ASTRAL MAGIC with PAUL ROLAND – Light of the World (2026, LP/ CD, Astral Magic Music) 

RELEASE INFO:

Label: Astral Magic Music

Format: LP, Album, Limited Edition, LATHE-CUT (only 8 tracks) 

Format: CD, Album, Limited Edition, 100 copies 

Release Date: 7 Aug 2026

There are some collaborations that make perfect sense on paper, while others become truly intriguing precisely because their participants seem to come from different corners of the psychedelic universe. “Light of the World” belongs firmly to the latter category. Here, the otherworldly electronic explorations of Finnish musician Santtu Laakso’s Astral Magic meet the peculiar, story-driven psychedelic pop of English cult figure Paul Roland, creating a meeting point where space rock, krautrock, baroque psychedelia, folk, electronics and neo-progressive colours can coexist without feeling forced. Following their 2025 “Mind Melt Machine” EP, this new full-length collaboration expands that initial encounter into a considerably broader cosmic landscape.

Astral Magic is the solo project of Santtu Laakso, formerly the bass and Moog player of Dark Sun, which he launched in 2020 as a vehicle for his fascination with psychedelic, spacey and electronic soundscapes. Since then, Laakso has built an increasingly prolific catalogue around synthesizers, bass, samples, percussion and studio production, often inviting musicians from different backgrounds into his expanding sonic universe. On “Light of the World”, he takes on backing vocals, bass, synthesizers, keyboards, percussion and samples, while also handling production and mixing, effectively providing the psychedelic spacecraft in which Roland’s songs are allowed to travel.

And then there is Paul Roland. Active since the late 1970s, Roland has spent decades occupying a wonderfully strange territory somewhere between psychedelic pop, gothic rock, folk and baroque music. His first album, “The Werewolf of London”, appeared in 1980, establishing many of the ingredients that would become his trademark: supernatural imagery, eccentric historical characters, literary references, dark humour and meticulously crafted melodies. Albums such as “Burnt Orchids”, “Danse Macabre”, “A Cabinet of Curiosities”, “Duel”, “Sarabande”, “Gargoyles”, “Re-Animator”, “Grimm”, “White Zombie” and “Lair of the White Worm” chart a remarkably consistent career on the psychedelic underground fringes. His records have also featured such cult figures as Robyn Hitchcock, Nick Saloman of The Bevis Frond, Nick Nicely and Andy Ellison, while his work as an author and journalist has further deepened his fascination with the occult, the macabre and the eccentric.

On “Light of the World”, Roland supplies the vocals, acoustic guitar and keyboards, as well as all the lyrics, bringing his unmistakable narrative voice into Laakso’s more cosmic and electronically coloured environment. Jonathan Segel contributes electric guitar, violin and mandolin, while Jasmin Anglén adds backing vocals and Anton Sailo introduces the wonderfully unexpected sound of the broken kannel. The result promises a fascinating collision between ancient and futuristic imagery: Amun Ra, stars, inner journeys and mystical visions floating through synthesizers, guitars, acoustic textures and psychedelic studio atmospheres.

The journey begins with “Every Night I Journey to the Stars”, immediately introducing the typical but highly characteristic Astral Magic “Space” sound, dressed perfectly with suitably cosmic lyrics and the unmistakable vocals of the master Paul Roland. There is a small bridge in the middle where the whole atmosphere seems to plunge deep into outer space before returning to the familiar Space-Rock, effects-drenched scenery, only to fall again and rise once more — a fantastic sonic roller-coaster ride that works beautifully. “I’m Not Here” keeps the spacecraft firmly in orbit, with Spacey effects scattered all over a dark and mysterious atmosphere, while Paul’s almost ghostly vocals and Santtu’s extraterrestrial sonic adventures combine with backward sounds to create a highly atmospheric Space-Rock song with an unexpectedly catchy refrain. “23rd Century” takes things into darker and slightly creepy territory, with Paul’s characteristic voice riding over a cinematic Space-Rock backdrop that also carries a cool Rock edge; definitely a rather Space-a-delic moment. Then comes “Interlude”, although calling it merely an interlude feels somewhat unfair considering its three-and-a-half-minute duration. This is a fully-fledged Space-Rock experiment, totally Spaced-Out and wonderfully instrumental, unfolding like the soundtrack to some lost science-fiction movie from another dimension. The self-titled “Light of the World” is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the album, revealing just how strong and intricate the musical bond between the two musicians has become. A dreamy futuristic melody, earthly basslines, and a cozy, relaxing guitar gradually transform into another beautifully constructed Space-Rock capsule, balancing warmth and cosmic distance. At 7:02, “When I Get to Heaven” is the album’s longest journey, with Paul speaking and singing in his remarkable, instantly recognizable style while the musicians create an intergalactically cool atmosphere — or should we say stratosphere? — around him. Particularly effective is the middle section, where Space suddenly melts into earthly Psychedelia, producing another major highlight and one of those moments when the two sonic worlds seem to become one.

“I Woke as from a Dream” is a strange little two-minute piece, drenched in darkness and mystery both musically and lyrically, almost like a brief and unsettling vision appearing between longer cosmic excursions. “Starfarer” initially feels much more earthly, almost like a ballad, built around a wonderful guitar melody beautifully accompanied by a lovely violin, but little by little the Space elements begin to enter the picture. The result is a very cool, trippy instrumental passage and yet another memorable moment on the album. “Mind Melt Machine (Album Mix)”, originally appearing on the 2025 EP “Mind Melt Machine”, is an unbelievably fascinating Space-Rock anthem, now given its album treatment. Slight Middle Eastern influences add another flavour to the mix, while Space, Rock and Psychedelia blend together into something trippy yet surprisingly grounded — a genuinely mind-melting track indeed. “Davidson’s Eyes” takes us back into a creepy, futuristic and, of course, wonderfully spacey scenery, full of darkness and mystery and carrying a distinctly cinematic feel. The violin provides a fascinating earthly counterpoint to all those cosmic textures, making this another particularly remarkable track. “The Illustrated Man (Album Mix)”, also originating from the “Mind Melt Machine” EP, is more strongly oriented towards Space-Rock, with a wonderfully evocative guitar sound that feels as though it has escaped from the soundtrack of some futuristic sci-fi comic movie set in a distant galaxy, telling the bizarre story of a tattooed freak — the Illustrated Man himself. Santtu also contributes a little to the vocals here, adding another small but interesting detail to the collaboration. Finally, “Dark Angel of Mine” closes the journey with a spacey, almost balladesque atmosphere where Space and Earth seem to collide one final time. It is a genuinely heartbreaking track, carrying the strange feeling that the journey has reached its end and that an eternal goodbye is somehow unavoidable. Perhaps I have to leave my Angel behind; I will remain on the “light” side, while he stays on the “dark” side. Whatever the interpretation, the emotional weight is unmistakable — after travelling so far among the stars, even the most beautiful cosmic journey must eventually come to an end. 

In conclusion, “Light of the World” is a beautiful meeting of two psychedelic minds, where Paul Roland’s timeless, mysterious storytelling finds a perfect home inside Santtu Laakso’s cosmic Astral Magic universe. Space-Rock, Psychedelia, electronics, and earthly warmth travel together throughout the album, creating a journey that feels both futuristic and strangely familiar. An atmospheric, imaginative and genuinely trippy record — one that proves that, sometimes, the best place to find the light is somewhere deep in the darkness between the stars. Invest! TimeLord Michalis 

Tracklist

Links

Listen / Buy through ASTRAL MAGIC Bandcamp

Visit PAUL ROLAND Facebook