Label: Cadiz Music
Release date: April 18, 2020
Production: Youth
Length: 35.00 min
Genre: Space Rock
Rating: 8.5/10
Nik Turner, the charismatic and slightly eccentric English saxophonist, flutist and singer best known as a founding member of the legendary space rockers Hawkwind (he played with them in their most successful stretch, between 1970 and 1976), has been an astonishingly prolific solo artist since 2013 and the album »Space Gypsy«. That came after a solo career that began back in 1978 with the ancient-Egypt-flavored project Sphynx and went through plenty of ups and downs.
Since 2013, Nik has been respected as a consistently high-quality solo musician. Beyond his free-jazz-leaning sax playing, what got him noticed on stage as a Hawkwind member was mostly his theatrical, ‘flamboyant’ stage presence, the kind Arthur Brown and Peter Gabriel would surely have been proud of. Nik’s solo albums of the last few years have more or less delighted most Hawkwind devotees, since they carry that primal space rock sound so typical of the aforementioned legendary band at its most creative and successful.
»Interstellar Energy« is Nik’s latest solo project and, unlike most of his previous solo efforts, it’s completely instrumental. The album came together in collaboration with keyboardist/bassist Martin Glover (Killing Joke), who works under the stage name Youth, and the space rock outfit Space Falcons, where guitarist Bruce Welch stands out. Nik and Youth have worked together before, on the album »Pharaohs From Outer Space« (2018), which was a sort of stylistic predecessor to »Interstellar Energy«. The new one has six compositions, and only the opener »Space« stands out for its length. It wins you over instantly with its mix of energetic sax passages, eclectic synth textures, intricate rhythms, wacky guitar improvisations and electronic sound effects. The unpredictable violin passages, directed by Chris Barnett, add a lot to the rich sound too.
The album’s main flaw is precisely its short running time: it ends just as it has fully won the listener over and ‘hypnotized’ them with its eclectic blend of space rock, ambient music and psychedelia. Stylistically, »Interstellar Energy« isn’t as close to Hawkwind as some of Nik’s records made without Youth, since it lacks the usual vocal eccentricity and rhythmic playfulness, and the free-jazz sax improvisations are a bit ‘reined in’ this time. Still, its main strength lies in the passionate yet delicate building of mighty, hypnotic ambient expanses, which is where every good journey through space begins.
On »Cracker«, Nik’s sax antics get even fuller expression than on the previous track, while the electronic patterns crank up the futuristic vibe so typical of this genre even more intensely. »Solar Probe«, which might even be the album’s peak, pushes the all-around futuristic, cosmic atmosphere further, while the electronic textures sound both archaic and nostalgic at the same time. Nik wouldn’t be Nik if he didn’t treat himself to a few free-jazz sax passages in the closing section, effectively accompanied by guitar harmonies.
»Tesla« has a slightly oriental feel through its use of pentatonic scales and world-music rhythmic elements. Really, it would be odd if Nik, a big fan of ancient Egyptian culture and history, didn’t put at least one track with such influences on »Interstellar Energy«. »Sygnus« boasts an energetic vibe and, thanks to Richard Lanchester’s somewhat noisier drumming and Matt Smith’s massive (Hammond) organ passages, both ruled over by Nik’s sax mastery, it also has a few hard rock elements. The closing »Slider« is a somewhat more compact space rocker with a pinch of tasteful acoustic guitar and a welcome dash of piano, while Mr. Turner, with his trademark, fiery sax exploits, once again leaves no doubt about who the main star of »Interstellar Energy« is.
»Interstellar Energy«, which will make most space rock gourmets happy, is a quality follow-up to its predecessor »Pharaohs From Outer Space«, with Nik and Youth in the leading roles. Over the last few years Nik has spoiled us rotten with a string of interesting solo efforts, so a new top-notch space rock adventure from him is almost expected by now. »Interstellar Energy« doesn’t push any new space rock boundaries but reinforces the existing ones successfully, and it’ll make the wait for the next Hawkwind album a lot easier.
Author: Peter “Dr. ProgRock” Podbrežnik
Tracklist:
1. Space
2. Cracker
3. Solar Probe
4. Tesla
5. Sygnus
6. Slider
Lineup:
Nik Turner – saxophone
Youth – bass guitar, mono synthesizer, drone
Bruce Welch – guitar
Matt Smith – keyboards
Chris Barnett – violin
Will Hughes – bass guitar, percussion
Richard Lanchester – drums
