Outer Space

Outer Space is one of many projects helmed by Cleveland-based synthesizer guru John Elliott, best known for co-founding the acclaimed ambient trio <a href="spotify:artist:45btnwhUWFlR7Op5oTfDPv">Emeralds</a> as well as curating <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Spectrum+Spools%22">Spectrum Spools</a>, a sublabel of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Editions+Mego%22">Editions Mego</a>. True to its name, Outer Space's many releases are often themed around stars, planets, and galaxies, and the music is appropriately zoned-out, ranging from noisy, alien abstractions to hypnotic ambient techno. While Outer Space has often consisted of Elliott solo or in conjunction with Andrew Veres, other frequent collaborators have included Jeff Hatfield, Adam Miller, <a href="spotify:artist:3jAdN6k0KlW1X48AUizxn4">Drew McDowall</a>, and Ralph Hausmann.

Elliott first began using the name Outer Space in 2007. Throughout 2008 and 2009, several limited cassettes and CD-Rs of flowing, weightless electronics (often recorded live to tape) were issued on labels like <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Wagon%22">Wagon</a> and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Arbor%22">Arbor</a>, including two split releases with <a href="spotify:artist:2wPDbhaGXCqROrVmwDdCrK">Oneohtrix Point Never</a>. In 2010, the project made its vinyl debut with a self-titled LP on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Arbor%22">Arbor</a> as well as a split LP with <a href="spotify:artist:0Xob8yZf1bhKp4cSVS61Sz">Raglani</a>, released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Nihilist%22">Nihilist</a>. By this time, Outer Space had shifted to a more melodic, arpeggio-heavy sound similar to what <a href="spotify:artist:45btnwhUWFlR7Op5oTfDPv">Emeralds</a> were producing at the time. A limited LP of older recordings titled Last Vacuum Demos, Vol. 1 was released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Wagon%22">Wagon</a> in 2011. The year 2012 saw the nearly simultaneous release of the more melodic Akashic Record (Events: 1986-1990) on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Spectrum+Spools%22">Spectrum Spools</a> and the more abstract, minimal II on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Blast+First+Petite%22">Blast First Petite</a>.

Outer Space then went in more of a techno-influenced direction, appearing on a 2013 remix EP by <a href="spotify:artist:6HzE4yWJ6ULqQwGnzEZEL4">Ectomorph</a>'s Erika Sherman before releasing the Phantom Center 12" on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Editions+Mego%22">Editions Mego</a> in 2014. The project contributed a remix to <a href="spotify:artist:6rnbB5fuUuCSsspvFsxIpT">Cloud Nothings</a>' Here and Nowhere Else Remixed, issued by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Northern+Spy%22">Northern Spy</a> during April of 2015 for Record Store Day. Outer Space's Gemini Suite LP was released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Amethyst+Sunset%22">Amethyst Sunset</a> in November of 2016. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi