1982 • In Phaze Records
Solid Space is some relatively-obscure minimal wave outfit from the '80s who put out this album and then apparently disappeared. I suppose people have been discovering them lately, and I'm glad for that, because this is a fantastic album that definitely isn't getting all the appreciation it deserves.
Despite sounding very much like a generic lo-fi amateur proto-electronic Kraftwerk-wannabe record on the surface (it's almost as if first track is in there to weed out anyone who might be too dismissive), Space Museum is something more like a post-punk album that happens to often be synth-driven instead of guitar-driven. There's a bit of Joy Division and Talking Heads in there, so it will mostly sound pretty at-home for the average fan of this era of music, including the great pop-ish melodies in the vocals and chord progressions.
One of the best parts of the album is how it combines electronic and acoustic instruments in a brilliant and beautiful way, something you don't hear often in anything from this era. Things like acoustic guitars and bass, real drums, saxophone, and clarinet (O lord! that clarinet!) mesh perfectly with the sweeping oscillators and glitchy drums. It gives it a surprisingly organic feel to it, as these guys really know what instruments sound good together regardless of whether they are a traditional "fit" or not; these were some truly talented musicians.
Though this got a limited re-release a couple years ago, it is probably going to be hard to find a physical copy of; regardless, this is an album I highly recommend seeking out if it sounds even remotely interesting. Well-composed, well-executed, and worthy of attention. It's too bad they never made anything else, though.
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