• Artist: ASTR
• Track: Operate
• Producer: DJ 88m [of ASTR]
• Album: Untitled EP

ASTR may not be licensed medical professionals, but you won't regret letting the Big Apple alt-pop duo Operate on your auditory system. (We in The DJBooth, of course, disclaim all liability for any harm that may occur during the procedure.) The group's debut single, the lead effort off a forthcoming EP, finds them, “channeling the nostalgic drama of Miami Vice and classic horror film scores.” Unusual as that conjunction of influences may sound in theory, the execution is undeniably ear-pleasing; though bold melodies and glossy, '80s-informed synths (the latter courtesy of crew member and producer DJ 88m) dominate the group's aural palette, those elements are filtered through a moody, cinematic aesthetic that makes the end product more compelling than your average R&B jam. Interest piqued? Then keep it locked; the project to which this cut is attached as let lacks both a title and a drop date, but we'll keep you supplied with further tunes and release details as they emerge.