Released in 1973, The Dark Side of the Moon is an album that transcends time, appealing as much today as it did in the days of experimental prog rock. The eighth studio album of Pink Floyd is also their most critically acclaimed; its triangular prism refraction seen distorted across the bellies of men well into their 60s, the rainbow curving as metabolism slows. The album itself however refuses to age.
Fling yourself into space for an audio-visual feast at Edinburgh Planetarium
A high-concept piece of art drawing from the mental health issues faced by former band member Syd Barrett and the pressures of the band’s success, Dark Side is at times chaotic but always resonant. Featuring classics such as Money and Brain Damage, the album considers the dark authorities in our lives and their influence on madness and violence.
First launched in the London Planetarium back in 1973 – despite a boycott from members of the band in protest of the ‘psychedelic space rock’ image they rejected – it seemed fitting that the album would return to space to celebrate its 50th anniversary, though this may be divisive among die-hard fans.
Nevertheless, experiencing the album backed by a spellbinding visual accompaniment projected onto the newly-fitted planetarium dome is worth the small betrayal. Adding to what is already an epic psychedelic experience, the visual element allows us to truly immerse ourselves in the album’s futuristic themes, journeying through geometric worlds in outer space, in harmony with the strings, keys and synths so significant in our cultural canon.
It’s one of the UK's most influential albums, shaking up radical structural norms as much as traditional musical theory. In analysing the meaning of life and the passage of time, Floyd asks of us “Why should I be frightened of dying?" You've got to go some time, after all.