Astralasia

Astralasia is a UK electronic group that forms as an offshoot of the Magic Mushroom Band. It begins in 1990 and remains active, with a line-up that includes Ed Bones, Wayne Buaku, Chris Hayne, Marc Hunt, Jay Relf, Melanie Taylor and Samantha Turner. The group works across ambient, ambient techno, ambient trance, space rock, techno and trance, and is also associated with psytrance, chillout and goa.

History and style

The band starts as a part-time project while many of its members continue to work with the Magic Mushroom Band. Its debut album, first issued on the Fungus label in 1990, draws enough attention to encourage the group to continue alongside that earlier project. Astralasia develops a sound described as a blend of ambient, dub and tribal house with other influences, and becomes one of the originators of the acid-house rave movement as well as a major name in trance in the UK and Europe.

Live work and releases

Early live appearances include techno and underground events at Megatripolis, Escape from Samsara, Whirl-Y-Gig, Return to the Source and the Shamen’s Synergy raves. The group also appears at WOMAD, Glastonbury and Phoenix Festival, and tours extensively across the UK and Europe. It appears on compilations such as Big Chill Classics.

Albums and personnel

Cluster of Waves is described as the latest album and features eight previously unreleased tracks, including Deadly Virtue, Searching, Ashra Rising, Peace and Love and Cluster of Waves at The Devilles Bridge. The record includes contributions from members playing flute, vocals, slide and atmospheric guitar, saxophone and keys, plus a guest appearance from Simon House on violin. Rachel Miller also makes a first appearance as vocalist, and Swordfish produces the album.

Earlier membership

The group’s early line-up uses cosmic aliases such as Swordfish, Nosmo, Kim OZ and Moonboot. Jason Relf, the son of Yardbirds vocalist Keith Relf, is an early member; he has also worked in the Magic Mushroom Band and later moves on to his own projects.