Astro Elevator are Putting Us Into a Kaleidoscopic Trance With Their Latest Single
Astro Elevator, the daring quartet hailing from the vibrant musical scene of Melbourne, have unleashed a sonic storm upon listeners with their latest single, "Kaleidoscopic Trance," released on January 24, 2024. This electrifying track offers a tantalizing glimpse into their forthcoming second album, "Cosmo Vortexia," promising a musical odyssey that transcends boundaries.
Formed in the midst of 2019, Astro Elevator draws inspiration from a diverse array of musical influences spanning the realms of 60s garage psychedelia to the intricate landscapes of 90s and 00s progressive rock. Following the triumph of their debut LP, "Lysergic Liquid Maze of the Psychotropic Triptonauts," the band experienced a meteoric rise in popularity, evidenced by sold-out hometown shows and their inaugural interstate tour in 2022.
"Kaleidoscopic Trance," a compact two-and-a-half-minute musical journey, stands as a testament to Astro Elevator's evolution. The track builds upon the foundations laid by their debut, incorporating complex song structures and a more progressive approach to songwriting. In this latest release, the band's distinctive fusion of driving energy, spaced-out jams, and dueling guitars takes center stage.
Immersing listeners in a swirling maelstrom, "Kaleidoscopic Trance" catapults them into a sonic journey spiraling ever upward. The band deftly navigates the delicate balance between control and chaos, with a formidable rhythm section propelling burning comet-tail guitars through an ascending progression of escalating intensity. The track reaches its zenith with thumping beats and wailing guitars reminiscent of titanic battles, only to clear the air with a pulsating width, leaving audiences in a state of stupefied awe.
All the tracks are crafted and performed by Astro Elevator, showcasing their collective musical prowess. The single was meticulously recorded and mixed by Rohan Sforcina at Head Gap Studio in Preston and masterfully fine-tuned by Lachlan Carrick. Dr Cheeto Feather Pants contributed additional recordings and played organs, while Inktally lent their artistic touch to the mesmerizing artwork design, and Tony Roberts encapsulated the band's essence through captivating photography.
"Kaleidoscopic Trance" emerged organically during an intense creative session, embodying the unmistakable influence of Mars Volta with its chaotic drums and driving guitars. Clocking in at two minutes of unbridled energy and fury, the track invites listeners to embark on a personal and enthralling auditory journey with Astro Elevator.
Backbeat caught up with Astro Elevator to find out more about their influences, team, and upcoming releases and shows.
Can you tell our readers about your new single 'Kaleidoscopic Trance'
Kaleidoscopic Trance is the first single off our forthcoming album. We wanted to make a short, hard hitting, energy packed psychedelic song. The song weaves in and out of an ascending progression with a bombardment of swirling delay drenched guitar solos in the middle, where the song finally releases the tension and breaks free. While it all seems to be chaotic and frantic, the driving rhythm section keeps everything tight and in control. Hopefully the listener will be engaged to wonder where it's all going. The song packs a lot of punch for clocking in at just over two minutes!
Who did you work with for this single, and what does the name of the track mean?
We recorded and mixed the album at Head Gap Studio in Melbourne with engineer Rohan Sforcina. The name of the track comes from the song's lyrics. The ascending progression of the song, along with the ferocious drum fills kind of made me picture something trippy. Like transportation, freefalling and spinning down a tunnel of mesmerising and reflecting colours, so out of that imagery came Kaleidoscopic Trance.
What are some of your go-to records to listen to, when you're either chilling or working on new music?
Lately I've been listening to a lot of 60's garage/psych playlists. Finding forgotten hidden gems from the birth era of psychedelic music. Some other artists that have been getting a run lately include Tom Petty, Lee Hazlewood, The Flaming Lips, The lemon Twigs, Dr John, Elea Craig, The Allman Brothers, Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead, The Pretty Things, The 13th Floor Elevators
Can you tell us about the upcoming album, and what can we expect?
The album is titled Cosmo Vortexia. It has a few really progged out songs, some clocking in at over 6 minutes. We're experimenting with textures in sound and dynamics. We like to challenge ourselves to come up with a sound that's unique and interesting to record and play live. It's an album where the listener can really sit back and go with the flow, letting them join in on a journey into the unknown. It's only 6 songs long but there's always a lot going on
Anything exciting coming up over the next few months?
Yes, we have the single launch of Kaleidoscopic Trance on Feb 9 at The Beast. A second single will be out in a couple of months. We also have a small run of shows planned for NSW in May. Then we'll release the album and continue playing and touring as much as possible
What other bands are from your community, and who should our readers get across?
A few bands that we've played with that stand out, Sons of Zoku, Maisie, Scatter Light, Skerzo, The Black Heart Death Cult, Zelkova
What do you like to do, outside of writing, recording and playing music?
We're all pretty chilled out when we're not working on music. Other interests include camping, hiking, watching weird documentaries, movies, reading, NBA, jujitsu, guitar making. Although music consumes a lot of our time, it's all of the band members main passion and hobby
Any last words!
Stay High!
