ASTRAL SON

Well, it started with 'something so-so', but in the meanwhile I really stuck on this album. ASTRAL SON is a single-headed project, where I'm basically reserved, as for that maybe a bit biased too. Though Leonardo, a musician from the Netherlands, has convinced me with his second album 'Silver Moon'. It's an excellent crossover of space and kraut rock, psychedelia as well as electronics. Similar to Sula Bassana he started playing synthesizer stuff in the progressive electronics vein, and evolved to a multi-instrumentalist later on over the course.

Not sure if this is concipated as a concept album, but you definitely should not skip, hence the nine songs have to be captured in one go. Overall the album is something relaxed and trippy, has a certain laid-back orientation. This superficially comes due to some interludes, like the Tangerine Dream adapted In, or for example Birds, which is obviously inspired by nature impressions. But all the other songs are presented in a down- respectively mid-tempo behaviour too, decorated with early Pink Floyd leanings, vintage organ and really nice psychedelic guitar outings.

Especially the looping Haven makes my day, or the extended Magic Buzz due to the compelling hypnotic flow, combined with some jamming approach. This leads to the synopsis that Leonardo has produced a fine space rock album on his own, refined with spheric ambient patterns and some vintage psychedelia appeal. Genre fans can give it a try on his bandcamp page. Provided with a colourful cover art the vinyl version can be ordered from Headspin Records. Just a worthy mission.