Irish post-rock instrumental trio God Is An Astronaut have been mesmerising audiences worldwide with their distinctive sonic tapestry and atmospherics since forming in 2002. On September 6, Embers, the outfit’s most extensive and grandiose album to date, is released.
“We make instrumental music, where the melody captures an emotion that represents our own identity and feelings,” says Torsten Kinsella, the group’s guitarist and keyboardist.
“The style on this album is quite eclectic — it ranges from instrumental and progressive rock to psychedelic, noise rock, shoegaze, ambient, electronic and post-rock.
“There are also influences from ethnic and Eastern music woven throughout.
“It’s a journey through different soundscapes, all aimed at evoking a deep emotional response.”
For Kinsella, expressing emotions instrumentally through music is something that comes naturally.
“While some artists rely on lyrics to convey sentiment, when I write melodies, there’s an inner voice, an inner lament that shapes the music,” he says.
“It’s an emotive language all its own.
“For listeners who appreciate subtleties and nuances, there’s so much to pick up on.
“The shifts in tone, the dynamics — all these elements speak volumes if you’re open to hearing them.
“It’s like reading between the lines of a conversation; the emotions are there, raw and unfiltered, waiting to be felt.
“Instrumental music can be incredibly powerful because it leaves more space for interpretation.
“It allows listeners to bring their own experiences and emotions into the mix.
“In many ways, it can be even more direct and personal because it reaches parts of us that words sometimes can’t touch.”
With the music industry in a state of flux with the emerging AI technology, the outlook causes much concern for Kinsella.
“Streaming services severely underpay artists, and the trend toward using AI to replace genuine music is driven by profit-driven motives, not artistic integrity,” he says.
“These corporations wield significant control over music exposure, making it challenging for artists like us to connect with our audience organically on platforms like Spotify.
“There is an urgent need for music rights organisations to intervene, ensuring fair compensation and equitable opportunities for artists.
“Algorithms should promote fairness, not censor or manipulate music visibility.
“It’s essential to advocate for a system that respects and supports authentic artistic expression.”
Kinsella reveals to this column that God Is An Astronaut plan to embark on their first-ever tour of Australia early next year.
“It’s been a long time coming, and we’re incredibly excited about finally playing there,” he says.
“We’ve always wanted to bring our music to that part of the world and connect with our fans down under.”
For more info on the group, go to www.godisanastronaut.com
Music news
Last week, the Recording Industry Association of America added a 27th platinum award to AC/DC’s 1980 album, Back In Black, making the album the third biggest-selling album of all time in the US behind albums by The Eagles, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 (No.1), and Michael Jackson, Thriller (No.2).
Korn, Jet, Sum 41, Violent Femmes, Billy Corgan and Dragon are just some of the acts announced for Australia’s travelling Good Things Festival to be held in December.
Rumours are confirmed in the industry that Brit-pop legends Oasis are planning to reunite for shows in 2025 that will include the Glastonbury Festival and a run of shows at Wembley Stadium.
Nineties one-hit wonders New Radicals — they of the 1998 hit single You Get What You Give — have made a welcome return to the music scene, with the release of two new songs that include a cover of the Sophie Ellis-Bextor 2002 hit, Murder on The Dancefloor, which New Radicals vocalist Gregg Alexander co-wrote with Ellis-Bextor.
Book review
The Secret Life of Flying by Captain Jeremy Burfoot
You may be wondering what a book on flying has to do with music. Well, lots, really. As is par for the course with all musicians who tour, flying forms a huge and integral part of the touring lifestyle. Getting from show to show, especially when touring multiple countries, requires many hours spent at airports and on planes. So, the two are bedfellows. In fact, it was through touring that my love for aviation blossomed and where I’ve come to appreciate the wonders of flight. It’s now become my secondary interest after my first love, music.
The Secret Life of Flying is a candid behind-the-scenes account of what life is like as a pilot of a commercial airliner and all the intricacies involved in flying. Captain Jeremy Burfoot was a pilot for Qantas for more than 35 years before the pandemic, and the grounding of air travel forced him to retire early.
Burfoot helps demystify the myths surrounding flying, and in the process, especially if you’re a person who fears flying, his insights will take away any fear you may have. In fact, it will make you fall in love with flying. The book is set out in a simple, logical manner, beginning from the departure gate and the crew preparations involved pre-flight and concluding upon arrival at the flight’s destination. In between, every part of the journey is explained, from the noises one hears while onboard to turbulence and to what pilots get up to on the flight deck while the plane cruises at 36,000ft. Any technical information shared is broken down into easy-to-understand layman terms. Burfoot intersperses his narrative with a witty sense of humour that will have you in stitches. An example is the hilarious nicknames given to cabin crew, such as ‘Bushranger’ (one who holds everyone up) and ‘Blister’ (appears when all the hard work is done).
The Secret Life of Flying is engaging, entertaining and educational. It is manna from heaven for any aviation enthusiast or anybody who has any kind of interest in aviation. One of the best books ever written on the subject of flying!
This week’s global music singles charts
Australia: ARIA Top 50 Singles: Birds of a Feather — Billie Eilish.
US: Billboard Hot 100: A Bar Song (Tipsy) — Shaboozey
UK: Official Top 50 Chart: Backbone — Chase & Status/Stormzy
Fun fact
Jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald had the rare hearing ability to have perfect pitch, and it was so precise that whenever she worked with band musicians, they would tune their instruments to her voice!
Joe Matera is a local singer-songwriter, recording artist, guitarist and music journalist providing readers with all the latest music news.