The Foreign Department is Rhys Edwards’ (of Ulrika Spacek) follow up to 2022’s impressive Flickering I, released under the name Astrel K. Under this moniker, Edwards’ pop sensibility is more transparently laid bare. There’s equal parts hooks, sweet melancholy, and beautiful song arrangements throughout the album.
We present our “Mid-Year Report," a comprehensive guide to our favorite releases of the first half of this year, without any pre-determined length or insignificant rankings. If we’re into it, we're including it (unless we plumb forgot it or just haven’t spent enough time with it… which happens, in which case our sincerest of apologies).
Flickering i is a strange and addicting album. Listening feels like watching as someone makes a thing piecemeal in front of you. Listening is like the feeling of being tailed by your own ghost. These metaphors for Flickering i may sound esoteric, but they’re reasonable descriptions after a few listens.
