“The genre you never knew you needed until this very moment”. Ok, maybe that sounds a bit dramatic, but that’s exactly what I thought when I first discovered this gem of a genre. Space rock is a form of psychedelic prog rock that is bound to take you not just to other planets, but other solar systems altogether! The songs are full of guitar echos and delays, soft vocal melodies, awesome bass lines, buzzing synths here and there, and subtle drumming which can take a dynamic turn when it decides to. There is a distinct sort of ambience in the music that can’t quite be explained, amongst some rather lengthy instrumental sections, depending on the band or song.

Sure, pioneers of space rock may have been Hawkwind, Spacemen 3, and most notably Pink Floyd, but the current future of the genre is looking even more brilliant with the bands we chose to highlight below. The genre has grown into something so ambient and beautiful that we fell in love at first listen.

So enjoy taking this beautiful music filled ride to the cosmos!

 

REYNO

[Mexico]

I’ll be honest with you… Reyno is the reason I fell in love with this genre. From the lead singer’s (Christian Jean) clear-as-day voice to the amazing overall ambience and melodies that their music achieves, it would be quite hard not to like them. They’ll take you on the chillest trip to another planet that you’ll ever have the opportunity to go on.

CAMILO SEPTIMO

[Mexico]

Hard not to dance or bob your head to, these guys have a groove all their own. The groove to their music has a certain mood to it, almost sensual at times, which can be seen in their videos. Often centered around relationships or love, their videos take you through journeys of new-found and/or expired love. Sure, it’s a common theme in music, but we dig CS’s approach to it.

HIDRIA SPACEFOLK

[Finland]

Perhaps the most dynamic of the group, these Finnish lads fill their songs to the brim with instrumental delights of all sorts since they are strictly an instrumental band with no vocals. But don’t allow that to deter you from listening if you prefer vocals, because they are still pretty fun to listen to, especially if you’re trying to get through a stressful day at work or want to feel motivated while reading. They’re a wild ride back to the beginning of space rock, preserving a vintage tone to the genre.

35007

[Netherlands]

Speaking of vintage sound, 35007 is the sort of thing that 1970’s rock is made of, except in a dream-like state. And rightfully so since they are the eldest group of the bunch listed in this article. Their name may be odd, but we sure do love the chillness to the musical fantasyland they paint for us. The band has been through many lineup changes and never even toured to promote their last album Phase V that was released in 2005, so dreams may be shattered to see them live or even new music from them, but we will hold out for hope. Oh… and their website. IT’S SO FREAKING COOL. Go take a look for yourself to see what the quintessential definition of space rock is.

ZOÉ

[Mexico]

A little more grunge-y than Reyno, Zoé has also been around longer than they have. With that being said, they also have more material out there – 5 LPs, 1 EP and several live albums. While they may not be as ambient sounding as other space rockers, their tone showcases the ownership of their rock roots throughout each album, while retaining cosmic sounds and synths.

 

If you couldn’t already tell, Mexico has taken a rather keen interest in this genre and have blossomed it into something quite spectacular, taking what was old and making it new again. Now THAT takes skill.

Honorable Mentions
Causa sui – Denmark
Os Mutantes – Brazil
Radar Men From the Moon – Netherlands
NEU – German
Holydrug Couple – Chile