Intuitive Music

Music genre born during the 50’s and 60’s derived from the easy-listening music that became popular through films, TV shows, and commercials.

The term of space age pop itself is too general and features different styles, most of them are characterized by being light versions of jazz, pop, rock, and orchestral music, sometimes fusioned with space or sci-fi like sounds.

The most spacial style was protagonised by artists such as Hugo Montenegro, Jean Jacques Perrey, Lex Baxter, Attilio Mineo , and Johnny Keating. The use of electronic instruments like the theremin, and other synthesizers was common in these recordings.

Other important sub-geners of the space age pop are: “Exotica” (Lex Baxter, Guy Warren) “Hammond Organ” (Dick Hyman, Buddy Cole, Ethel Smith, and Lenny Dee), “Spy Sound” (John Barry, Lalo Schifrin, Ray Martin), Lounge (Steve Allen, Lex Baxter, J.G. Esquivel, Henry Mancini, and Arthur Lyman), and Jungle Jazz (Martin Denny, Cal Tjader).

Other interesting series of recordings were the ones using the Ondioline (an electronic keyboard invented in the 40’s by Georges Jenny recognisable for it’s distinctive vibrato that was extensively used in sci-fi and terror movies. Some of the most reputed musicians who played the Ondioline were Jean Jacques Perrey and Marty Manning.

Other important electronic related works were the ones related with the creation of sound effects and samples, with artists like Jim Fassett, Michel Magne and Dean Elliott -.

The history of the space age pop was closely related with the pioneering of the Hi Fi and Stereo recordings, being some of the most important record labels Capitol, Command records, Grand Award, and RCA.

Jimi Tenor, Devo, The Buggles, Air, and Stereolab are some of the artists influenced by this genre.