Manchester, Northern England, heavy rainfall, typically dark, a remedy is required. Step forward quintet Astral Project who provide a tab of sonic-soma narco-bliss of glorious technicolour; ‘Athena’ is a fuzz-laden fillip to counteract today’s fauxhemian fellows and their fancy-dress showmanship. You know WHO they are.

Named for the famed protectress of Athens, the Greek Goddess of ‘wisdom, craft and war’. An individual who always fights for just causes and never without purpose favouring cunning and intelligence over brute force and bombast: ‘don’t be an oaf, use your loaf’.

The song is a potent mix of Wooden Shjips-shaping dronology, Opal’s woozynomics (pre-Mazzy Star David Roback) and Patti Smith’s beatnik and roll. The female (shoe)gaze is alive and kicking against the pricks at the top of the Acropolis.

Be wise, get creative and prepare for an eventful ride. Psychic armaments recommended.

Kemper Boyd
@dissapointon