THE DEFINITE UNSOLVED MYSTERIES OF ...

The most successful album of this space rock band from Sunderland/UK. They probably had their best times at the beginning of this millenium when touring the USA and Europe and were playing together with Hawkwind and Ozric Tentacles on several occasions. It took some time (more than three years) until this album was finally released in 2000. It is designed with an alteration of short tunes showing the emphasis on ambient soundscapes and longer spacey tracks.

Some elements of their music are sounding 70s retro but the band definetely has a modern approach. The opener From The Sixty's approves that for example using a blend of electronic generated percussion, samples and ambience. The first part of Mystery Part 1 appeals much to me - starting in a Hawkwind vein more straightforward rocking but then gliding into a deep spacey flow with bubbling synths in the background and a heartbreaking emotional guitar performance. And then the band finally falls into a dub groove. Bass player Kid contributes striking heavy bass lines continously and is the constant part of the band during this song. They pull out all the possible space rock stops here. Even the vocals are good, okay, more sprechgesang than singing but fitting by all means - the song is somewhat mysterious as the title implies.

A short world music excursion imitating a panpipe is opening Nebulae, a powerful but also more plain rocking song. Mystery Part 2 is basically continuing the earlier described album highlight 'Part 1'. Next song is absolutely spaced-out and you can really feel the space crew's melancholy watching through a bull's eye with A Glimmer Of Hope. The following two songs have been a standard on their gigs. Reminding of Eloy Beyond The Light opens with a symphonic touch caused by dramatic keys but soon gets a grooving drive and later changes speed once more into an atmospheric floydy mood. An ethno hypnotic percussive drive is dominating Darkness which is provided with a dark hollow opening.

The last two songs offer a nice relaxed progress 'til the end. Solemn vocals - seagulls are swirling around - the (electronic) panpipe appears again. This album is provided with all the typical space rock ingredients you might expect and will also appeal to Hawkwind and Ozric Tentacles fans - 3.5 stars well deserved.