Black Tempest
Astral Pastoral
The previous Black Tempest album ('Psyborg') was born out of the paranoia and anxiety of the Covid lockdown - a space opera reflecting the fragility of the human psyche in opposition to the cold, lifeless logic of AI. 'Astral Pastoral' by contrast is a meditation on more earthbound concerns - nature, wildlife, and the countryside - in particular the rolling downs and heathland of Southern England. The title track is a continuation/extrapolation of an evolving theme which has featured in the live work of Black Tempest for many years. This particular incarnation is a side-long kosmische eco-dreamscape which centres on a moving poem entitled 'Blood Compass' composed and read by Joanne Crosby. Side two consists of five shorter pieces, each evoking different aspects of the natural beauty of our landscape. Haunting, hypnotic, and meditative, these drifting, minimalist pieces leave an overall sense of warmth and a joy in nature. 'Astral Pastoral' represents Stephen Bradbury's desire to return to his kosmische, synth-based roots, stepping away from the harsh glare of the more guitar-based sound of 'Psyborg' - moving from the previous fuzzed-up spacerock to a psychedelic kaleidoscope of synthesizer washes and mind-expanding sequences. Limited to 200 copies on purple vinyl.