Astrachan is the solo recording project of Berta Bigtoe’s Ben Astrachan. Ben is an indie rock tapehead based in Chicago whose music channels Old Masters such as George Harrison and Cat Stevens, with an eye toward newer acts like Drugdealer and Dr. Dog. From the months of May to November 2020, Ben experimented with a hybrid recording style that marries analog and digital modalities while reflecting on his recent bumblings across Nepal, Jammu Kashmir, and the American backcountry. His self-titled debut album, recorded at his Logan Square kibbutz and at his Treehouse Records studio, is the fruit of that endeavor.