In Search of Space strengthened
Hawkwind's
science fiction-type brand of
progressive rock, gaining bass player
Dave Anderson and galactic poet extraordinaire
Rob Calvert, while losing
John Harrison at the same time. The album opens with the mind-numbing galactic haze of
"You Shouldn't Do That," a spooky little 15-minute excursion that warps, throbs, and swirls with
Dik Mik's "audio generator" and the steady drum pace of
Terry Ollis. Then comes the ominous whispering of the title, set to the pulsating waves of
Dave Brock's guitar and
Turner's alto sax, with
Dettmar's synth work laying the foundation. Wonderfully setting the tone,
"You Shouldn't Do That"'s improvisational looseness and rhythmic fusion smoothly open up the album into the realm of
Hawkwind. The peculiarity never ceases, as
"You Know You're Only Dreaming" and
"We Took the Wrong Steps Years Ago" delves even deeper into obscurity, sometimes emanating with the familiar jangle of the guitar which then has its acquaintance overshadowed by the waft of the keyboard. Just as
"Master of the Universe" chugs and rolls with a foreboding rhythm,
"Adjust Me" retaliates with its moaning verse and tonal fluctuations fading into oblivion. The groundbreaking sound which
Hawkwind achieved on
In Search of Space helped to open up a whole new avenue of
progressive rock. This album would lead to their most successful release in
Space Ritual, coming two years after
In Search of Space, with their interplanetary groove already set for takeoff. [The 2001 British reissue includes three bonus tracks: the "Original Single Versions" of
"Seven by Seven" and
"Silver Machine" and also the "Live Single Version Edit" of
"Born to Go."] ~ Mike DeGagne
