Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

SPACE ART

Space Art

Progressive Electronic


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Space Art Space Art album cover
3.46 | 22 ratings | 3 reviews | 14% 5 stars

Write a review

Buy SPACE ART Music
from Progarchives.com partners
Studio Album, released in 1977

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Onyx (3:36)
2. Naissance de Cassiopée (7:14)
3. Interlune (1:38)
4. Axius (3:22)
5. Aquarella (3:34)
6. Ode à Clavius (8:26)
7. Laser en novembre (6:10)

Total Time 34:00

Line-up / Musicians

- Dominique Perrier / electronics
- Roger Rizzitelli / drums

Releases information

IF records LP
Spalax 1998 CD reissue SPALAXCD14933
C.Zen Prod 2009 (new mastering) CD

Thanks to philippe for the addition
and to projeKct for the last updates
Edit this entry

Buy SPACE ART Space Art Music



SPACE ART Space Art ratings distribution


3.46
(22 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(14%)
14%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(45%)
45%
Good, but non-essential (32%)
32%
Collectors/fans only (5%)
5%
Poor. Only for completionists (5%)
5%

SPACE ART Space Art reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Neu!mann
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars The '70s Space Art team of Dominique Perrier and Roger Rizzitelli should have attracted a much larger audience, but their albums never enjoyed the same degree of promotion and distribution mobilized by kindred synth-rock rival Jean Michel Jarre (who effectively neutralized a potential competitor by hiring the duo as his backing band in the early 1980s). The two acts shared strong common ties of geography and style, but Space Art would always be non-starters in any sales contest, despite an equal flair for melodic hooks, and the stronger muscle provided by a live drummer.

Their self-titled 1977 debut LP was located squarely on the Jarre/Vangelis axis, light years closer to home than the drifting interstellar explorations of other electro-prog pioneers (Schulze, Froese, Pinhas et al). The opening 'Onyx', which gave its name to an earlier CD re-release of the album, is still the perfect introduction to the Space Art sound, boosting the group into orbit on the afterburners of an incredibly catchy riff, and presented with enough wide-screen grandeur to make Cecil B. DeMille sit up and take notice. There's a motif of sorts in the contagious opening melody, recurring at the start of Side Two ('Aquarella', on the original vinyl), and in the more ominous, escalating atmospherics of the album closer 'Laser en Novembre': in musical terms the sound of our local star going supernova and obliterating the inner solar system.

But the album more often borrows its cues from the quasi-classical synthesized arrangements of Walter/Wendy Carlos, almost verbatim in the long 'Ode a Clavius', named after the lunar crater where Stanley Kubrick's enigmatic monolith was uncovered. Imagine the faux-baroque soundtrack to 'A Clockwork Orange', updated with state-of-the-art equipment (circa 1977) and fortified by heavy drumming. After more than thirty-five years it sounds better than I remembered (in a retro sort of way), enough to certainly warrant a second look, and better late than never.

Review by Dobermensch
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars A hopelessly dated yet alluring and pretty little album full of analogue synths played in the style of Jean Michel Jarre. As soon as you see the cover you know you're in for one hell of a 'bag of cheese'...

Acoustic drums, albeit heavily treated, are played over an entirely electronic score throughout this '77 recording. The drums contribute to the 'cheese factor' dramatically. 'Space Art' are an artefact of the mid 70's electronic scene. There's nothing ground-breaking or original here, but it does sound pretty cool in this - the smelliest of 'Stilton Cheese' productions.

Tracks such as 'Axus' actually stop you recoiling in embarrassment momentarily as some thudding drums take control. Still, it's not one to play on a first date, unless you own a pair of 'milk bottle glasses'.

There are a few comparisons with Tangerine Dream's "Force Majeure' from '79 but unfortunately this is more tacky, with as much threat and intimidation as a warm cabbage.

At times this recording sounds like a really poor 'Video Nasty ' soundtrack from the early 80's.

Thankfully things improve with 'Ode A Clavius' - Strangely I can't help but be taken back to 1979 when I was 9 years of age. This is SO Christmas day - with presents lying all over the floor, with scrumpled up wrapping paper lying in living room corners. It really is weird what music can do to your mind...

I've probably been unduly harsh on this recording as it actually sounds pretty good if listened to from beginning to end. At the time it must have sounded super and genuinely ground- breaking.

I'm afraid to say it's a bunch of rubbish really, with no artistic comparison to the 'Berlin' branch of electronics that existed at the same time.

Latest members reviews

3 stars Space Art - self titled album What? They're bad? Come on, if you're here, you already want cliche analog synth music, you filthy man! Space Art self-titled album, or Onix, engages a cheesy, but somehow pretty sympathetic musical environment. The music isn't complex to undestand. Much like Trip ... (read more)

Report this review (#958779) | Posted by VOTOMS | Monday, May 13, 2013 | Review Permanlink

Post a review of SPACE ART "Space Art"

You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.