Astral Bakers Share Raw, Unfiltered Indie Beauty on New Album 'Vertical Life'

The Paris-based quartet embrace imperfection and unity on their second record.

Parisian quartet Astral Bakers return with 'Vertical Life,' the follow-up to their 2024 debut 'The Whole Story,' a record that first introduced the band’s hazy fusion of folk, soft grunge, and atmospheric rock. Their new album - which includes pre-released single, 'A Dog in a Manger' - finds them evolving into a cohesive collective, four distinct voices merging into one deeply human sound.

Recorded in the U.S. with producer Sam Evian (Big Thief, Blonde Redhead), Vertical Life rejects studio polish in favour of intimacy and presence. The album breathes with the immediacy of a live performance. Guitars crackle, drums drift between control and abandon, and subtle imperfections become part of the emotional landscape. Each track feels lived-in, like a fragment from a shared diary.

The band - formed of Ambroise, Theodora, Nico, and Zoé - move beyond individual spotlights to build what they describe as a “shared musical language.” Their interwoven vocals evoke both fragility and power, exploring the space between indie introspection and grunge catharsis. The result is an album that’s both grounded and transcendent, raw yet deeply melodic.

“The title 'Vertical Life' reflects that tension,” the band explains. “Verticality as both ascent and vertigo - a pull between grounding and release.”

With this record, Astral Bakers cement themselves as more than a fleeting project. Vertical Life captures a band in full bloom: vulnerable, fearless, and reaching skyward even as their feet stay firmly planted on the earth.