Released on the aligned date of Friday 13th, the day of the divine feminine, and opening with the subtle hum of nature, Aster Rhys‘ latest release, Crossroads, transports us into a world where the boundaries between reality and dreams dissolve. The haunting melody and ethereal soundscape invite contemplation, as though we are standing at the edge of a crossroads ourselves, faced with life’s uncertainties. Aster’s vocals, delivered in breathy, atmospheric tones, guide this journey – offering a voice both grounded and otherworldly. There’s a spiritual thread woven into each line, as if the song taps into an ancient, forgotten wisdom.
Lyrically, the song delves deep into metaphors of the road – blurring into symbols of life’s choices, with each one potentially altering the trajectory of fate. The crossroads becomes a sacred, liminal space, a place where intuition, more than rationality, holds sway. This meditation on choice, destiny, and the forces beyond our control carries a weight of introspective power, allowing listeners to not just hear, but to feel the philosophical underpinnings of the track.
As the journey unfolds, the instrumentation intensifies – acoustic guitars, flutes, and accordion weave together into a lush, cinematic tapestry. The music becomes more than just an accompaniment; it feels like an extension of the very path the song’s narrative traverses. It leads us to the cerebral conclusion of the track – a space where the title itself, Crossroads, echoes, not merely as a word, but as a profound idea. This moment feels akin to a spiritual ascension, as if the song has elevated to a higher plane, offering a sense of resolution that transcends the material world.
The outro brings everything full circle. After this cerebral peak, the song gently returns to where it began – fading out with the same sounds of nature that opened the piece. This return is not a simple ending, but rather a closing of a loop, as though the journey of choice and transformation has come to rest in the quiet inevitability of life’s cyclical nature. In this way, the song mirrors the spiritual notion of coming back to oneself, renewed and enlightened, yet unchanged at the core.
This introspective exploration of fate, spirituality, and life’s liminal spaces stands as a poetic and emotional masterpiece, grounding itself in folk traditions while ascending into the metaphysical. It’s a song for wandering souls, one that leaves the listener contemplating their own crossroads long after the final note fades into silence.
Aster Rhys is an artist who defies simple categorization, blending elements of folk tradition with mystical, spiritual undertones. Raised along the Eastern Seaboard, her music reflects a nomadic spirit, drawing from her multiracial heritage and a deep connection to ancestral memory. Rhys possesses a rare ability to channel these roots into her songwriting, creating an ethereal yet grounded sound.
Her vocal range, which shifts effortlessly between delicate falsettos and powerful, evocative tones, mirrors the emotional depth of her lyrics. Influenced by both myth and modernity, she weaves personal experience with universal themes, making her work resonate on both a personal and philosophical level. As Aster continues to explore spirituality, nature, and the human condition, she carves a distinct space in the folk landscape, blending introspective lyricism with atmospheric melodies that transcend genre.
We love what Aster Rhys is manifesting, and have added Crossroads to our New Music Spotlight playlist, as well as our new TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to explore her wider discography, including Ocean Deep, and Arachne.