The Foreign Department feels full of dichotomies but in a very well-balanced way.

Astrel K, the solo project of Ulrika Spacek member Rhy Edwards, returns with his second album, The Foreign Department. Bridging two cities, London, and Stockholm where Edwards now resides, The Foreign Department tracks his impromptu move following the breakup of a relationship which had initially led him to London.

The Foreign Department feels full of dichotomies but in a very well-balanced way. Despite the bright, sunny major key tracks, a closer listen to the lyrics gives us a feel for the emotion that drove this solo project. On the one hand, many of the tracks are dripping in nostalgia but rather than getting too bogged down in the past, certain sounds like the tweeting synths on Birds in Vacant Lots seem to drive us towards more innovative, futuristic sounds.

The album drifts seamlessly between genres, from more soulful tracks like Darkness at Noon to the boppy Kraftwerk and post rock feel of R U A Literal Child? moving to the mind warping feel of filler tracks like C-Ya!. Leonard Cohen and Mercury Rev are both influences here and I personally feel the presence of Sufjan Stevens in some of the slower tracks, and apparently even Charles Baudelaire for the title of Darkness At Noon.

The technical mastery of the album is fantastic. Every instrument that is present blends so well with the others including Edwards’ own soft vocals leaving the listener with a dream like takeaway. The eclectic yet delicate feel of the whole album is what keeps me coming back to this.

Overall, a remarkable achievement of an album with an emotional core that isn’t afraid to experiment with genres, instrumentation and textures. Edwards has contributed a multi-faceted, emotional and touching work to the post-rock/indie scene and I’m looking forward to seeing what he has in store for us next.