Astral Pedlars – Where’s the Underground? (2020)
There are a lot of things in life that we spend time searching or longing for. Astral Pedlars is taking this on with their debut single ‘Where’s the Underground?’. Through the synths and flute tones of the single, it grapples with the optimism and frustration that searching and longing bring. As the song progresses, the band moves you through an existential journey toward freedom.
The six-piece band is a coming together of two trios who were making music on their own. The common link was Roy (lead vocals, guitar, synths) with the rest of the band consisting of Sarah B (backing vocals, flute, synths), Rich (guitar, synth), Bobby (saxophone, guitar, backing vocals), Sarah M (drums) and Dan (bass). Together they combine the various genres they enjoy listening to into a mixed indie-rock soundscape.
‘Where’s the Underground?’ opens with a slightly futuristic synth line. The flute dances over the synths while the guitar forms the middle layer. There is an easy almost laid-back vibe to the melody. It is really catchy in a rather understated way. The layers of synths and instrumentation have you swaying to their rhythm while filling you with a rather pleasant vibe. There is a light note of searching resting in the lower levels of the music, but this is generally overtaken by the good vibes.
Roy’s vocals smoothly enter over the melody to draw you into the questing lyrics. While the melody offers a laid-back vibe, his performance brings the searching tone. The lyrics lay out both a search for freedom while longing for something intangible. On the chorus, there is a frustration that comes through of not being able to find what you are looking for and finding that nothing quite matches up to your dreams.
The fun vibes of the song come through wonderfully in the official music video. This is a very catchy video that combines stop motion and fluid videography. Through the video, we are treated to the band searching for the underground. There is a lot going on in the music video, but it all comes together perfectly to match the vibes of the music. This is a video that you can watch again and again while getting down to the single.
Astral Pedlars fill you with good vibes while searching for freedom and longing for something intangible in ‘Where’s the Underground?’. The single has a laid-back melody that is super catchy and keeps you hooked. The vocals are smooth as they add the searching vibes while the lyrics are artfully fun. The official music video is a pleasure to watch as it captures the essence of the band and single.
Find out more about Astral Pedlars on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
