Scottish 4-piece L-Space present their glorious opus, Music for Megastructures. An outstanding body of work and departure from their debut album Kipple Arcadia. This release is a most welcome addition to the magnificent and varied output from the burgeoning roster of label Last Night from Glasgow. One remarkable fact about this instrumental album is that it is recorded entirely on synthesisers (save a few bass parts here and there). The resultant futuristic haunting atmospheric sounds had me hooked from the off.
With four sides/themes to the album, it plays out like a metaphoric journey through life. Arriving at this space-age mega-civilisation with part one, Transport, the music conjures images of firing rocket boosters and of air rushing past, of ships horns and space age trains over rails. The themes build and change as the innovative sounds move on and progress through Work, Health and Life.
This is a many-layered multi-textured sweeping sound-track for the future, at times intense, and others conjuring futuristic scenes (A Sleepy Robot Watches Over A Rarely-Used Carpark). It is always atmospheric, futuristically sci-fi & spacey and joyously beautiful (A Brief Moment Of Triumph After An Extended Period Of Alienation) before becoming deep & thought provoking again (A Sense Of Unease Descends Upon The Bar). Music for Megastructures is an enthralling listen.
Future sounds
As I read the track names and sit absorbing the sounds through my headphones, I imagine a future world and my own movie starts playing out in my head. The score from L-Space instigates images which flash through my mind appearing and disappearing as the music clearly portrays to me the scenes and visions referenced by and alluded to in the titles. But this is a future sound that also had me recalling retrospective images, past visions of the future. Arousing memories of movies like Metropolis with its shiny anterior hiding a more sinister undercurrent, the use of the synthesisers giving the layered sounds both a futuristic and retro sheen.
This is a definite departure from my normal day to day listening, but the feeling of blissful relaxation I felt after listening to the album, having been transported to another dimension, means I will return to this time and again.
This may be an instrumental score, but it certainly isn’t background music to be stuck on while you get on with your day. It deserves to be put front and centre, it begs you to give it your full attention. I can’t help to think that the best way to listen is laid back, headphones on, eyes closed, shutting off the real world and creating your own escape.
The album is available from the usual digital platforms from 19th April
Twitter: @Lspace_band
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lspaceband/