Astronauts of Antiquity Create New Sound

Astronauts of Antiquity are heralded as a rare mixture of differing genres. Some say lounge plus pop, or dub and rock or even trance and jazz. Astronauts of Antiquity try hard to create their own sound. This unique feel may pay off for them.  Their sophomore album “Rocket Science for Dummies” is climbing the charts on over 85 college radio stations.
   
Initially meeting in a chance run-in at an airport, singer India and guitarist B. Rhyan joined teams three years later to create Astronauts of Antiquity. They found their hit mixture in Poland, where they combined an alternative rock feel with a dub beat. After the seeing the crowd’s approval, the new feel for the band was decided.
   
Ignoring genre labels, Astronauts of Antiquity do have a unique, blended and transient sound. While all the tracks have their own defining characteristics, the guitars lay down the overall feel of the music. A smooth, laid-back bass line gives a smoke-filled, jazzy bar feel. On top of that, the guitar plays a cross between a funk and a reggae riff, only taking center stage to accent the vocals. The drums are usually kept simple, with heavy accents on the bass drum and low toms.
   
Every once in a while, when the stars align and the music calls for it, there’s the haunting ghost of a trumpet line floating in the space between the guitar riffs and vocals. Together the instrumentation gives a sublime aura to the music, and feels as though the songs are filled with dancing lights and colors.
   
India’s vocals compliment the music, with various adjustments that adapt to the specific songs. Her vocal style ranges from a sultry, red-dress-wearing sound that should emit cigarette smoke (“Strangest Places,” “Dance Until Dawn”), to a more pop-driven, forceful vocals (“Sweet-Tooth,” “Rocket Science”). No matter the style, the songs are generally lyrically driven, which sets Astronauts of Antiquity apart from most other dub or trance-influenced groups.
   
While the lyrics cover a wide range of topics, such as the requisite love song (“Strangest Places”), remembering childhood places (“Miss Caroline”) and even dancing the night away (“Dance Until Dawn”). And though the lyrics are well written and evoke strong images. India’s handle over her voice works just as many wonders at conjuring the various emotions that carry the songs. She could well have sung only notes or even noises and the same feel-good response would occur in the listeners.
   
Even though Astronauts of Antiquity are missing defining qualities of many of the genres attached to their music, they have seemingly handpicked the aspects they desired to form their own perfect union of lounge and jazz meets the storytelling vocals. The tracks are varied enough to keep the listener’s interest, with hidden gems placed throughout the album to keep the listener wanting to see what comes next.
   
Equal parts ambiance and emotion, “Rocket Science for Dummies” fills the hole that only it could fit in.