In this edition of Auxtra Weekly, we’ll explore the vast array of space-related songs (not space rock, we’ll dive into that genre later.) From hypnagogic, fuzz-laden rock ballads to icy, nebulous post-hardcore scathes, there’s an assortment of tracks nearly as wide as the expanse of space itself.
— Will Thomas

“Earth’s First Evening Jimi-Hendrix-less and Pissed” is the eulogy of a dying planet.

Hella’s two primary members, drummer Zach Hill, who’d later go on to cofound the experimental hip-hop group Death Grips, and guitarist Spencer Heim, create an otherworldly atmosphere that bottlenecks the burden of infinite knowledge into a trepanation procedure. The crushing weight of omniscience contorts each sound into a window of the past, present, and future.

The soundscape swarms with the noise of industrial malfunctions, incessant, otherworldly ringings, and a ghostly choir that heralds a celestial armageddon. Hill’s drumming is mechanical and off-kilter, blending terrifyingly with the droning death rattles of a technological behemoth once dormant, now slowly awakening from its eternal slumber.

For fans of: Death Grips; Lip Critic; Don Caballero; Slint

Martin Newell, the primary creative force behind the lo-fi English band The Cleaners From Venus, is able to create a world where the coast of Southern England feels galaxies away. Through his unique blend of quintessentially English wit and fuzzy, hypnagogic production, each song feels like an asteroid crash landed in the middle of a football pitch.

“The Mercury Girl” is no different, and more on the nose than most, but not to its detriment. It follows the ever-fluctuating love between an earthling and what he describes as a “Mercury Girl,” an other-worldly type figure whose affection comes and goes like the phases of the moon.

A dulcet piano, Newell’s British inflections and his signature jangly guitar riffs compliment the bittersweet relationship between a man and the Haley’s Comet-like target of his affection.

For fans of: Wire; Arthur Russell; Yo La Tengo

If you’re looking for a listening experience that mimics the dreadful anticipation of a rocket launch, look no further than Radio Flyer’s “R is for Rocket.” It’s the precursor to a giant step where the footing is unsure, and the landing even less so.

The song is dissonant and echoey–guitars hang in the air like a field of asteroids while vocals are uttered so lowly it resembles a stream of consciousness more than anything.

If “Earth’s First Evening Jimi Hendrix-less and Pissed” is the onus of knowing all, then “R is for Rocket” is the dismay of knowing nothing. You’re shrouded in the darkest dark, but soon the dread makes way for acceptance, where the precipice of opportunity good or bad is too enticing to forfeit.

For fans of: At the Drive-In; Fugazi; Sunny Day Real Estate

Stereolab are masters at creating boundless physical spaces through their incorporation of dreamy pop elements and electronic experimentation. Their aptly titled single, “Super Falling Star,” from their debut album “Peng!” is a ghostly freefall from cloud nine.

There’s a certain religious feel to this one. A reverence toward some unknown entity, whether out of devotion or fear, is palpable. Lead singer Lætitia Sadier’s heavenly voice creates an ethereality that all but indoctrinates the listener. Her detached vocals are superimposed over airy chanting and constant ringing that feels like the soundtrack to a celestial sacrifice.

The instrumentation is eerie, a downtrodden guitar repeats over the backdrop of what can be described as an organ from the far future that persists until the song fades into the void.

For fans of: Broadcast; Jockstrap; Electrelane

Fishmans’ “SUNNY BLUE” is a hodgepodge of trip-hop beats, repeating vocal samples, and lead singer Shinji Sato’s signature fragile falsetto that blend seamlessly to create a weightless, headbobbing listening experience, like experiencing zero gravity for the first time.

Fishmans have long endured as one of my favorite bands for a variety of reasons. Each song contains a polishness that many strive to reach, but few have ever achieved. It takes true talent to tow the line between too isolated and too repetitive, but “SUNNY BLUE” is a prime example of Fishmans’ ability to slowly introduce new elements over a familiar beat, leaving the final product lightyears away from its initial concept.

For fans of: YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA; Sweet Trip; Parannoul

Sound doesn’t travel through the vacuum of space, but I’d be willing to bet if this were played on a satellite’s loudspeakers that it would find a way to nestle in an alien’s head like a microchip.

It starts minimal, but in true UNKLE fashion, evolves into a futuristic amalgam of infectious beats, muted bass tones, and digital notes that make you dance like you were programmed to.

For fans of: Massive Attack; Portishead; Esthero