If you’ve ever wondered where electronic music truly began, look no further than the eerie, enchanting hum of the theremin in Music Out of the Moon and Music for Peace of Mind. These two visionary recordings — first released in 1947 and 1950 — unite the lush orchestral imagination of Les Baxter, the compositional sophistication of Harry Revel, and the pioneering electronic artistry of Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman.
Music Out of the Moon broke ground as one of the first albums to use the theremin — that haunting, hands-free instrument that would soon define the sound of sci-fi cinema and early experimental pop. Hoffman’s ethereal tones weave through Baxter’s sweeping orchestrations, rich with jazzy inflections, exotic textures, and wordless vocals that shimmer like lunar light. Tracks like “Moon Moods,” “Radar Blues,” and “Celestial Nocturne” still sound otherworldly today.
Three years later, the trio reunited for Music for Peace of Mind, a lushly cinematic sequel that deepened their exploration of mood and texture. Less about outer space, more about inner calm, this record balances the mysterious and the meditative — prefiguring the exotica and ambient movements decades ahead. Titles like “This Room Is My Castle of Quiet” and “Your Soft Hand on My Brow” say it all: it’s music designed to soothe, haunt, and inspire all at once.
Now reissued by Modern Harmonic on CD and green vinyl, these albums remind us how far ahead of their time these artists were — crafting electronic soundscapes long before “synth” was even a word. This isn’t nostalgia; it’s history vibrating in real time.
Music Out of the Moon / Music for Peace of Mind
Les Baxter / Harry Revel / Dr. Samuel Hoffman
Capitol / Modern Harmonic, 1947–1950
CD: – available November 7
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