The Heliocentrics - Out there

The Heliocentrics
Out there
Now Again

The Heliocentrics a UK nu-Jazz trio have returned with another mind warping album.

After a somewhat perfunctory 'Intro' to the compilation; 'Out There' attempts to set the controls to the heart of the Sun by aping Sun Ra's brand of sonic space jazz, along with a healthy dose of Ornette Coleman - esque free design.
We get some nifty double bass and drum interplay on the record throughout but it's ultimately an unstable affair. It neither matches the far out space explorations of Ra, or indeed the interior odysseys of Alice Coltrane's more spiritual sonic excavations.

'Out there' is pure intergalactic consciousness and space jazz poetry, both breathless and sensual. 'Sirius' and 'Falling To Earth' are fantastic slabs of groovetastic freak jazz, utilising cosmic clarinet for stunning effect and the perfect end to this trip is the 'Outro'. However, despite some fine studio psych alchemy, it fails to really take off, and seems to get stuck somewhere in Earth's orbit.

By Keith Haworth