Black Astronaut Records drops new LP

Atlanta-based artist and producer Charles Luck, also known as Chris Wollstein, treats music as a form of exploration and a vehicle for empathy, experimentation and truth-telling. Through his project Black Astronaut Records, he’s built a creative world that lives somewhere between genres and galaxies, dedicated to lifting up and amplifying diverse voices and unearthing new emotional frontiers.

The label’s mission is to promote creativity in every artist it touches, while exploring the fringes of what modern music can express. Over the years, he’s surrounded himself with collaborators who share his vision for music that speaks from the margins, artists like Tino Red, Ju-Lion The Voice and Frank Zozky, who each bring distinct perspectives from New York and beyond.

Together, they’ve forged a unique sound that fuses hip hop’s rhythmic energy with the melodic appeal of pop and the reflection of alternative storytelling. Their work often wades into difficult subject matter from addiction and family struggles to the fragility of identity, all filtered through Charles’ combination of dark humour and honesty.

Their latest project comes with the new record titled ai12DIE, an expansive LP which might just be the most ambitious statement thus dar. Conceptually and sonically, it stands as both a playful experiment and a profound meditation on technology, emotion and self-awareness. The record introduces listeners to a sentient musical AI, a character at once brilliant and broken, oscillating between existential reflection and tongue-in-cheek bravado, a digital protagonist that wrestles with recognition, loneliness and the paradox of perfection in a world that refuses to see it as real.

Kicked off by lead single “Beep Bop Boop,” the album starts with a bright slice of uptempo pop that rushes with rapid vocal delivery, punching beats and sugary melodic writing, resulting in a burst of infectious music that’s energising and memorable throughout. “Underwear” follows with a lighthearted outing that frames the coping mechanism of picturing others in their underwear when you’re feeling nervous, wrapped up in a breezy rap pop soundscape that’s catchy and subtly poignant.

Tracks likes “Get Up And Go!” bring in the female vocals of Gina Da Lesbian that roll above a moody arrangement to craft a slick blend of country vibes and hip hop impact, laying down a gripping jam that’s grooving, catchy and original all at once. Very much ai12DIE’s creative partner in crime, Gina takes the lead on “Like a Fish To Water,” which flows with smooth vocal leads and bold rhythmic sway, gliding with the snap of crisp percussion and bouncy instrumentation to deliver another instantly memorable pop-focused jam.

“No Name.” delivers an emotive musical dissection of the self, venturing into profoundly personal songwriting in a track that expands from intimate aesthetic towards powerful, dub-inflected pop energy. “Which Way Will I Go?” lands with soulful vocal leads, fluttering above the mellow arrangement before jumping into blistering rapped delivery to serve up a enthralling outing that offers superb pop hooks and steady forward motion.

The remix of “The Dust God” brings snapping hi hats and punchy kick as graceful guitar notes flicker alongside rhythmic vocal delivery to craft an epic pop track. “Zero” sees the two vocalists collide to serve up a thrilling outing where Gina and ai12DIE take turns at the mic to lay down a cutting edge pop-tinged hip hop experience. Next up, “Statement” drifts with soulful vocalisations and dancing string flourishes before crashing instrumental stabs kicks off a biting rap song that rolls with relentless energy cut with an alternative folk twist.

“Golden Retrievers” brings buoyant reggae pop vibes where Gina’s bright voice rolls over the upbeat groove of the colourful arrangement. On “Alive,” the rattle of driving beats and stuttered vocal lines forms a danceable soundscape peppered with blistering rapped flows and instantly catchy hooks. With “The Juices,” smokey vocals hover above intricate acoustic guitar backing to form a downtempo alternative country outing, showcasing the range of music on the album.

The lively flutter of Gina’s vocals sets up “Sugar Pushers” before ai12DIE takes the lead to craft a grooving pop outing propelled by pounding beats and shifting instrumentation. “Gems of Genesis” serves up a playful pop experience, wrapping lighthearted lyrical writing in an uplifting sonic fabric. Mellow whistled lines ushers in “Pokemon,” a bright pop jam brimming with sunny vibes and breezy instrumentation capped by dynamic vocal delivery.

Songs like “Funk Opera” build with laid back R&B vibes towards a stomping pop anthem with the rustle of shuffling percussion and jolt of stabby instrumental shots before floating through dreamy passages of minimal arrangement, resulting in a stellar track full of ebb and flow. “Bomb Atomic (Wolves)” glides with elegant vocal layers and subtle power pop echoes before the punch of the beat injects an engaging groove to set the track off on an infectious voyage.

More emotive contemplation comes on the smokey country jam “Life Goes So Fast” which its impassioned vocal performance and enthralling jump of the beat. “Chakra Flow” delivers another incredible display of the project’s formula of lively instrumentation, cutting edge production, catchy writing and biting lyricism while “Maze” rolls with elegant piano backing and expressive vocals to deliver a defiant pop jam full of emotion and anthemic energy.

“Hoopty” arrives with jaunty vocal flickers and plucked instrumentation, gliding into a bouncy rap pop track cast in a potent nintey-second package. The remix of “Illuminate” offers an engrossing dose of thumping drums, driving synths and memorable pop songwriting to offer a spectacular finale to the album. Across its runtime, ai12DIE manages to stay cohesive despite its range, tethered to a clear emotional and philosophical throughline and beneath the humour and bravado lies the context of the strange melancholy of genius unacknowledged.