Short Reviews [Doctors of Space - 2025 - "Astral Sessions Vol 7"]

Here we have the latest (and fifteenth if my maths is correct) album from Dr Space (Synthesizers, Hammond, Mellotron) from Oresund Space Collective/Black Moon Circle and Dr Martin Weaver (electric guitars, bass, drum programming) from Wicked Lady/Dark. Although released in August this year, this album comes from recordings made by Scott and Martin in Scott's studio some five years ago and again shows the band moving very much in a similar vein to instrumental passages of Hawkwind. The bass keeps a melody locked in and provides structure, the "drums" are basic at best, but this combination allows Martin to riff his heart out while Scott continues to take his space synths into the stratosphere. I was rereading some Asimov earlier today (such a delight to find some of his early robot books still available), and if ever there was music to describe the travails being undertaken by Elijah Baley and Daneel Olivaw on the planet of Solaria then this is it. It is music which must be played on headphones, preferably at night in the dark, looking up at the stars (we are blessed where I live in NZ with very clear skies and stunning nightscapes), letting the mind wander where it will, which is probably how the musicians composed this as they allowed themselves to follow the muse, never knowing where it will end. The five instrumentals are some 70 minutes long in total, but when it finishes it is like waking from a dream, and the best thing to do is put it on again. If space rock is your thing, then this is simply wonderful.