Ekko Astral are here to uplift, a mission exemplified by the frenetic and bewitching pre-release singles “baethoven” and “devorah,” cornerstones of pink balloons in both style and theme. The former serves as a reminder to keep your larger than life personality in a world that wants to downsize you, where the latter proclaims urgent solidarity with missing and murdered people. Such crucial messages of upliftment are the foundation of pink balloons, and, by extension Ekko Astral, whose thrashing debut leaves no stone of solidarity unturned.
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↓ ↓ ↓ orderAcross the album’s ten songs, Parannoul plunges yet deeper into his diverse pool of influences, coming back to the surface with a record that captures and extends the magic of its predecessor. Unexpected flashes of orchestral ambient and glitched-out electronica meld seamlessly with Parannoul’s signature passages of noisy, distortion-laden shoegaze, offering a real time glimpse into the maturation of one of indie rock’s most exciting artists. more info →
On music discovery:
When writing about a song or album, the convention is to use the present tense. A piece of music, although representative of and influenced by the era in which it was created, is ultimately always experienced in ~the present~. We built this website while pondering ways that we could, at every turn, focus on discovery by bringing music we released years ago relevantly back into the present, challenging how we collectively talk and think about “new” music. Discovering new music is exciting, but so is discovering music that’s simply
new to you.
It’s our hope that you'll enjoy digitally crate digging through this online home of ours, finding and connecting with the 250+ albums we’ve released with 140+ artists from all around the world over the last 16 years. Directly below are a few of our favorites to get you started.
However you’ve found yourself here presently, thanks so much for stopping by! We couldn’t do this without your support and enthusiasm.
Though their sonic palette is vast, Knifeplay craft a cohesive aesthetic to carry frontman Tj Strohmer’s thematically heavy songwriting, which touches on loss of all kinds against the backdrop of a nihilistic world. more info →
Del Paxton’s mix of nostalgic references aims to serve as their primary tool for exploring the contemporary, resulting in a post mortem of the American Empire.
more info →
The solidified Ratboys lineup stretched and expanded their vision in the studio, adding unexpected elements and instruments like rototoms, talkboxes, and fiddles. The result is Ratboys’ most sonically diverse record, shifting wildly from track to track. After more than ten years and four studio albums, The Window finally captures Ratboys as they were always meant to be heard—expansive while still intimate, audacious while still tender—the sound of four friends operating as a single, cohesive unit. more info →
JYOCHO’s music exudes pure emotion. It’s chaotic, non-linear, poetic, and gorgeous. When the opportunity to work together arose, it was an easy choice. Their peerless musicianship and body of work share many threads with the history of our label, so we’re simply thrilled to partner with them and help share their music with a wider audience. more info →
topshelf playlists
Just like our catalog, our playlists cover a lot of sonic ground. Check them out on apple music spotify
Ekko Astral emerges from the D.C. punk scene with a new standalone single "baethoven"
We're very hype to have Ekko Astral on the roster with their new song "baethoven"! These DC punks bring crashing drums, fuzzed-out guitar riffs, and a bewitching + frantic voice to our roster. Listen and check out their upcoming tour dates with Ted Leo read more →
Thanya Iyer // West coast tour dates with Land of Talk
Our resident north-of-the-border multi-instrumentalist Thanya Iyer is headed out to the west coast to play some shows with Land of Talk!! read more →
Weatherday // Merch Sale and North American Tour with Panchiko and They Are Gutting a Body of Water
Sputnik is bringing Weatherday's music back on the road this spring, with a full backing band. This time, they'll be supporting Panchiko and They Are Gutting a Body of Water, who we released a split with A Country Western for last year). Frankly, this bill is insane. read more →
Elephant Gym // New Music and World Tour
Elephant Gym are headed out on tour! Dates, info, and tickets are all available now. The band also has a new music video, a new single, and a new album for you read more →