Trip: Volume 1', the first of several promised solo works, and a wild, experimental and moody change of direction it proves to be! Culled from studio improvisations, `...Trip' is heavy on feverish distortion, swirling electronics and rumbling drones all fusing into stormy drifting instrumental atmospheres, actually a galaxy far away from the jam-heavy ØSC LP's and more in the manner of the early Krautrock-era of Tangerine Dream (but probably more resembling a soundtrack to Edgar Froese's most vivid nightmares!), also given a very modern edge.

Don't look for anything resembling a tune or melodic elements in side-long piece `Five Dimensions Of The Universe'. It's an endless rumbling drone of maddening electronic loops and ringing fizzes spiralling into infinity laced with grumbling guitar distortion provided by two ØSC collaborators Nicklas Sørensen of mellow spacerockers Papir and Richard Orlando of Alien Plenetscapes. Fleeting synth drifts rise and fall like both blowing breezes and raging gales, and guitars eventually twist into stormy wailing reaches and dreamy psychedelic embers. Fleeting moments of light and wonder from trilling and comforting whirring synth caresses reveal themselves in the second half, but overall this wild trip remains darkly colourful and perfectly captures the stark isolation of space the majority of its near twenty-five minute length.

On the flip side, the maddening and immersive `Rising Sun Over Mars' is a nightmarish machine sound collage of unceasing looping sequencer patterns over washes of harsh splintering guitar distortion and bleeding electronics, and the guitars throughout `In Search Of Life On Io' slink from drowsy psychedelic echoing, bluesy smoulders and feedback-strangled ripples, all the while lurching trip-hop-like programmed beats and scuzzy distortion pepper the background. A bonus track is also available with a download purchase through Bandcamp that doesn't fit on the vinyl edition, and `Alien Improv II' is a fizzing Berlin School-modelled howling storm that doesn't sound unlike parts of early Klaus Schulze albums like `Cyborg', only heavier.

With Heller relocating it essentially means the ØSC will be going on something of a hiatus for now, so fans and followers will have these exploratory releases to look forward to, and based on this first volume, it means there's plenty of challenging and experimental space music to come in the future. Well done as always, Scott, bring on volume two!

Four stars for this wicked mind-melt!