Explosions in the Sky album playback

Climbing through Greenwich park last night I was surrounded by kids on bikes enjoying their Easter holidays, lovers basking on the grass digesting the remaining sunshine and tourists marvelling at the uninterrupted view of South East London. And what a view it really is with the National Maritime Museum in the foreground, to our towering financial district and the iconic O2 Arena off to the right. As I reached the summit of Greenwich park where the Royal Observatory is situated, I was struck by how beautiful and captivating I find London, at once peaceful and hectic.

I'd made my way to The Royal Observatory as I was lucky enough to win tickets for a very special occasion, a playback of the new Explosions in the Sky album accompanied by visuals in the Planetarium. I've never been to a planetarium before so had little idea what to expect but it suffices to say that what I was about to encounter was truly a unique experience.
After gently ushering us into a small domed room, we sat on extremely comfortable reclining chairs with our views squarely focussed on the dome above us. As the lights dimmed, the beginning stabs of Last Known Surroundings rung out and the night sky lit up above us. We were shown the various constellations, how they fit into the night sky in different times of the year and how their physical arrangement was mapped out to their names and subsequent signs of the zodiac.

We were shown different stars, introduced to far away planets and shown layouts of planets, solar systems and even galaxies. It was no simple slideshow however, the night sky spun above you, as if you were weightless in space, tumbling through the never ending abyss and identifying parts as they crossed your view. All the time the majestic Take Care, Take Care, Take Care echoed around us with each tumble and explosion in the music echoed in the visuals as we sped through space.
As there was no "talk" to detail what exactly we were seeing, some of the information and locations were a little lost but the grandeur of Explosions in the Sky more than made up for these minor details and provided a suitably expansive and thrilling 45minute journey through Space.

What became even more apparent during the playback was the various rises and falls that Take Care, Take Care, Take Care and, in a wider sense, Explosions in the Sky have become known for. Though the quality of the album never drops, musically it either propels you along or loosens the rope slightly, letting you drift through the quiet moments before hurtling off into the next flurry of guitars and drums. To hear these ebbs and flows whilst flying through an asteroid field or watching the Andromeda galaxy form before you was quite spectacular.

When it came to a hushed and soothing end, it was obvious that everyone in attendance had witnessed something quite magical. Simon from Bella Union said a few words before the show commenced, remarking "It's not often we get a new Explosions in the Sky album so I wanted to mark this occasion with something special". By allowing a few lucky and passionate Explosions in the Sky fans to experience such a brilliant album in this way was truly a special experience and one I'll never forget.

Take Care, Take Care, Take Care is available now, from Bella Union.