Let’s get high on space invaders
Perfumes contagious
Just you and me unknown
London bridge is burning baby
Miami’s Astari Nite sets itself apart with a blend of dark alternative sounds and introspective musings on death, love, and the occult; creating an atmosphere that’s both emotionally charged and eerily delightful. Their bold style nudges the boundaries of the dark alternative genre ever so provocatively. With a resume that includes performances alongside legends like Peter Murphy, The Damned, Psychedelic Furs, Cold Cave, Vowws, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Modern English, Astari Nite has cemented its place in the international post-punk and gothic rock scene.
Their latest LP, Resolution of Happiness, echoes the vibes of Clan of Xymox, Placebo, Franz Ferdinand, and the Psychedelic Furs, all while infusing their signature cinematic flair for the occult. It’s like Bowie’s later work soundtracking a vivid fever dream, whisking you away to an alternate reality where the eerie and the enchanting dance together under a moonlit sky.
Lead singer Mycheal graciously granted Post-Punk.com a rare inside look at the artistic process of creating the album with thoughts on each track:
“Personally speaking, this is something that I always loved to read when diving into an artist that I have admired in the past,” says Mychael. “With each track on Resolution of Happiness, we feel that we have created a sonic experience that transcends traditional boundaries, inviting listeners into a world where the lines between genres blur and the unexpected thrive.”
Double Feature Matinee
From the start, Danny allowed the song to morph into a suite of 4 parts, with a cinematic choir in the middle for a story telling bridge. Slow and heavy like a ballad, once unboxed by the rest of the band it transcends to become the hard dark wave contraption that makes this album uniquely tasteful. Lyrically, I captured the existence of my everyday antics which completes the story. This jingle is honest and gives a chance for our listeners to visualize a day in the life of me.
Engaging a hybrid bass line reminiscent of The Doors and Funkadelic, Danny knew he wanted Howard to add additional guitars to give it a more alluring Hendrix style anthem, with an elevating chorus. Once it was gift-wrapped, the song met its glam rock introduction. Staying true to my sincerity, I speak of feeling messy during strange and unusual occurrences while normalizing innocence.
Tongue Tied Galore was written during what seems to be the shoegaze phase that Danny Ae endured, a handful of years ago. It comes across as an ode to his discovery of bands like Placebo, which has high energy yet enough noise that it could bleed with Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. Fascinated with telling a tale about a shameless friendship and his dislike for social acceptance, I found a way to preach positivity with lines like “Pretty this, pretty that, pretty fuck, pretty drag! Do what you want to, don’t change the volume!”
The “Tongue-Tied Galore” video for us was about portraying a day in the life of the band, or many days in the life of the band from hanging out before and after the shows, to touring and seeing friends, hitting stages near and far such as the Red Party and Dark Force Fest, without forgetting where we came from. Our city of Miami and stages like Churchills (which is greatly missed) were repeatedly paid tribute to throughout the video. Whereas the song itself is visceral in nature, the video absorbs itself and scenes of happiness we shared together. And as such, with the help of our friends the video is made of pictures in the collage of our daily lives, often greater than the sum of all its parts.”
Watch the video for “Tongue-Tied Galore” below:
Howard’s original demo had a peculiar progression of chords which seesawed optimistic and melancholic elements. David Bowie is and forever will be, a massive inspiration to ASTARI NITE. As the song developed, we wanted to pay respect to his life and have this song float around the universe. Echoing lyrics; “I never asked you to fall in love. Again, and again, I’m sad enough. Bowie in daydreams, October the same thing, yeah, yeah, yeah. Again and again, I’m sad enough, sad enough. Sad.” This moon age poetry was also a way for me to say hello to my brother who passed away in the Halloween month.
The Inevitable Crocodile was highly problematic and took us for what seems like a lifetime to figure out how to understand what was being created. It was tricky and we fell in love with the writing process. In fact, Howard initially made it with a Skinny Puppy 80’s feel, incorporating a DX7 sound. “After many versions it still felt rather alien with an airy synth lead over the chorus that reminded me of a Carl Sagan Cosmos show, floating in outer space.” Once again, I continued to skip down the path of allowing the listener to understand what appears to be factual outtakes of my life. It was a canvas that we all painted together!
Ashtray Ballet came together rather smoothly with all the right components allowing a harsh synth Apoptygma Bezerek 90’s feel, which we submerged under industrial guitars! As a fan of many diverse genres, this is one of my favorites as it’s a true electronic rock composition. From the elegant drumbeat, complimenting dazzling guitars, I threw my heart into a night of debauchery clinging onto anyone that will hear me breathe and that is how Ashtray Ballet was born.
Cut Here for Dialogue automatically took on the persona of a cocaine disco track submerged into the four of our minds which became an enthused “My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult” discotheque- rock track! Howard spread heavy layered glam rock guitars throughout the body of the song. I had an idea to write pads over it giving the song a darker element and Danny wrote what felt like the creepy leads from a prior song of ours called Sunday Queen, which truly made it special and perhaps the hardest song to track and mix on the record.
What a Rainbow Feels Like
This is another example of a powerful electronic / industrial rock track with the likes of classic NIN and Zeromancer, perhaps the best synth work on the entire album, both analogue and digital. My choice of words set the mood for the never-ending question, why and how? Peculiar as always, so they say, I raged a bit with words like: “Send my lover down a river of gold, I’ll be waiting in the chateau of hope.”
All Else is a Curse
So I tend to hum ideas to the band and occasionally, it’s pure magic said nobody ever. It was my version of Fade into You, by Mazzy Star that I set out to write. After pleading my case, if you will, Howard created this dance ballad and put a smile on my stupid face.
We are Still Siamese is the song that never should’ve happened, the skeletal frame is taken from the demo to what eventually became Double Feature Matinee. Originally meant as a secret track after hours of mixing other songs, we continued a late-night session and while mixing the raw tracks, I went for a smoke and tea. After about 30 mins or so, the lyrics were complete and were recorded immediately.
The song was dark, moody and gelled us in a state of trance where everything went right. The guitars are impeccable! I sang this song in two takes, and upon the “Snow Bros” hitting the spacebar to stop recording, Danny and I embraced each other and wept. The last vocal take of the album was done.
Howard wasn’t complete yet as he unconventionally recorded the final guitar part with an electric guitar unplugged and being picked up by only a studio mic. Finally, the song ends with the original piano, first recorded and unedited which gave birth to Double Feature Matinee.
“Before I go, I must say this was very personal for me to do, an activity like this, and I honestly feel wonderful from it, so thank you. Also, for anyone reading this, thank you for allowing our music into your life.”
Resolution Of Happiness is out now via Negative Gain Productions. Listen below or order here.
Astari Nite have made appearances at Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Absolution Festival, Murder of Crows, Out From the Shadows, Dark Side of the Con, and Gothic Dark Wave Festival in France.
Catch Astari Nite in Dallas on July 6th at the Obituary Festival in Dallas, Texas (curated by Leah Lane of Rosegarden Funeral Party).
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