Element 115

Ohio’s Secret Saucer sounds like its members (including musicians from Architectural Metaphor, Quarkspace, Star Nation, Nick Riff, Sun Machine, and Blaah) all grew up on Hawkwind vinyl. Element 115 was recorded in a weekend’s time when Secret Saucer came together to jam and roll tape. The analog-born atmospheres of “Star Rise” open like an intergalactic battle ushering in the more menacing “Sword of Conneault,” which layers reverberated drones and tones over trudging rhythms as wah-wah guitars weave in and out. “Solar Winds” similarly builds stacked tiers of sound, this time with the warm warble of an old Hammond B3 organ grinding under waves of electric guitar tremolo and vintage synths. The more mechanical “Duul” gives a knowing nod to Amon Düül, with krautrock-based textures going head-to-head with a psychedelic epic on par with Pink Floyd’s “Echoes.”