It may or may not be the business of the future to be dangerous, but
it certainly is the business of Hawkwind to do the unexpected on this
album. This disc seems to be the group's effort to merge trance/ambient/techno
sounds with that of the space rock that they pioneered. The resulting
CD is a bit sleepy, but does have its moments. "Space Is Their (Palestine)"
has segments that feel a bit like Kraftwerk covering Hassan I Shaba (aka
Assassins of Allah). However, at over 11 minutes those moments are stretched
a bit thin. "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" is a harder-edged cut that
comes closer to Hawkwind's more typical sound, but it still feels a bit
off of its mark. A highlight of the disc is "Wave Upon Wave,"
which has a great proggy, atmospheric texture. The track "Letting
in the Past" is a truly Hawkwind space rock number based on "Hurry
on Sundown." The group also tries to break some new progish territory
with "Techno Tropic Zone," a cut that seems to combine the weirdness
of a piece like "Sonic Attack" with those other elements. The
group also puts in a unique covering of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme
Shelter." This disc certainly will not go down as one of their best,
but for those with a taste for the unusual it should be entertaining.
(by Gary Hill, All
Music Guide)
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