Some bands take you on a journey, but on Journey to Voltus B, HENGE take you on a full-scale intergalactic odyssey, further refining their cosmic fusion of progressive rock, rave, funk, and psychedelia, with each track acting as a distinct waypoint in their space voyage. From the very first notes of lead single and opening track Ascending, it’s clear that HENGE are reaching for something bigger than ever, with massive, euphoric synth chords exploding like a shuttle launch.

The influence of 70s progressive rock is still woven throughout, but it’s amplified by a fearless embrace of happy hardcore, making their signature sound even bolder. On Welcome To Voltus wild electronic lead synths evoke the rush of a rave, seamlessly intgrated into the band’s groove-heavy funk. Yet Journey To Voltus B isn’t just high-energy madness throughout - it’s a fully realized odyssey that carries the listener through a kaleidoscopic range of emotions and sonic textures. While the album often revels in its own exuberance, built upon towering, ecstatic synthesizer chords, it also takes time to drift into a moment of blissful serenity and deep-space reflection on Hypersleep, a track that slows everything down to a near standstill. Beneath all their joyful absurdity, HENGE are extremely accomplished musicians with a remarkable ability to manipulate contrast, guiding the listener through peaks of euphoria and valleys of weightless calm. This interplay between propulsion and stillness makes for a thrilling ride, and their understanding of pacing and dynamics keeps the record engaging from start to finish.

Journey to Voltus B is unmistakably HENGE at their best - tight, focused, and overflowing with creative energy. The album streamlines their signature blend of intergalactic storytelling and genre-hopping musicianship, and every element feels heightened. The euphoric rave sections hit harder, the funk grooves are tighter, and the tranquil moments truly do achieve a level of meditative serenity. While their mythology could easily be dismissed as a gimmick, HENGE’s musicianship ensures they remain anything but. With a cosmic approach to performance and storytelling that draws from Hawkwind and other early space rock pioneers, the synthesizers are a direct line to the pulsing energy of SL2 and The Prodigy. Their fun and playfulness recalls the Parliament-Funkadelic Mothership - a world where alien mythology, funk grooves, and infectious chaos come together in one cosmic party, whilst also recalling the robotic universe of Daft Punk, all with an undeniable psychedelic undercurrent placing them in the lineage of Ozric Tentacles. HENGE are the latest in a long line of acts fusing rock instrumentation with electronic textures to create new cosmic worlds, which is perhaps why the music feels so familiar whilst also sounding completely original.

Read our interview with HENGE here.