I nearly missed out on posting about this fabulous piece of breakbeat techno given that I had believed that the BFBS shows which had formed the basis of selections over the Midsummer Night’s Dream period were no longer available to hear. However, a word to the wise from my dear benefactor, Webbie, lifted the veil and allowed me to hear them again.
I’m glad I did in the case of Ghost Star from the 6/12/92 show, not least because I discovered that Peel had mis-titled it when he back announced it as Andromeda, which was the title track of the 12-inch EP on which Ghost Star appeared, the only record ever put out under the Saucer Crew name. You can hear one of the samples used in Andromeda pop up in the background at 3:45. Ghost Star makes a strong, if enjoyably dated started with its urgently, crystalline synths, thumpy beats and languid female vocals.
Are you rising? she asks and in that setting, it sounds like an invitation to get on the dance floor. But at 1:10, the track begins to incorporate spacier atmospherics into its texture, while the beat continues to drive things on - all the while pulling us deeper and deeper into space until it goes supernova in its last 45 seconds.
All in all, it’s something of a triumph and one which Peel hoped would win around those who had been writing to him asking him to give out notice of when he was going to play a dance record so that they could either leave the room or... press pause if they’re one of those awful, awful people who are taping the show. In most instances, I would always back Peel against his listeners’ musical prejudices, but it was a little disappointing to hear him say, almost pleadingly, after playing Ghost Star, You must have liked that, surely? It made him sound like a stand-up comedian berating his audience for not laughing at a joke. Think it, but never say it.
Video courtesy of Tom Stephenson
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