IT IS THE BUSINESS OF THE FUTURE TO BE DANGEROUS

i really enjoyed this aural adventure on its release and still play it, i have always considered "it is the business of the future to be dangerous" one of hawkwind's better albums to my ears, if not equal to but at least as enjoyable as "electric tepee". this was made during a good period of hawkwind material, i agree they explored the ambient side of things here to an extent rather than actual songs, and a lot of people find this sort of thing boring, and tend to love or hate it but it works for me. i have listened to many ambient style albums but have found hawkwind's the most approachable. the album was originally released as a double lp but can now be purchased on a single cd. the sound quality is extremely good, making the most of the special effects. most of the ambient tracks, which blend well together, are based around a repeated theme interspersed with computerised sound effects with drums and percussion blended together. some interesting ideas here, i found the "space is their palestine/tibet is not china" tracks very effective, building up an aural image of that country, including singing tibetan monks! washes of synthesisers, great rhythms, soaring guitars, a good exercise for the imagination. i have played this album many times and still hear things i'd missed. the album flows along in a similar style until "letting in the past", "the camera that could lie" (amazing reggae-style beat), two of the three conventional songs (if conventional is the appropriate word for hawkwind!) break the mood. " 3 or 4 erections in the course of a night", "techno tropic zone exists" (interesting titles!), then "gimme shelter", an amazing version of the rolling stones song. "avante" is the last track on the album, some fast drum patterns over washes and layers of sound effects. overall a stimulating sound experience, an excellent addition to any ambient/space rock music collection, indeed i wish dave brock, the king of space rock, would go back to his studio and conjure up new sounds and images and create another album in this style, rather than "take me to your leader" which i found slightly disappointing - a bit too conventional!