The glorious, awe-inspiring images of the planets in our solar system, distant stars and neighbouring galaxies somehow do not feel complete without an accompanying soundtrack. The forms and colours seen in the increasingly brilliant pictures we receive from our telescopes, satellites, astronauts and rovers, evoke moods and emotions that are only heightened by the use of music.
Music is a soundtrack to the past, present and future – a means of reliving history but also bringing tomorrow into today. For decades, musicians have composed music inspired by the stars and planets – a theme with infinite creative possibilities.
In 2012, The Initiative for Interstellar Studies (i4is) was founded. Its mission is to achieve ‘starships in our lifetime’; working towards the achievement of interstellar flight, through knowledge to the stars. Advocates of the creative arts, one of the Initiative’s first actions was to recruit a roster of artists, and I was invited on board as honorary musician (and later artist!).
To date, I have composed and independently released five albums in association with i4is. At the core of each album is a concept that reflects the i4is mission statement and its goals, but that also explore themes of space flight and science fiction; ultimately exploring our future journeys beyond the stars.
Science fiction is unquestionably a major influence and inspiration to everyone working within i4is and the space industry in general. It is thanks to the writings of Clarke and Asimov, etc, that we strive to build starships and travel beyond further into space.
Infinity of Space (2017)… music for an interstellar voyage, questioning what we may encounter, out beyond the stars.
Panorama (2014)… a long and cinematic album with a heavier emphasis on atmosphere and texture. The central theme on Panorama is the arrival on, and exploration of alien worlds.
Beyond the Boundary (2013)… composed to tie-in with the Initiative’s book of the same name, this album takes the listener on a lone journey into the deepest, darkest depths of unchartered space.
Future Worlds Redux (2014)… a bombastic symphonic reinterpretation of several tracks from Future Worlds, plus one new composition.
Future Worlds (2013)… taking influence from a wealth of classic science fiction literature, each track on Future Worlds depicts a different scenario, from the self-destruction of our Earth to interstellar flight and space exploration and colonisation.
The Light Dreams 