astrel k + Alien Grace

ASTREL K blends sonically adventurous sources (film music, post-rock, indie electronica) with intimate vocals and melodies to craft a sound that’s both comforting and challenging at once. The solo project of Rhys Edwards enjoyed the patronage of Stereolab, whose revived Duophonic Super 45s label issued the project’s debut album, Flickering i, in 2022.

The Foreign Department is the second album by Astrel K, Those already familiar with Edwards’ work will likely know him for fronting the cultishly great Ulrika Spacek, and given he operates as the principal songwriter in both projects, much of the same hallmarks of his cathartic, elliptical songwriting are present in Astrel K. Nonetheless, The Foreign Department feels like a rubicon moment of sorts, and the album that Edwards has unconsciously been working towards his entire creative life.

https://astrelk.bandcamp.com/album/the-foreign-department

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Berlin-based ALIEN GRACE finds firm footing in the unfamiliar, always agile and one the move, whether with explosive riffs or soaring vocals. Comprising members originating from all of Scandinavia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Malta and Bolivia, the six-piece band looks to the West for their meat and to the East for their spice – specifically, soulful rock peppered with Balkan folk. Hailing from Bulgaria, Lithuania, Bolivia, Malta, and all of Scandinavia, ALIEN GRACE is where all contrasts meet, unlikely friends are made, and unexpected sounds are blended together.

Alien Grace flourishes equally on the stage and in the studio, where the relative newcomers have worked with acclaimed producers Pete Smith (Sting, Joe Cocker) and Mario Breuer (Spinetta, Charly Garcia).

https://aliengrace.bandcamp.com/track/calm-before-the-storm