It's been a long time since Colin introduced us to Ash Walker's beautiful art, thanks to "Thunder" in 2016. To this day, Faded's remix is one of my favourite features of all time. The energy is just impeccable!

Fast-forward to today, we're in the midst of celebrating Ash's 4th full-length album Astronaut, which got released at the end of June. What is even more exciting is the fact that I'll be able to see him live on the Black Coast in Bulgaria, alongside our mate and legendary DJ / radio host Marten.

Today's highlight is the album's opening track "Only Love" featuring Lamb's Lou Rhodes. The track sets the heartwarming and welcoming tone of the album, fusing downtempo and trip-hop with a strong scent of live instrumentation. I absolutely love the sound of the drums and the background choir vocals that perfectly elevate Lou's gorgeous vocals.

The whole album is a wonderful and joyous ride through the inspiration and growth of Ash as a musician. One thing that immediately drew my attention was the lush basslines, which is not surprising given his musical origins.

Besides Lou Rhodes, the record is packed with impressive collaborations including Laville (who is touring with Ash right now), Sly5thAve, Oscar Jerome, Denitia, and Kennebec (to name a few).

You can certainly expect more tracks from Astronaut in our feed, but for now, all I can say is - do yourself a favour and dive head-first into the record. Go on a chill walk, enjoy the warm weather, and soak into the multi-layered sonic universe of Ash Walker.

posted by Ivo
July 2023