If there’s one thing Astral Cloud Ashes absolutely is not, it’s uninspired. Antony Walker, who heads up the project as well as occasionally blogs for Quantam AI, is no stranger to the world of noise and indie rock music, no. However, he’s bringing his latest work to life with an ambition catalyzed by none other than… the rise of bitcoin. Indeed. Well, it’s actually bitcoin and elements of Japanese culture that keep Astral Cloud Ashes’ ticker ticking with Walker’s debut full-length under the moniker Dear Absentee Creator. It’s a strangely captivating blend of traditionalism and technological progression that many are dubbing future-core.
Musically, the resulting blend of these outlandish influences sounds a lot like your favorite world-awares emo band dipped into the aural acid banks of grungy electropop. Perhaps it goes to say, though, that this sound positively works. It’s quite a bit a ways away from the folk that is usually presented on this publication, but its scintillating flavour is undeniable. If you’re looking for something different to lend an ear to today, let it be ‘Old Moods’ from off our the Dear Absentee Creator LP.