Now, in gatefold double, some of these recordings have been painstakingly reconstructed, and even including a sprightly new version of “Love in Outer Space”. Naturally alien cosmonaut jazz maverick Sun Ra was drawn to all this and the pair worked together, on various occasions, including for VHS video releases. This was an idea taken up many years later, in the 1970s, by Boston (US) boffin Bill Sebastian who invented his own psychedelic version, The Outer Space Visual Communicator. One such was mystic-synaesthesic Russian composer Alexander Scriabin who, towards the end of his life, at the start of the 20 th century, explored the possibility of cosmic bliss via a fusion of music and light, with his clavier à lumières, a “light piano”. Long before the advent of the counterculture, which blossomed during the 1960s, there were “heads” exploring methods of mind expansion. Strut have delved into a rich and interesting seam of music history for this release. Sun Ra Meets The OVC Inside the Light of the World (Strut)

Another timely reminder of an under-celebrated talent. These were hardly deranged rock-outs to begin with so now they’re even barer, more vulnerable, even on catchy driving numbers such as “Ms Haha”, let alone the quietly pensive single “Dandelion”. Clear Pond Sessions is a three-track set of stripped-back versions of songs from last year’s Clear Pond Road album. She was there before grunge and she’s here long after, her work often laced with a Cobain-ian desperation, but treading to the shadows, unconcerned with trends. Kristin Hersh is a lifer, committed to the music, always has been, her output, from Throwing Muses to prolific solo fare, speaks to psycho-musical individuality. It’s unexpected and full of righteous twang It’s Kane, with regular collaborators Sunglasses For Jaws, indulging, unfettered, in four zingy surf instrumentals, harking back to Duane Eddy, Link Wray and the like, but with a punk-blues snap redolent of Richard Hawley’s recent Little Bangers compilation of obscure old guitar instrumentals. This 10” single, though, sounds like a man unconcerned with his career trajectory, just letting his hair down, having a blast. Miles Kane has tried his hand at an array of musical styles, most famously as half The Last Shadow Puppets, but he’s also proved himself solo as a capable indie journeyman, maintaining an album chart career. Miles Kane and The Evils Mr Midnight EP (Modern Sky UK) VINYL REVIEWS FOR RECORD STORE DAY APRIL 2024

The whole things bodes well for what’s next and will prove to be a rare and tasty companion piece.

On the flip are four off-cuts from the album sessions that range from stripper jazz to abstract glitch. On this 500-copy limited edition they're joined on the title cut by regular David Bowie band pianist Mike Garson for a piece that starts jazzular but ends in hypno-thob. The NJE, as they're mostly known, consist of sax’n’brass player Terry Edwards, who’s played on a billion tunes you love (from PJ Harvey to Hot Chip to Tom Waits), Mark Bedford, who’s Bedders from Madness, and Simon Charterton, drummer, once in post-punk-funkers The Higsons with Edwards. It’s been a while since we heard from this unit.

Revolve guitar shop