Releasing tracks since 1994, the electronic musical group Astral Projection have gained a solid following for their psychedelic trance music. We chat to the guys who will be returning to Australia for the first time in two years with their upcoming slot at earthcore festival in November.
Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to chat with Forte Magazine, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?
We have been touring quite a bit this summer, working around the the clock on our new upcoming album, with three tracks to be released just a bit before the album.
It has been said that you guys are one of the originators of your genre, what draws you to make this type of music?
It’s very hard to say really, we been developing our sound for years, and sometimes it seems automatic. Sometimes we try to do something different. A different style of electronic – say a chill out track for example. But after a days work, we find ourselves in the midst of a full blown astral trance track. I guess we need it to be up tempo, musical and energetic.
And what are your thoughts on others in the scene creating a similar sound since you came about?
Well first of all, we have the legends from the beginning, and I actually enjoy hearing the way they keep their own sound while developing and evolving it. On the other hand, as much the scene has evolved and branched off into countless new styles, a lot of stuff sounds too much the same. I think it has a lot to do with the technology being used, and maybe it just being more accessible to anyone who has a laptop and a few plugins. But then again, I guess you could say that’s a new art form in itself.
You guys have been releasing tracks since 1994. How has your music changed in this last decade?
In truth, I don’t think we have changed too much. A bit of an updated, more digital sound.
I think our arrangements are a bit simpler these days. We’re concentrating more on the music rather than the production gimmicks or styles. In short, you could say classic astral style with updated modern kick and bass.
Your last album was released in 2004, with several singles released since then. Are there any future plans for a future album?
We have been working on so much new stuff for so long. We finally managed to narrow everything down into two proper albums. First one will hopefully be out for Christmas, if not, right after, early next year. We have always been awful with deadlines, never made one in our lives I think. The second one is planned for later next year, it’s going to be a bit more experimental, not your typical astral album.
Out of everywhere you’ve performed, and with all the massive crowds, have there ever been moments where things have gotten too crazy, or do you thrive off that?
We find that sometimes the really crazy ones are sometimes the smaller events. As long as everything is with good fun and love between everyone, it’s all good.
When & Where: earthcore festival, Pyalong – November 24 – 28
