“Modern nostalgia,” quipped leading lady Zoe, is the best way to sum up ASTR. Adam, the other half of ASTR, was confused by this idea, but listening to their “Varsity” EP (on repeat, might I add), I concur with Zoe’s comment. 

ASTR is quite a fitting name for the East Coast pair; not only do their tunes allude to ‘90s R&B, it also sounds quite galactical.

Listening to their 6 track “Varsity” EP, you’d hardly believe that the synth-pop duo are a relatively new band. These New York Natives, who met in a Manhattan yoga class a few years ago, quickly identified a mutual love for songwriting and decided to embark on their musical journey together. 

ASTR’s dark and seductive sounds satisfy indie fans, yet laced within their songs are production sounds that possess massive commercial appeal. “Operate” and “R U With Me,” two of the tracks off their electric EP, made waves on some of the biggest music blogs (Hype Machine, 8Tracks) and listeners of the band have lauded their cover of Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home” as better than the original. 

Though they just released “Varsity” this January,  the pair is already starting to tour around America and are making their debut at SXSW in March. Between shows, Zoe and Adam have also been working away on producing their debut album, which they hope to release later this year. From the sound of all six radical tracks, their album is something to look forward to. If you haven’t listened to them, then do yourselves a favor and click play. But just a warning, you won’t be able to stop listening. 

Neon Tommy had a chance to talk music, fitness, and subway rides with Zoe and Adam, who are as hilarious as they are talented.

How they met: 

Zoe: We did, we met through a friend who was our yoga teacher…we hung out a bunch of times at a yoga center in New York. We both knew that we were writers so we just naturally got together and tried to write a few things [which] then evolved into the ASTR project!

On the band name:

Zoe: We made a list, as most bands do... and ASTR was the one that felt androgynous, not too feminine, accessible. We thought it was kind of cool!

Adam: I remember the option for a band name was “Sock Puppets”...

On influences:

Zoe: I think this project comes down to our roots, which are R&B, hip hop, and house music. But I think we both have very wide taste, we just like good music. A lot of the stuff from the U.K. has been very influential… like Disclosure, Rudimental… we dig that stuff!

Adam: It’s funny, the U.K. stuff, they’re basically recycling American R&B from the ‘90s basically, but it’s got a little bit of a twist to it… There’s something familiar in a lot of it.

Zoe: And yeah, you feel that the house, the deep house is also there, that makes you want to dance! 

Adam: It’s so foggy today! 

On their cover of Drake’s “Hold on We’re Going Home” and fan comments on how their cover is better than the original:

Adam: Definitely! 

Zoe: That is a pretty heavy thing to say, we’re both huge Drake fans, but that’s really cool, they’re welcome! That commenter is welcome for sure! [A female vocal] kind of makes it sentimental…

Adam: A little more emotional I feel like. Not to discredit Drake, but if you listen to that version back to back, he’s like (sings) “Just hold on we’re goin’ home,” and you’re like “cool.” But Zoe’s version, Zoe sings it and you’re like “Just hold on girl, just hold on.” There’s an emotional component I think, that people connect to, which is cool. 

Call disconnected then reconnected:

Adam proceeds talk in a deep voice: Good morning. Hi. I’m going to just talk in this low voice for the rest of this interview. 

Adam: Joyce, don’t hang up on us this time! 

On their “Operate” video, new music videos, and how film/directors like David Lynch influence their music video:

Adam: We wanted it to be like a psychological thriller. And I would definitely say that David Lynch is a good…

Zoe: Yeah, that [David Lynch] was definitely a point of entry I would say.

Adam: We shot the footage in this Manhattan basement. It was fun to work on. 

Zoe: We’re in such a visual culture these days, things are just so much more visual… it adds to the song to bring that in, you know?...we just made a video for “R U With Me” that’s being edited right now so hopefully we can share that with the world soon. And “Blue Hawaii” is up next, we’re working on that now too! 

On their upcoming album and their songwriting process:

Zoe: We’re working on a full album, yeah! Hopefully it’ll be done in spring so that it will be given to the world by fall. We’re pushing now! 

Adam: It’s a collaborative process, usually the track comes together after we write the song. I’m not emailing her beats and she’s sending me songs back. We get together to flesh out things. 

Zoe: There’s something to be said about that live experience, where you can kind of navigate with each other...rather than just writing isolated. Being together through the process has been really good. I definitely sing into my phone… in the train too! When you have a melody and you’re singing into your phone everyone looks at you…!

On crazy NY subways, and a dancing troupe named “Show Time!”:

NT: There are crazy people on the trains, when I was in NY these kids came in and just yelled “Show time!!” and started dancing.

Adam: Oh, I know what you’re talking about!! Show time!! It started off with just one group, they were just the Show Time kids, but now it’s like every f*cking train they’re there. Every f*cking car in every subway, they’re just.. “Show time! Show time!” And some of these dudes are just barely pulling it off. 

On fun facts about one another:

Zoe, on Adam: Adam enjoys going to music at night, he loves checking out DJ sets. He has a persian cat, a long haired white persian cat at home. He is gluten free and an amazing chef. He is a foodie, he would knock your socks off! 

NT: Oh yeah? What kind of food do you cook?

Adam: I’m kind of all over the place, I’ll shoot from the hip! When I taste something somewhere, I’ll be like “Okay, these are the ingredients.” and I’ll try to recreate it. 

Adam, oh Zoe: Fun facts about Zoe...Zoe is a fitness buff, she spent a lot of time as a yoga instructor, she has a strong background in yoga. She is also into pilates...and for a long time was a green juice addict. She is one of the only people I know with a strong theatre background that also knows about Julez Santana and Cam’ron than most other theatre people…what other fun facts…

Zoe: I spoke Italian for eight years!

Adam: Yeah AND she speaks Italian. You know funny enough, if we blow up in Italy, maybe we’ll do the Drake song in Italian. 

On their three most important records:

Zoe: Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” album… [Kanye West’s] “Yeezus” because it makes you feel sh*t and it makes you emotional on many different levels… and Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” album.

Adam: Mariah Carey’s “Charmbracelet” soundtrack?... uh no I was just being funny. Whatever the wackest sh*t is. I’m a fan of Mariah Carey. The “Chronic” album was huge for me too but I always go back to Michael Jackson’s albums… because that sh*t is just legendary. In terms of Kanye, I’m more of a “My Dark Twisted Fantasy”... that’s my bread and butter right there. That’s his masterpiece. 

On plans for 2014:

Zoe: We’re trying to finish the album for everybody... tour. 

Adam: I want to cook more, have dinner parties, I think 2014 is going to be a big year for food. 

Zoe: We have the U.K., then Japan...we’ve got San Francisco then L.A. next….then South By (SXSW) is next...universities and colleges, and hopefully our tour will be all set up for the summer.

Summing up ASTR for people who haven’t heard of them: 

Adam: I just want to say that it’s really foggy outside my window….

Zoe: ASTR.. is modern nostalgia.

Adam: ...What the f*ck does that mean?

Zoe: That’s my thing now, I like saying it. It’s hip hop, R&B, house, pop, it’s everything… electronic… it’s dark, it’s seductive, it makes you want to dance, is a dance party, and it’s mysterious! Hopefully. 

Adam: The wind just picked up severely! I just wanted to give you some weather updates. The wind picked up severely. 

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You can catch ASTR perform live at The Echo on Sunset this Friday. Be sure to catch them at SXSW in Austin, TX, if you’re attending.

SXSW Dates

Thursday, 3/13 Nylon @ Malverde; 3pm
Thursday, 3/13 Dickies @ Bangers; 9pm
Friday, 3/14 WARP Magazine @ Blackheart: time TBD
Saturday, 3/15 Neon Gold Official @ Empire Garage; 8pm

Reach Contributor Joyce Lee here.