History
Ekko Astral started in 2021, after longtime friends Jael Holzman and Liam Hughes reconnected following Hughes moving to Washington, D.C. in 2021. The pair previously wrote music together while they attended the University of Vermont but disbanded post graduation. Their debut EP, Quartz, was recorded for Hughes' master's thesis at American University, where he was studying audio technology. [1] [2] Before the recording of Quartz, Holzman came out as a trans woman. In recording the EP, Holzman wanted to provide an outlet for expressing the emotions she felt coming to terms with her transgender identity during the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] [4] [5]
Bassist and percussionist Miri Tyler was recruited from Washington, D.C.'s DIY music scene for the recording of Quartz. Following the recording and release of Quartz, Tyler was made the group's full-time drummer, and was joined by fellow trans D.C. indie musician Guinevere Tully on bass. The band's lineup was finalized with the addition of rhythm guitarist Sam Elmore, a childhood friend of Holzman's. [3] [6] The group's first release as a quintet was the live EP The Quartz Farewell, recorded at Comet Ping Pong in 2023. [7]
Ekko Astral announced their signing to Topshelf Records in 2024; [8] their full-length debut Pink Balloons was released through the label on April 17th. Its release was preceded by that of singles "Baethoven", "Devorah", and "On Brand", which received enthusiastic profiles in outlets including NPR [9] and Stereogum. [8] [10] [11] Stereogum also included Ekko Astral in their annual list of "The 40 Best New Artists" for 2024. [12]
In 2024, it was announced the group would be supporting Idles on tour for three dates in the Southern United States, as well as opening for Ted Leo and the Pharmacists on the first leg of their Shake the Sheets 20th anniversary tour. [13] As of May 2024, the band are working on their next release, "a concept album about the Beltway". [3]
In July 2024, Tully left the group, citing mental health and a desire to take a break from music. [14] Holzman became the group's bass player in her absence. [15] Elmore announced his departure 2 months later on September 4. [16]
Style and influences
Ekko Astral's name was derived from a lyric in the Death Grips song "Come Up And Get Me", the opening track from their album No Love Deep Web . [2]
The group uses the genre label of "mascara moshpit" music as a descriptor of both their musical style as well as the queer and countercultural leanings of their music. While the group intended Quartz to be explicitly about the experience of being transgender, Pink Balloons features a more expanded focus. Tully describes their music as "for [trans women], but not just for [trans women]"; while Holzman says their primary audience for their music is those "who are struggling, who are at their absolute lowest". [17] [18] [5]
Describing the band's sound in opposition to those of other punk influences, Holzman has said that Ekko Astral is "just Charli XCX and Sophie with loud guitars". [19] The lyrics of Pink Balloons have been compared to those of Arctic Monkeys; [1] Holzman has named their album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino as an influence. Ekko Astral has also drawn influence from Jeff Rosenstock, [13] Kendrick Lamar, Ethel Cain, [6] Gilla Band, Idles, and Ditz, alongside other trans-fronted punk acts such as Lambrini Girls, [2] Crush Fund, and Anita Velveeta. [17]
Charlotte Emma Aitchison, known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery by a promoter who invited her to perform at warehouse raves. In 2010, she signed a recording contract with Asylum Records, releasing a series of singles and mixtapes throughout 2011 and 2012.
"I Love It" is a song by Swedish synth-pop duo Icona Pop featuring vocals from British singer Charli XCX. It was released as a single in May 2012 as a digital download in Sweden, where it peaked at number two on the singles chart. The song was added to their debut studio album, Icona Pop, as well as their EP Iconic and their debut international album, This Is... Icona Pop. "I Love It" was written by Charli XCX, Patrik Berger, and Style of Eye, with production handled by the latter two.
"You're the One" is a song by British singer Charli XCX, released as her fifth single on 14 June 2012 exclusively in Australia under Warner Music, and the third single from her debut EP of the same name, and her major-label debut studio album True Romance (2013).
Sucker is the second studio album by English singer Charli XCX, released on 15 December 2014 by Asylum and Atlantic Records. The album was met with positive reviews from critics, praising its throwback style, and ended up being included on many year-end lists for best albums of 2014. Sucker spawned the singles "Boom Clap", "Break the Rules", "Doing It" and "Famous".
Alexander Guy Cook is an English music producer and the head of the now-closed UK record label PC Music. Cook released his first solo singles in 2014. He has also collaborated with PC Music artists such as Hannah Diamond, GFOTY, Finn Keane, Danny L Harle and Felicita. He formed the one-off project QT with musician Sophie and performance artist Hayden Dunham, producing the 2014 single "Hey QT".
Topshelf Records is an American independent record label. Started in Peabody, Massachusetts and formerly located in San Diego, California, the label is based in Portland, Oregon as of 2022.
Prawn is an American indie rock band from Ridgewood, New Jersey.
"Doing It" is a song by English singer Charli XCX from her second studio album, Sucker (2014). An alternative version of the song featuring English singer Rita Ora was released on 3 February 2015 as the album's third single. The single peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. "Doing It" was named "Best New Track" the week of its release by Pitchfork.
"Famous" is a song by English singer Charli XCX, released as the fourth and final single from her second studio album, Sucker (2014). A music video for the single was released 23 March 2015.
Thy Slaughter is a British musical duo formed in 2014 that consists of producers A. G. Cook and Finn Keane under Cook's label PC Music. In 2014, the duo released only one original song, "Bronze", which appeared in the label's debut compilation album the next year. They did not release any new music until their 2023 debut album, Soft Rock, less than a month prior to the label switching to archival releases only.
Ratboys are an American indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2010 by Julia Steiner and Dave Sagan. The band consists of Julia Steiner, Dave Sagan (guitar), Marcus Nuccio (drums) and Sean Neumann.
Pop 2 is the fourth mixtape by English singer Charli XCX, released on 15 December 2017 by Asylum Records. Executively produced by A. G. Cook of PC Music, sessions for the mixtape began several months before its release and featured a wide variety of guest contributions. The mixtape was backed by its only single "Out of My Head" featuring Alma and Tove Lo, released exactly one week before its release.
"Spicy" is a song by French musician Herve Pagez and American producer Diplo, featuring vocals by English singer Charli XCX. The song was released on 30 May 2019 by the Mad Decent record label and heavily interpolates the popular Spice Girls song "Wannabe". Therefore, the Spice Girls are credited as songwriters for the track, alongside Charli XCX, Emmanuel Valere, Joel Jaccoulet and "Wannabe" co-writers Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard. "Spicy" was produced by Pagez and Diplo.
Charli is the third studio album by English singer Charli XCX. It was released through Asylum and Atlantic Records UK on 13 September 2019. Charli was preceded by the singles "1999" with Troye Sivan, "Blame It on Your Love" featuring Lizzo, and "Gone" with Christine and the Queens. Charli was also promoted by the promotional singles "Cross You Out" featuring Sky Ferreira, "Warm" featuring Haim, "February 2017" featuring Clairo and Yaeji, and "2099" also featuring Sivan. Musically, it has been described as avant-pop, electropop, futurepop, and hyperpop.
"Cross You Out" is a song by British singer Charli XCX featuring American singer Sky Ferreira, released as the first promotional single from Charli XCX's third album, Charli, on 16 August 2019. A. G. Cook and Lotus IV produced it.
"Ringtone" is a song by American experimental musical duo 100 gecs, composed of Dylan Brady and Laura Les, from 100 Gecs' debut studio album 1000 Gecs (2019). Its remix, included on their remix album 1000 Gecs and the Tree of Clues (2020), features vocals from British singer Charli XCX, American rapper Rico Nasty, and British singer Sarah Bonito of the indie pop band Kero Kero Bonito. The song is a remix of "Ringtone". The song's production is glitchy with "80's video game-inspired blips" and uses heavy bass and Auto-Tune.
How I'm Feeling Now is the fourth studio album by English singer Charli XCX, released on 15 May 2020. Released eight months after her previous LP, Charli (2019), the album was conceived in the span of six weeks during the COVID-19 lockdown in a "do it yourself" collaborative process with her fans. Charli XCX, A. G. Cook and BJ Burton served as the album's executive producers.
"360" is a song by English singer Charli XCX. It was released on 10 May 2024 through Atlantic Records as the second single from her sixth studio album, Brat, wherein it was included as the opening track. Featuring minimalistic electropop and hyperpop production by A. G. Cook and Cirkut and deadpan singing by Charli XCX, its boastful, tongue-in-cheek lyrics make references to her musical career, her reverence in the music industry, and her friends Julia Fox and Gabbriette. Its Aidan Zamiri-directed music video stars an ensemble cast of online "it girl" influencers, models, and actresses, including Fox, Gabbriette, Rachel Sennott, and Chloë Sevigny, and begins with a skit in which they meet at dinner to find a "new hot Internet girl".
Pink Balloons is the first full-length studio album by Washington, D.C.-based punk band Ekko Astral.
"Guess" is a song by British singer Charli XCX taken from Brat and It's the Same but There's Three More Songs So It's Not, the deluxe edition of her sixth studio album, Brat (2024). A remix version featuring American singer Billie Eilish was released on 1 August 2024 as a single from Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat, the remix album of Brat. The song interpolates the Daft Punk song "Technologic". Released alongside a music video from which 10,000 pairs of underwear were donated to I Support the Girls, the remix marked the first studio collaboration by Eilish in several years and was the fourth remix from Brat.
