- Words Yazzi Gokcemen
The French indie band reminds us what soft-grunge sounds like with their new single 'I Don't Remember'.
French indie quartet Astral Bakers have unveiled a new rock gem, ‘I Don’t Remember’, which marks them out as a band to keep a close ear on. The group’s third single shows a development of their unique ‘soft grunge’ sound – shimmering with hard-hitting rock, dusky acoustics and sincere, moody lyricism.
The track’s roots lie in a song which band member Ambroise Sage composed years ago. “It resurfaced when we started writing new material. Suddenly, it all came very naturally, as if the song had been waiting for us to finish it. It was one of the first songs we ever recorded, and we’ve always kept it as a reference point for what our sound should be.”
Inspired by Beach Boys-era rock n roll – a time we will forever romanticise – ‘I Don’t Remember’ is a potent blend of yearning and masked anguish, delivered through Sage’s haunting vocals and piercing lead guitar lines courtesy of Nico Lockhart. Intertwined with striding basslines and double kick drums provided by fellow band-mates Theodora and Zoé Hochberg, respectively, a sonic landscape immerses listeners into the band’s newfangled, and rousingly nostalgic, rocker universe.
Astral Bakers are preparing to hit the road, with a headline show confirmed at Paris’ La Maroquinerie and further dates and details to follow soon. The band also has set their sights on a debut album slated for release in early 2024, with music critics hailing ‘I Don’t Remember’ as a song which goes astonishingly ‘skyward’, we can only imagine what musical experience their next project will take us on.