By the time Recurring FINALLY came out, Spacemen 3 was no more, Peter Kember & Jason Pierce having separated to begin other projects. The album’s composition is telling of the troubled relationship; Kember wrote the first side, which draws from ’90s club/electronic influences, and Pierce handled the second side, which bears more of the sad, reverb-drenched alt rock sound that he would continue to explore for his post-Spacemen endeavors (read: Spiritualized). Despite the stylistic split, Recurring is a pretty cohesive listen, and the album as a whole is more refined in comparison to Spacemen 3’s earlier, heavier works. From the repetitive, minimal stylings of tracks like “I Love You” and “Big City” to the lush & melancholic cuts “Hypnotized” and “Feel So Sad,” it’s easy to see why Spacemen 3 still commands a cult-like following.

• black vinyl pressing
• printed inserts w/ liner notes by Marc Masters
• digital download included
• original release year: 1991
• music label: Superior Viaduct 2018

reviewed by rei kwondo 05/18

.