For an album that is approaching 60 years old, Nektar’s  part science-fiction tale  and part nuclear war protest is, with the aid of a  remix, astoundingly fresh.

LAUNCH

Fans of Prog Rock (or underground music as it was sometimes called  of the late 60’s and early 70’s)  were well used to being taken on sonic cosmic trips. Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive just one example which had shown us what can be done with new gadgetry and recording techniques.

Nektar launched their journey, Prelude,  with similar sounds segueing smoothly into Astronaut’s Nightmare where heavily distorted words and sounds had elements of  all types of prog prevalent. A touch of Canterbury Prog, a touch of Moody Blues, a touch of Hawkwind. The chaos meant to replicate what’s happening on earth rather than space. Countenance offers more tranquility than is on the earth although it does build into some screaming and wild guitar work. What is wonderfully evident though is that  although some music of this type has dated, Nektar  hasn’t.

Rather than create a gloomy doom-ridden vibe,The Seven Lifeless Daughters Of The Sun is more celebratory as we leave our solar system. Rapid spluttering percussion accelerates us towards the edge and then an expansive range of electronic effects take us into a new galaxy and  Warp Oversight.

VISIONARY

Nektar  were visionary when  blending  pleasant melodies, heavy rock and experimental  sounds which maintain your interest rather than get trapped in a mash of meaningless sound effects. Although the astronaut’s enlightened experience  changes into one of maddening confusion in the two parts of  The Dream Nebula, the music lifts and falls. Floating into the dreamy opening of It’s All In The Mind, it eventually erupts into wild licks , crashing riffs and pulsating percussion.

Matters both musically and vocally get more dizzying and chillier as our traveller begins to find life more challenging but it’s an exciting and pulsating listen as the tempo drifts from peaceful to  more racier for Void Of Vision.

MYSTERY

Although the album is split into many parts it really does demand a complete listen as the adventure and mystery enfold, with each part meshing together with vibrant and mellow pieces. Pupil Of The Eye develops into Look Inside Yourself and finally into the climatic end of  the album with Death Of The Mind.

Nektar may have found greater popularity in Germany than in Britain so we are grateful to Cherry Red for reuniting us with this instantly arresting, early experimental piece of  melodious yet uncanny music with its splendid gatefold artwork.

Nektar: Website

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