Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space by Spiritualized

by Lana Fleischli

My mom told me to listen to Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space by Spiritualized a few months ago. It sort of slipped my mind until our friend also told me to listen to it. She sent me a very long list of albums that she loves to listen to all the way through, and this album was included. Listening to albums all the way through and really hearing it and visualizing it is very challenging for me, but I think it is important, and I trust both of their judgement music-wise.

The first word that comes to mind about this album is “visceral” because to me, it really painted a picture. It set a scene. I was listening to it at 2 in the morning with my eyes closed, so maybe it was just fatigue, but in each song I felt transported to a scene. When I listened to “Broken Heart”, I felt like I was meditating. When I listened to “Cool Waves”, I felt as if I was at a wedding. The music made my mind go somewhere, which was something I had never experienced while listening to an album.

I feel like this is the kind of album that must be listened to in order all together. I don’t think many of the songs have the same effect when played alone. When I started listening to it, I didn't really like it, it felt so weird and not what I expected, but as the next song plays, somehow it begins to make more sense.

I previously stated that the music transported me to different places or feelings, but I also said that it worked and must be played in conjunction. Personally, I’ve been trying to figure out how that’s possible. I think the title sums it up: Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space. That’s what it is, it’s spacey-- it’s otherworldly. I can’t place it in a specific category, and I can’t figure out why it’s so weird, and I think that’s the best part.