Killerstar are a band fronted by Rob Fleming (vocals, guitar, synths), paired with James Sedge (drums) and a plethora of David Bowie’s longtime collaborators: Mike Garson (piano), Earl Slick and Mark Plati (guitars), Gail Ann Dorsey and Tim Lefebvre (Bass), Emm Gryner (backing vocals) and Donny McCaslin (saxophone). They released their self-titled debut album back in 2024 and are now returning to your headphones with a new album, The Afterglow.

From the get-go that guitar blasts your ears off. The title track wastes no time getting you acquainted with the space indie rock sound that the band are producing. Fleming’s synthesizer and vocals give off that ‘Aladdin Sane’ Bowie era vibe. Sedge’s drums are high tempo throughout; it’s a very positive sounding start. The riff from Slick is catchy as well. Solid opener. ‘Proud’ immediately sounds influenced by ‘Ashes To Ashes’, those synths especially. It sounds so spacey and almost psychedelic, it’s great. Then it changes up, the tone of the whole song goes a bit menacing, the vocals sounding robotic, and the riff starts climbing up the walls. “This is not my reality”, it certainly sounds far way from reality, in the void of cosmic doom (and it is cool). Then Slick plays some, well, slick guitar near the end of the track. a fun spaced out track indeed. ‘So Easy’ is another upbeat track. The piano in the background really does sound like some of those far out Aladdin Sane tracks (‘Time’ is one that comes to mind), and it blends so well with the guitars and the vocals. The outro with the ‘la la’s’ is very hippy 60s. can’t get much happier than that.

Clocking in at 7 minutes and 30 seconds, ‘Rubicon’ is a standout track on the album. Starting off with a smooth riff, slow beat, and that dreamy piano from Mike Garson. It’s like you’re going down a psychedelic river stream, the sun blasting over you while the rhythm carries you along the way. Pure bliss. The guitar near the end from Slick is brilliant as well, really just adds to the whole feel of the dreamy psychedelia, in fact this could have easily been a lost track from Space Oddity in a different time. And that soothing piano outro. terrific track. ‘There Has to Be a Reason’ has a cool starting riff, the bass from Mark Plati actually stands out more than anything else. It just sounds smooth and slick. The whole thing sounds like a theme tune for some sci-fi wild west show, and it certainly is cool.

‘You Do Me No Favours’ has Bowie written all over it. even Fleming sounds like a young version of him on the track. the piano from Garson has been a key part of the album so far, it seems every track has him creating these dreamscape sounds among a wail of guitars and drums. Even on this track he has a section where he just plays his heart out along with Slick playing a little solo. ‘Straight Down The Line’ starts a bit heavier, the riff and beat chasing after you. The guitars on this track are great; the little licks here and there are great to listen to. Then Slick just plays like he’s on an arena stage towards the end of the track. love it. ‘Invincible’ starts with this blissful piano, before being joined by the chilled out beat. Then it all starts picking up quickly, the synths and guitars amping up. It certainly feels like an outro track, a big buildup before it suddenly comes to a halt. Then the acoustic guitar (very ‘Starman’ sounding) comes in, and the synth seems to take a mind of its own, creating this cacophony of sound with Slick playing ecstatically over the top of it all. Donny McCaslin’s saxophone can be heard on the way out, very ‘Blackstar’.

Killerstar have done themselves proud on The Afterglow. The space indie psychedelic rock adventure showcases how the band can create dreamy soundscapes and capture that sound of Bowie’s glam years (his best). If you’re looking for an interstellar trip through a spaced out and trippy landscape, I would strongly recommend giving this album a listen, you won’t regret it.

Killerstar: The Afterglow – Out 20 March 2026 (HighWire Records)

(feat. Mike Garson, Earl Slick, The Webb Sisters, Gerry Leonard, Mark Plati & Emm Gryner)