The 2020’s are looking like becoming a bumper decade for the ever prolific space rockers Hawkwind. The title There Is No Space For Us is obviously an incorrect statement as their fifth album in as many years hits the shelves in April. Recording his third album with this configuration, founder Dave Brock (guitar/vocals/keyboards) is joined once more by drummer Richard Chadwick, multi-instrumentalist Magnus Martin, bassist Doug MacKinnon and Thighpaulsandra (a.k.a. Timothy Lewis) on keyboards, on studio album #37, and in spite of the fact that this latest offering shares much DNA with The Future Never Waits (2023) and Stories From Time And Space (2024), There Is No Space For Us turns out to be a musical big brother to its two proceeding siblings.

Like its predecessors it also shares a dystopian concept, studying the nature of the universe and analyses mankind’s place within it, in fact this is a subject sprinkled across Hawkwind’s entire lengthy back catalogue. Not only that but, they all share a distinct musical template, where there are moments of that classic Hawk drone, such as on SFTAS with ‘What Are We Going To Do While We’re Here’ and TFNW’s ‘The End’ but ‘Neutron Stars (Pulsating Light)’ from this latest release tops both of these with its theremin swirls and monumental Brock space strum. It may seem a strange thing to say, considering the long history of the band, especially as their leader will have eighty-four candles on his ample birthday cake at the next Hawk-party, but besides the characteristic slow build drone-afon and “the humans came” repetition of ‘There Is Still Danger There’, what they have achieved here is a exceedingly mature collection of sonic soundscapes. Everything from the jazz sax trip instrumental of ‘Space Continues (Lifeform)’ via the eight minute multi-faceted, Santana-ism of ‘The Co-Pilot’ and heavy (dare I say metal) title track through to the gently drifting, musical box close of ‘A Long Long Way From Home’ and its “and I, a long long way from home” narrated closing statement, which all breath new life into the Hawks rapidly expanding repertoire. All that aside the album still has more up its spacious sleeve in the shape of the environmentally aware, ‘Changes (Burning Suns and Frozen Waste)’ which pops, fizzes, and strums with eco-friendly chops and Chadwick’s crashing and rolling percussive build, surely the highpoint of the album, although the other contender for top track is ‘The Outer Region Of The Universe’ which takes a far more ambient/economical, Doors-y course. There Is No Space For Us not only finds this line-up excelling as a crew but Brock’s influence and six string prowess shine above all else. After all these years, do we have a new guitar hero. It may not be the best album that Hawkwind have ever engineered, but There Is No Space For Us is certainly a high watermark for this current iteration of the band. At the time of going to press only the CD version was available for review but if you treat yourself to either the black or galaxy(?) double vinyl versions you will also find two live rehearsal tracks, ‘Practical Ability’ and ‘Second Chance’ (previously available on CD three of the 2024 Live At The Royal Albert Hall set) on side four to top of your latest cosmic experience.

There Is No Space For Us finds Dave Brock and his band of trusty old “new age” rockers in very rude health and more than ready to take on the world or even the universe on their own terms as they head out to promote their latest product on tour. The There Is No Space For Us tour kicks of on 17^th April in Gateshead and culminates at London’s Barbican at the end of May. I’m sure the crowd will be holding out for the classic, ‘Angels Of Death’, Brainstorm’, ‘Spirit Of The Age’, ‘Masters Of The Universe’ etc. but lets hope they will give any offerings from There Is No Space For Us a chance to shine. Long may there be a space for Hawkwind.

• Reviewed By Peter Brockwell.
• There Is No Space For Us is released via Cherry Red Records on 18th April 2025.
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CD Track List:

1. There Is Still Danger There
2. Space Continues (Lifeform)
3. The Co-Pilot
4. Changes (Burning Suns and Frozen Waste)
5. There is No Space For Us
6. The Outer Region Of The Universe
7. Neutron Stars (Pulsating Light)
8. A Long Long Way From Home

Vinyl Track List:

Side 1
1. There Is Still Danger There
2. Space Continues (Lifeform)
3. The Co-Pilot
Side 2
1. Changes (Burning Suns and Frozen Waste)
2. There is No Space For Us
3. The Outer Region Of The Universe
Side 3
1. Neutron Stars (Pulsating Light)
2. A Long Long Way From Home
Side 4
1. Practical Ability
2. Second Chance