Astrachan

Astrachan is the surname and solo project of Chicago-based musician Ben Astrachan, whose boisterous and joyous rock-and-roll weaves together the artisanal folk of old masters like Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) with the shapeshifting indie of new-age acts like Daniel Romano. On ‘Signs’ (slated for release on Happen Twice in October), Astrachan dips his ladle into a great borscht of mystical and political influence to serve up a kaleidoscopic brew of anti-Zionist, Bundist, diasporic indie rock, self-produced in the candlelit haze of his all-analog basement-bedroom studio. ‘Signs’ is a hymnal to the madness of the Jewish prophets who railed against the follies of the Nation and were banished into spiritual wilderness. It deals with apocalypse in the original sense (revelation, “un-covering”), and asks, what does it mean to be conscripted in a cosmic war? How do we walk the tightrope of justice and peace? And when G-d winks at us through the veil, are we ready to respond? In addition to his eponymous solo project, Astrachan lends his boyish charm and polytechnic abilities to his shared duos Berta Bigtoe (with Austin Koenigstein) and Astro Heart (with Ryan Gebhardt), as well as Smushie, No Lonesome, Pyzow!, Rudy De Anda, Butthole, Shoulderbird and more. - Jackson Zinn-Rowthorn Email astrachanmusic@gmail.com ❤️🥰