Ekko Astral - "baethoven"

Photo by John Lee

One thing I'll always listen to is any artist that comes out of the D.C. punk scene. The latest we've discovered is Ekko Astral. They take the sound of modern artists that combine dance and pop into punk like Mannequin Pussy and Model/Actriz, but through a D.C. lens. Just when you think you know what their latest single, "baethoven," is going to sound like, it cranks everything up multiple notches and bursts into fantastically noisy gang vocals. Ekko Astral are part of the newfangled punk movement that is as intense as possible while still having a sense of fun and enjoyment. And we're here for it.

Ekko Astral say of their new single and video:

"The moral of the song is in the lyrics: "There's nothing endless, there's no Frank Ocean / you should let me your classic love / I'll be your bae-thoven." The point is, there's nothing as perfectly clean and pristine as a Frank Ocean song in this world right now but there is our band - and there is you, the listener - and that's what you should love. Because that's what's here now and is here for you, the authentic self in all its glory.

"What this video is about is, have fun with your friends before all this ends. Because it will end. Soon. Life is short but it is long and beautiful and you have no time to waste. This will all end. It is so close to ending. It'll end in like a year or so. Maybe less. So do what you can to survive in this silly money system we're plagued with, take what cash you have and fight back by having as much fucking fun as fucking possible. Because fuck all that."

You can watch the video for "baethoven" below. The single is out now via Topshelf Records. For more on Ekko Astral, check out the band on Instagram and Twitter.