Space Machine — Space Tunning( CD boxset)

Starting in the early 2000’s Space Machine is the spaced-out synth ‘n’ electronics project of Maso Yamazaki- who is most known for Masonna, which along with Merzbow is one of the key celebrated projects within the Japanoise genre. Space Tunning is a boxset bringing together all the projects output to date- 2001’s Cosmos From Diode Ladder Filter, 2002’s 2, 2003’s 3, as well as a  collection of mini CD tracks.

This boxset appears on Italy’s Urashima- who are one of the key labels reissuing important/ historic releases from with the worldwide noise scene, and connected genres. This release first appeared in 2022 as a three Vinyl boxset- which was ltd to 199 copies- these are long sold out.  This new version of the set takes in four CDs, with an edition of 300 copies- and as of writing it is still available from here.

The set is presented in a wooden seven-inch slip-top box. On its lid there are a mix of red texts,  black & coloured graphics portraying one of the pieces of kit used for creating the projects sound. Inside we find the four CDs- each presented in glossy colour slip- featuring on their fronts close-up pictures of the retro synth’s/ wires. Also included are three double-sided/ colour seven-inch paper inlays- featuring photos of Yamazaki, 
his equipment, liner notes for the first album, and a write-up about the project. Also set in the back of the box is a square colour pin badge.  

The first disc in the set takes in the project's 2001 debut album Cosmos From Diode Ladder Filter. This originally appeared on Alchemy Records in the form of a CD- which was Ltd to 500 copies. The album features eleven untitled- which have runtimes between thirty seconds and eight minutes. With Yamazaki utilises an impressive selection of kit- taking in the following Analog Synthesizers: EMS VCS3 "The Putney", ROLAND System 100, ROLAND System 100M, DOEPFER A-100 Analog Modular Systems. Analog Echo Machines: MIRANO Echo Chamber 3, MIRANO Echo Chamber 3R-S, MIRANO Echo Chamber 4R, MAESTRO Echoplex EP-3, HAWK 5 Head Echo Unit HE-2150, ROLAND Chorus Echo RE-501, ROLAND Chorus Echo RE-301, EVANS Super Echo EE-6, MOOGER FOOGER Analog Delay MF-104, YAMAHA Analog Delay Model E 1010, MAXON Multi Mode Analog Delay AD202, MAXON Analog Delay AD-900. As well as : ELECTRO HARMONIX Frequency Analyzer, MOOGER FOOGER Low Pass Filter MF-101, TEAC Multi Track Tape Recorder 33-8, TASCAM Professional Noise Reduction DX-4D.

The album is a suitable atmospheric to lightly seared affair- with of course lots of star-bound, shifting ‘n’ purring spaceships, and generally moody out-of-space-bound vibes. It’s a relatively eventful and varied album. As we move from “Untitled 2” with its mix of light humming ‘n’ slightly eerier machine purr and gentle oscillating to spiralling mids. Onto the continually bouncing/ urgent spring pulse meets wavering tone reverb/ accelerations of “Untitled 5”. Though to sinister deep space roaming drone meets lightly twittering pitch glitches of “Untitled 11”. The tracks often drift/ merge into each other effectively- so it can be played as either one long ride, or as a dip-in & out affair.

Disc number two in the set takes in 2002’s 2- this appeared as a seemingly unlimited CD on Japan’s Midi Creative. The album takes in four untitled tracks- which feature runtimes between three and twenty-one minutes- with two epic tracks bookend by two shorter tracks. The kit/ setup for this release is seemingly cut down a bit, but there’s still a good amount of variety/ shift in the material. We go from subtly shifting spin meets high pitched tone hum of “Untitled 1”. Onto the spiralling, shredding, and swooping sci-fi scaping of “Untitled 2” which feels like you have sonically been sent through some sort of particle rearranging transporter.  There’s the murky, at times bass-bound droning hover meets urgent pitch darts ‘n’ swipes of “Untitled 3”.  Finishing off shrilling warbling meets tempered ‘n’ vibrating metallic tone glides of “Untitled 3”.  All in all, another consistent album.

Onto the third disc, we have 2003’s 3- which first appeared on Tiliqua Records in the form of a double vinyl pressing then a year later a CD release( in an edition of 500 copies) on Important Records.  The album takes in seven tracks in total- six shorter( three to ten-minute tracks), and one epic live track that clocks in forty minutes. So first up we have the six untitled tracks, and these are often based around a few set-tone/ pitches. We go from warbling high-pitched swirl meets grainy hack of  “Untitled 2”. Onto the mid to high pitch lift off & landing of “Untitled 4”, though to mid-range sinter purr meets cascading spaceship control panel busyness of  “Untitled 6”. Lastly we the lengthy live track. And this is a nice shifting affair- which rather brought to a more noised-up and abstract take on early Tangerine Dream-meets- 70’s Gong at there more tripped out. It shifts from stretching & abyss yawning billows. Onto simmering ‘n’ floatily drones, though to piecing swoops meets choppy shred. Onto gliding space whisper shifting over morphing drones & tone bay. By the end of the track, you really feel like you’ve been on an involving & varied intergalactic trip                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                   Finally, on disc three we have the Modular Series- this compiles together the three mini CD releases put together by P-Tapes between 2004 & 2005. Each of the four tracks lasts between thirteen and nineteen minutes, and once again these are fairly varied tracks. We have “Orbit Vector Generator” which brings together haunt harmonic tones weaves with moodily scarping & fiddling texture detail, and muffled chatter- all rather giving the feeling of a busy space station constantly circling a planet rather eerier looking planet that glows green & purple. Or there is the locked and constantly chattering mid-ranged synth tones of “Zone Of Avoidance” which brought to mind watching some rather tense futuristic game.

So, in finishing if you enjoy the more space-bound electronic side of things which sometimes drifts into more noise-fired moments, then Space Tunning is most certainly something you’ll want to invest in. But as I mentioned this boxset is Ltd to 300 copies- so I’d pick it up sooner than later.