5 Sci-Fi Influenced Records for Spaced-Out Music Fans

Space Ritual, by Hawkwind
Any list of science fiction–influenced rock albums should start with Hawkwind, in many ways the ultimate space rock band. Combining psychedelic synthesizers and wacked-out, cosmic lyrics with the solid rhythm section of drummer Simon King and bassist Lemmy (of Motorhead fame), Hawkwind was one of the tightest, hardest-working bands of their era. Space Ritual is a live album they recorded in 1972, and is meant to be played all the way through, as it tells the story of people traveling through time and space while held in suspended animation. But it’s still a winner if you go track by track; “Master of the Universe” and “Orgone Accumulator” are some of the best, least pretentious blues-rock chuggers you’ll ever hear.

The ArchAndroid, by Janelle Monáe
Monáe has really blown up over the past year or so, and none of that is empty hype; albums like The ArchAndroid prove it. A concept album about a messianic android that borrows from sci-fi and Afrofuturism, The ArchAndroid covers an ambitious and impressive range of music, with surging classical pieces, slick dance pop, soulful R&B, and just about everything in between. Monáe attacks her subject matter with refreshing energy, and her voice is more than versatile enough to bear the weight of multiple genres. “Dance or Die,” “Cold War,” and the Prince-inspired “Mushrooms & Roses” are the standout tracks here.

Crack the Skye, by Mastodon
According to Mastodon, 2009’s Crack the Skye represents “aether,” and the lyrics tell a story about astral travel and out of body experiences, taking inspiration from Stephen Hawking’s theories on wormholes. That all digs a bit deeper than metal usually does, but Mastodon pulls it off. This album’s expansive sound doesn’t sacrifice any of the band’s sludgy heft, and garnered critical praise from Time, Metal Hammer, the New York Times, and even the New Yorker. Czarist Russia is a recurring lyrical and visual motif in Crack the Skye, so it’s fitting that “The Czar,” which is split into four movements, is the best and most moving part of the album.

The Space Age Is Here to Stay, by Sun Ra
Janelle Monáe may be resuscitating Afrofuturism, but Sun Ra practically invented it. His mix of free jazz and science fiction had never been done before he pioneered it, and has rarely been attempted since. The Space Age Is Here to Stay is a sampler of Sun Ra’s career, from the fifties clear through to the eighties, and reveals him as a jazz virtuoso; softer piano ballads like “Back in Your Own Backyard” and “Round Midnight” exist next to funky ragers like “Along Came Ra/The Living Myth” and “Space Is the Place.” They’re all masterfully played, and their lyrics all focus on the future, whether that means interplanetary travel or human extinction.

Suspiria, by Goblin
This album is the soundtrack to Dario Argento’s 1977 horror film of the same name, and was the second collaboration between Argento and Italian prog-rock band Goblin. While it wasn’t intended to invoke sci-fi themes, the church organ, electric piano, and synthesizers present on this album have since become staples of science fiction music. And, like Hawkwind, there’s way more to this album than its genre affectations. The driving rhythms, Wagneresque vocal shrieks, and buzzing, throbbing guitars—especially in tracks like “Witch,” “Sighs,” and the title track—create a tense, genuinely unsettling atmosphere. If you like your sci-fi scary, get this record.