Review: Various Artists - The Space Project
[Lefse; 2014]
Rating: 7/10
By Megan Fair, Copy Chief
Key Tracks: “Terraform,” “Worms”
Is there anything as mysterious and entrancing as the universe? As small little specks of dust hurtling through the Milky Way, there’s a curious seed in all of us, a desire to know what’s out there. We even send satellites and spaceships as far into the darkness as we can, in order to learn what we can about what we can’t tangibly reach as humble humans. Viewing images of space is one thing, but to know that the satellites we’ve sent out have been gathering sound as well should incite butterflies in every person’s belly.
These sounds would be fascinating enough independently, but Lefse Records decided there was art to be made using the audible scientific discoveries of NASA’s Voyager 1 & 2 space probes. For this year’s Record Store Day, these sounds were handed over to a wide array of very talented artists, bands and producers for use in original music for The Space Project.
At times the hour’s worth of music is soothing and ambient, other times unsettling and eerie. There’s a very different feeling between that of leisurely drifting through the beauty of space, and the feeling of utter isolation in being billions of miles away from Earth. Both feelings are evident and moving on The Space Project, one of the few records with the ability to actually transport the listener to another world.
While each track’s music and particular space instrument shines in its own way, a few especially shine. Mutual Benefit’s “Terraform” feels gentle yet cavernous, as the windy sounds of space are paired with the soft, distinct vocals of Jordan Lee. Gently saccharine and subtly melancholy, the track feels more accessible than some of the jarring ambient tracks.
Youth Lagoon delivers with “Worms,” a haunting love song over the chirping frequencies of (no joke) Uranus. “I might be a bit deranged, but I’ve loved you for a decade,” warbles Trevor Powers in such a tantalizing way, reminiscent of Connan Mockasin’s Forever Dolphin Love but revamped with extraterrestrial accompaniment.
“Saturn Song” begins with the subtle whisper of the winds of Saturn before being joined by the music and vocal accompaniment of Beach House. The song evokes the imagery of floating upon Saturn’s gaseous surface, if that were humanly possible, of course.
While the aforementioned tracks all feature vocals, many of the album’s songs are without vocal work and leave the captivation solely to music and space; they are equally as impressive. “Miranda” by Anna Meredith and the haunting “Moonlet” by Zomes stand out, as does the sparsely vocally treated “EARTH I” by Absolutely Free.
In a music industry where little stands out through innovation, The Space Project provides clay to fill the hole in curious music fans’ hearts. The truly unique experience is worth the immersion, if only to hear the mysterious and new sounds of our very own solar system.
