The Truth Is... (ft. @_angieknowsbest) [Prod. By King Flex]

Picket Signs

I never know where I'm supposed to go,
so I just stay right here
hoping that you don't care,
and maybe it'll be for the best.
so, just f*ck fear.

I let skeptic sleep in my bed
and let cynic wreak havoc 
on my poor pretty head.

I sit back,
don't live.
Pourin' up again and again
until I lose all cognition.

alignment, late-night.
hold it 'til it feels right (x2)
hold it 'til it feels right?
I'ma be here all night

'Cause I never know if my sixth sense kicks in
whenever you call me 'friend',
I'm spilling all my emotions.
I'm a hopeless sap again.

Alignment late night
You've gotta hold it 'til it feels right
Hold it 'til it feels right
Well, I'ma be here all night.

Second guessing is my vice.
It keeps me late at night.
I wake up, middle of the night
and my chakras, I aline.
When I can't go back to sleep,
that's when I realize
I've made myself anxious
I've "dreamed up" this panic.

Second guessing is my vice
keeps me up at night.
But swear, it can do no wrong
until there's much harm done.
But I can't go back to sleep --
that's when I realize 
I've made myself anxious
I've "dreamed up" this mirage.

S L E I G H T (prod. by ETHNIKIDS)

Produced by Daoud Anthony @daoudmakesmusic 
Written by ASTU
Recorded at ASTU's home studio
Mixed/Mastered by Gabriel Masterson at 25th St Recording

ASTU, Eritrean R&B/soul singer-songwriter out of Oakland, CA, discusses sex, love and all the complications that follow in her premiere EP-Patterns. Honest, raw lyrics are lifted by synth-filled rhythms and soulful melodies. ASTU captures the modern romance in all its vulnerability and volatility. “‘Patterns’ is my attempt to dissect the stories my generation repeats and the lens we view love through, in hopes to break the hollow patterns that hold us back from it.” Written by ASTU and produced by Daoud Anthony, who is known for his current work with up and coming Chicago-rapper SABA, Patterns is promising to  be one of the most anticipated releases of 2018.

So Good (interlude)

Produced by Daoud Anthony @daoudmakesmusic 
Written by ASTU
Recorded at AfterOurs Studios 
Mixed/Mastered by Gabriel Masterson at 25th St Recording

ASTU, Eritrean R&B/soul singer-songwriter out of Oakland, CA, discusses sex, love and all the complications that follow in her premiere EP-Patterns. Honest, raw lyrics are lifted by synth-filled rhythms and soulful melodies. ASTU captures the modern romance in all its vulnerability and volatility. “‘Patterns’ is my attempt to dissect the stories my generation repeats and the lens we view love through, in hopes to break the hollow patterns that hold us back from it.” Written by ASTU and produced by Daoud Anthony, who is known for his current work with up and coming Chicago-rapper SABA, Patterns is promising to  be one of the most anticipated releases of 2018.

Paperheart

Track: PFH
Artist: Yoko Milan

Producer: Mykal Riley
Writer: Yoko Milan

PFH (prod. Mykal Riley)

This battle of the heartbreak anthem produced by Blair TM and featuring St. Louis artist, Sir Eddie C, is a story about the overwhelming desire to break shit after a bad break.

Love Sucks!

Crazy

Crazy (feat. Sir Eddie C)

DO YOU FEEL IT

A Jukebox-style mix, archiving and tying together sound recordings that have shaped the canon of black music and creativity in modern times. Required Listening.

Musella Mix 2

ALTARS - ASTU’s debut album - builds upon her 2018 EP Patterns - taking us from cognizance of old systems of thought to the returning of self that comes only from looking within and into the dark, where the light is.

The Oakland based R&B/Soul artist takes us on her intimate journey of coming to terms with her mental health (recently being diagnosed Bipolar II), exploring themes of self-harm, death, and the departure from generational beliefs on tracks like Pressure, Rollin, Bargains, and Manic.

She gives us repose and celebrates with us on tracks like Waking, Reckless, and Show Me Your Love, where she expresses her hopes of finding love, the shelter that can only be found in our friends, and the determination to do you.

ALTARS features appearances from Empire’s Rexx Life Raj, up and coming LA rapper/singer Dreebo, and Brainfeeder’s Salami Rose Joe Louis.

As a queer, black femme, ASTU struggles with, and in the end accepts, the paradoxes of living in a world that was not built for her.  Through this she finds the space to thrive. From haunting ballads to carefree, soulful dance tracks, ALTARS asks us to make altars of our bodies and honor our personal truths in order to find the freedom we all seek.

Waking

If Frank Ocean and Sade had a baby, ASTU would be it. Part retro soul, part nineties R&B pastiche, part New Wave-inspired synth-pop, ASTU’s music refuses to pledge allegiance to a single vibe. The vocalist, songwriter and producer has the ability to find an easy, irresistible groove and turn it into an unhurried banger. A Black, queer and gender expansive artist, ASTU left life as a minister and found themself in R&B, expressing their sexuality, identity and life experience in their music. 

Variance Magazine describes their sound as "...kin to some of Solange’s recent material with the whispering confidence of Kelela..." while Himmat Media raves, "...their unapologetic queerness..transcends the conventional, offering a safe haven where listeners are free to explore their own identities."
astumusic.com
IG: @astu.music
Tiktok: @astumaboo