This week I’ve started working on a new Astral Son album. I had to take a break and contemplate on my next move. Behind the scenes I’ve been quite active. Playing a lot of guitar and keyboards. I spent a lot of time in the studio doing nothing special but all the time engaged with music. Doing by not doing. Trying to reach that state of silence before new music emerges.
My electronic music is evolving as well. I made ‘Paradigma’ by Son of Ohm. It is a seventies style instrumental album with sequencers, organs, analogue synths and a touch of space guitar. Interesting thing is that I am in the process of fusing Astral Son and Son of Ohm. Fusing psychedelic and electronic. A very happy combination. Ofcourse there were already many electronic elements in the AS albums and psychedelic elements in SoO. But I am ready to bring them together. I have the right tools and insight now.
So this week I was struck by inspiration. Shortly before I was working on a different project with looping, tape recorder, sequencing (Moog) and a lot of electric guitar. Very loose and direct, even lo-fi. Great vibes, Comic Courier territory. Along the way I have been collecting material, words and impressions for a new Astral Son theme. And there it was. Powerful and clear. Going back to the Gurumaya feeling after a long journey. I made four songs in a creative rush. It is still demo stuff but I made the frame. It feels great.
There is not much more to say about it. I have no idea how long it will take before it is ready for release.
In my teens I carried my cheap walkman with me all the time. And a pile of cassettes ofcourse. It was fantastic.
iPod is one of the nicest inventions. It caused a revolution. Mine is still working. Nowadays it is so easy to have music everywhere because the smart phone has it all. But I must admit that I haven’t bothered to fill up my pretty new phone. I just don’t listen outside very much and at home I have different means to hear music. But the iPod still holds value. Amazing little device. Yesterday I plugged it into my stereo after a long time and shuffled it. Interesting to hear what is on it! A lot of strange things. And some Astral Son. What a cool toy!!!
December 2018: Hitting the number one spot at Psychedelic Waves!!!!
“Dutch multi-instrumentalist returns with his 4th album and ‘Wonderful Beyond’ is a perfect description for it. A swirling, multi-coloured patchwork of beautiful psychedelic tunes that take the listener on a ride all the way from the pastoral countryside to the vast reaches of the endless universe. Wonderul Beyond indeed!”
Wonderful Beyond on two in TimeLord Michalis Best Albums 2018!! “…this Psychedelicious Intoxicated Dream-Like Supra-delic Topnotch Space-Rock flavored Colorful piece of Musical Art! “
Terrascope ” …‘Cheap Magic Spells’, the longest song on the album, it could well be the album centrepiece, ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space,it’s a classic space rock song, big riffs, spiralling galaxy synths and plenty of organ, before ending in a glorious fluid guitar solo.”
Astral Zone Dj Astro “This is absolutely another killer album by Astral Son, maybe the best yet!”
Babyblaue Seiten “Das kosmische Feeling, das 1966/67 so köstlich Einzug in die Rockmusik hielt, wird von Astral Son in bester Retromanier süchtigmachend transportiert.“
Hippiesland “Mutterkorn sei Dank besinnt sich Mastermind und Multiinstrumentalist Leonardo Soundweaver auf dem vierten Longplayer Wonderful Beyond der Stärken und vor allem auf die Magie der ersten beiden Scheiben und geht darüber hinaus sogar noch einen Schritt weiter.”
Darkentries “Dit album is een dikke vette aanrader voor fans van psychedelic rock, acid folk(rock), spacerock, kosmische krautrock en aanverwanten.”
Scott aka. Dr. Space “The opening of the 2nd song called Creation is very much a total tribute to Steve Hillage. He really nailed the guitar sound and vibe.”
October 2018: GREAT NEWS about WONDERFUL BEYOND!!! Vinyl (Headspin 200 black, 300 clear/blue) released on October 26th.
The CD (Sulatron Records) comes with an exclusive Bonus track, ‘Quiet Love’.
June 2018 : It is the long waiting. The vinyl seems to have a delay so end of September would be optimistic for release… Anyway, nothing new, happened before. What to do? As soon as I know more I will post it.
But there is some good news also: Sulatron Records will do the CD!! And this time I made a bonus track exclusively for the CD.
April 2018: The new album ‘Wonderful Beyond’ has been mastered and oh boy, it sounds great!!! This album took one year to grow and the mastering really brought it all together. I’m so happy! Now I will focus on the artwork again.
Mastering is set at the end of April. Headspin Records is going to release the new Astral Son album on vinyl!!! Release this autumn!!
March 2018: Astral Son IV almost ready for mastering. Started painting a possible artwork… Let’s see if I can get this thing on vinyl!!
February 2018: Astral Son IV is still in the making. I took a year to create this album, on purpose. I wanted to have all seasons in it. Every season has its own energy. It has been through several stages and it’s slowly nearing completion. It’s not like I have worked on it continiously; there have been long pauses in between. This album is has it’s own pace and it is growing from within. There lies so much beauty in this process.
October 2017: Interview + Track on the CD in TimeMazine Summer of Love edition!! Europe´s Underground Voice For Psychedelic Culture, Art and Music. Read by the Beautiful People!
September 2017: All the basics for the new album are there, songs, lyrics & flow. A lot has to be done though… This summer I hadn’t much time to get into it. I’ll be working on it all autumn.
April 2017: Yes, I started working on a new album!! Not much to say at the moment…Creativity flowing!!
