Sydney songwriter and performer Astrals (Claire Simpson), returns to the spotlight today with her new single ‘The Stardust Years’. With a sound that is equal parts 90’s rock nostalgia and indie pop, the song showcases the singer’s lush vocals and melodic strength.
“It’s been a weird and isolating past two years for a lot of us. So something I really wanted for this song was to create a sort of anthemic quality, like lots of voices were singing in the chorus. So, I got some mates to sing with me in the choruses and outro. Sort of a way to have a collective feel, in the absence of real life interaction. This is also the first song I’ve ever used sax on, some string sounds in there as well. Kind of a Springsteen meets dream-pop hybrid.” Astrals
‘The Stardust Years’ is a confident step forward for the young artist, who dropped her single ‘Infinity Room’ during lockdown, drawing praise from Triple J Unearthed, FBi, 2SER, RTR, Radio Adelaide and music blogs alike. The track was recorded at Free energy device studios in Camperdown Sydney, mixed by Julia Goyen (Angus & Julia Stone) and mastered by Tahlia Rose Coleman.
Directed by Benjamin Ling, the video for ‘The Stardust Years’ is an ode to Sydney from the perspective of a young musician recording a video diary, day in the life piece shot before lockdown in May 2021.
“I had been feeling sentimental about Sydney at the time it was filmed. I’d get a whole lot more sentimental about Sydney in the coming months. And not just Sydney, but friends, nights out, margaritas, driving around, and playing music with other people. So that’s what I wanted the video to be; a token of my appreciation for ‘the stardust years’, so to speak.”
