Alpha Stone

Originally an early participant in Spacemen 3, though far from its most prominent name, Pete Bain later operated under the moniker Pete Bassman as the central force behind Alpha Stone. A label press release conveyed his own characterization of the project as "like a less sublime, more groovy, danceable Spiritualized; the band merges spacy riffs with urban samples and mechanical drumbeats." The resulting sound shares clear affinities with Spacemen 3 and its assorted offshoots, blending recurring motifs with serpentine psychedelic guitar lines reminiscent of early Pink Floyd alongside layers of electronic textures and pulses. Positioned as psychedelic fare suited to the 1990s, it targets audiences seeking an approach that avoids deliberate nostalgia as well as the chill detachment of techno. Reception hinges on personal preference, since what registers as an entrancing pulse to one listener may strike another as relentlessly dull.