Quickspace - Precious Falling (1998)

Here's another underrated and overlooked band from me that is hardly mentioned, this time from the 90s. Quickspace was a London band formed in the mid 90s by the ex- Th' Faith Healers member Tom Cullinan. After releasing three albums and many singles they completely disappeared in the new millennium. And while they lasted they were pretty low profile band, releasing quietly their music on their own, a true indie band in the original sense of the word. Maybe all of this contributed to them being relatively forgotten (at least I have that feeling), but their music certainly deserves to be remembered. They were often referred to as "Stereolab that rocks", so it is perhaps understandable that in the mid-90s Brit-pop preoccupied UK they would pass under the radar. Like Stereolab, Quickspace was heavily influenced by kraut-rock, especially Neu! and can be seen as a part of that 90s neo-kraut scene that went hand in hand with post-rock scene. Their music could be described as Neu! meets Stereolab through The Fall and Spacemen 3 (Are you interested now?) But, to me, their biggest strength is a pop sensibility and the ability to always have a lot of fun.

'Precious Falling' is their second album from 1998. and is a great example of their versatility, experimenting with influences and general spontaneity. These 13 songs range from fun kraut-rocking songs with catchy, repetitive, noisy beats like 'Death + Annie', 'Quickspace Happy Song No. 2', 'Walk Me Home' and my favorite 'Coca Lola' to the more mellow, dreamy and moody songs like 'Mouse', 'Minors' and 'Melo' and in the end to some real cinematic tracks like electronic 'Habib', melancholic 'The Mountain Waltz' and excellent closing track 'Goodbye Precious Mountain' which has that desert, spacey feel of one Ennio Morricone. So, let us all remind ourselves what real indie 90s had to offer.

Download