BAILTERSPACE Photon (Turnbuckle)

This is one of a clutch of CDs I’ve received from the New York-based Turnbuckle label, all of which feature smart Digipak sleeves and the music of bands and artists who, collectively, appear to want to do unconventional things with the conventional voice/guitar/bass/drums format. Bailterspace are a New Zealand trio consisting of John Halvorsen (bass), Brent McLachlan (drums, samples) and Alistair Parker (vocals, guitar) (all ex-members of the Gordons, trivia fetishists) and "Photon" is styled as an eight track, 18 minute e.p.

With track titles like "Particle Accelerator" and "Time Machine" you’re probably already halfway to guessing what kind of noise Bailterspace aspire to making. We’re clearly heavily into space rock territory, although in a very 90s sense, with a galaxy (no pun intended) of effects and trickery at play to enliven the band’s rather basic Syd’s Pink Floyd meets Flying Saucer Attack blueprint. Doesn’t do a thing for me (rather like all the Turnbuckle releases examined here, I’m sorry to say) but don’t let that put you all off investigating for yourselves.