Astral Magic 2024

My friend Santtu Laakso is on quite a run this year as he has been the last 3 years with a new full length album with different collaborations almost every month. If you are fan of Don Falcone´s Spirits Burning, this is a similar type project with different less famous musicians from psychedelic and space rock underground. Santtu is very good at promoting himself so I doubt there is a space rock or psychedelic rock fan in Europe that has not heard of this cool project. 

Shadows over Jupiter (Astral009.5)

This was originally release on a very limited cassette tape on Weird Beard before they closed down and now has been remixed, It features 12 tracks and a few epic ones like Heaven on Earth (featuring Earthling Society guitarist, Fred Laird) and the long 11 min bonus track, Slow Burn. There are actually 3 bonus tracks. This album features real drums and a lot of instrumentation by Jay Tausig, who most of you will know of. IT has been remixed and a new master has been done as well.

Cruising the Celestial Highways (Astral039)

This is another collaboration with Jay Tausig and Fred Laird as well as Pete Bingham (Guitar). This is a more space rocky adventure limited to 100 copies. 

Strange Sensation (Astral038)

This one has quite different artwork from the more space oriented psychedelic that Andy Wainright does for all the releases. This one features 10 tracks and features tracks from 2021 to 2024. Jaire (Octopus Syng) plays drums on the entire album and guitar on Haunted Mansion. That track also features Jasmin Angén on backing vocals. Paul Roland is featured on a different mix of the Mind Melt Machine, which came out last year as an EP and also soon a on lathe cut vinyl in only 50 copies! 

Astral Magic featuring Shane Beck- The Secret Paths: More Rarities (Astral041)

This was a CD-R made in only 40 copies featuring tracks that appeared on some of Shane´s solo album as well as new tracks that they had done together. If you are into spoken word, than this is a very cool one as the lyrical content is intense and makes you hear a the songs in a different way compared to the mostly instrumental music of Astral Magic. Santtu sings and sometimes others but the music is mostly still instrumental. 

The latest track is called Floating in Space as a preview of a full length CD coming out this summer and features our friend Vesa on guitars.  Check it out on bandcamp or you tube. 

http://astralmagic.bandcamp.com 

Us and Them- If the Summer Lingers (Withdrawn Records 008)

The Swedish duo are back with a new EP.  It features two songs, the first If the Summer Lingers reminds me of the best of the early 70s English folk, ala Sandy Denny.  Lovely sound and production.  The 2nd track, Tear Apart is simply fantastic and amazing. I really love the vibe of this song and it features some guest flute by Dag.  It has a such a cool and spacey vibe and I jsut get transported away every time I hear it. One of the bands best tracks ever!!   Check them out.. 

http://usandthem.se

https://usandthem2.bandcamp.com/