Astrocolor
Astrocolor | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |
| Genres | Electronic,[1] funk,[2][3] space-age pop jazz,[4] instrumental psychelelia[3] |
| Years active | 2015–present[4] |
| Labels | Amelia Recordings,[1] Last Gang Records[5] |
| Website | www.astrocolormusic.com |
Astrocolor is a band based in Victoria, British Columbia.[6] It was founded in 2015.[5][4]
The group's music style has, at various times, been described as electronic, funk, dance, psychedelic jazz, and lounge.[1][2][3]
Astrocolor has been nominated for four Western Canadian Music Awards, winning the Instrumental Artist of the Year Award in 2022.[2]
Music style
[edit]Astrocolor has been called a "genre-blending" band that "fuses jazz, psychedelia, and electronic influences into an experimental sound".[2] Other genres that have been used to describe the band's music include funk, dance, and lounge.[3][1][2][6]
Initially, Astrocolor worked largely in the fusion of jazz and electronica.[4] Later, it played big crowds at dance-oriented events. During the pandemic, Astrocolor made Paradise, which has a tone that "imagines the perfect tropical vacation".[6][7] The band has a reputation for reinventing itself with every album.[6]
Band membership
[edit]In 2024, Astrocolor's lineup was
- Anand Greenwell (sax),
- William Farrant (bass),
- Chris MacKenzie (drums, bass, guitar),
- Andrew Poirier (guitar),
- Piers Henwood (guitar, keyboards),
- Neil James Cooke-Dallin (frontman, keyboard, producer).[1][2][4]
Band members have included both Thomas Shields (synth) and Amrit Basi (drums) for the album Moonlighting.[4]
Astrocolor featured vocalist Cayley Thomas on the album Paradise.[8] Vocalist Lindsay Bryan joined the band on the album Stargazing.[2]
Awards
[edit]Astrocolor won the Instrumental Artist of the Year Award at the Western Canadian Music Awards in 2022.[2] The band has been nominated four times for Western Canadian Music Awards, including a nomination for Best Electronic Album in 2018, and Instrumental Artist of the Year in 2025.[9][10][2]
The band's Neil James Cooke-Dallin earned a nomination at the Western Canadian Music Awards in 2025 for Audio Engineering (through his Burning Rainbow studio).[9]
Discography
[edit]- Lit Up - Music for Christmas (2015)
- Astrocolor II (2017)
- Astrocolor III (2018)
- Hue (2020)
- Paradise (2021)
- Moonlighting - AstroJazz Vol. 1 (2023)
- Stargazing - AstroJazz Vol. 2 (2024)[11]
Reception
[edit]In 2024, Astrocolor's catalogue had over 15 million streams on the major platforms.[1] Astrocolor has received airplay on several CBC shows including Drive and Afterdark, and on radio stations KCRW in Los Angeles and KNKX in Seattle.[1][4]
The band has appeared at local and international festivals, including Burning Man, Shambhala, Rifflandia Music Festival, Laketown Shakedown, the Bass Coast Festival, and the Victoria International Jazz Festival.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h LiveVictoria.com (2023). "Astrocolor: Live Electronic".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Simone, Nautica (2024). "Entering Astrocolor's Creative Orbit". Media Pass.
- ^ a b c d "Five Minutes With: Vancouver Funk Band Astrocolor". vancouverguardian.com. 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Beason, Abe (30 June 2023). "Astrocolor bring new life to space-age pop jazz". KNKX Public Radio.
- ^ a b Badgley, Aaron (6 December 2026). "Album Review: Astrocolor - Astrocolor EP". Spill Magazine.
- ^ a b c d "All Points West: Victoria band Astrocolor talks about new album and their evolving sound". CBC Listen. 25 October 2024.
- ^ "Spill Video Premiere: Astrocolor - "Mile High"". Spill Magazine. 14 February 2022.
- ^ Braun, Alex (17 November 2021). "Astrocolor, 'Paradise' - 3.5 stars". The Manitoban.
- ^ a b Devlin, Mike (6 June 2025). "Western Canadian Music Award nominees include a dozen Island-area acts". Victoria Times Colonist.
- ^ Devlin, Mike (7 January 2021). "Stolen guitar last straw for musician after floods, COVID restrictions". Victoria Times Colonist.
- ^ "Astrocolor store".