Knightstown

Knightstown, a downtempo electronic pop outfit, originated as the vision of Brighton-based musician Michael Aston in England. After uploading his demo recording “Disparity” to the public demo portal of the cult indie imprint FatCat, where it ranked among the platform’s most-streamed submissions, Aston secured a deal with the label. The project’s self-titled debut album, characterized by lush ambient pop and haunting falsetto vocals, appeared in 2018.

Aston’s connection to music predates his arrival, as his mother, while pregnant, repeatedly played Bach’s violin concertos. He began formal violin instruction in elementary school and subsequently mastered the piano. Songwriting started early; his initial serious endeavor was a collaboration with his cousin, producer Tom Aston, who exposed him to electronic artists such as Sampha and James Blake. After completing music studies at Oxford, Aston relocated to Glasgow for an M.A. in composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, an environment that broadened his listening to encompass pop figures including Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and the Beach Boys. There he encountered fellow student C Duncan, recently signed to FatCat, and was invited to serve as keyboardist in Duncan’s touring ensemble, which performed across Europe.

In 2014 Aston submitted his own material to FatCat; the track “Disparity” again drew substantial attention on the label’s demo site, prompting his signing. Co-founder Dave Cawley introduced him to Matt Hodson, a senior lecturer at Brighton’s BIMM music school, who became a core collaborator and, in live settings, handled electronic percussion alongside real-time manipulation of Aston’s keyboards and vocals. Knightstown’s first single, the 2017 release “First Cry,” presented lush ambient pop with haunting falsetto vocals and received widespread praise. Subsequent offerings included “Eyes Open Wide” and the “Keep” EP, culminating in the arrival of the self-titled debut album in 2018.