Topshelf Records has dropped Washington, D.C. punk band Ekko Astral and is immediately ceasing all involvement with The Beltway Is Burning, their upcoming second album. The record label did not specify its reasoning. Pitchfork has reached out to Ekko Astral and Topshelf for comment.
“We can no longer support Ekko Astral and will not be releasing their album 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨,” Topshelf wrote on Instagram. “This includes the end of in-house PR service from the label. Refunds for pre-orders will be issued within 5-10 business days.”
In a statement to Pitchfork, Jael Holzman, the band’s frontwoman, said, “There is a lot of misinformation spreading about this story. We will have more to share in the near future.” Holzman also confirmed that The Beltway Is Burning will still be released, calling it “our pride and joy.”
The sudden announcement from Topshelf comes in the wake of last week’s Washington City Paper story, which describes the fallout between Holzman and the band’s former drummer, Miri Tyler. On February 6, Holzman filed a peace order petition in Montgomery County District Court, accusing Tyler of threatening her on social media. According to the story, Tyler has denied making threats against anyone.
Tyler publicly announced her exit from Ekko Astral on January 28, but said at the time she planned on playing a final show at this year’s Liberation Fest II, the D.C. punk festival supporting trans liberation and mutual aid, which is set to take place in April.
Ekko Astral released their debut full-length, Pink Balloons, on Topshelf in 2024. Best friends Holzman and Liam Hughes started the band in 2021, and expanded into a four-piece to include drummer Miri Tyler and bassist Guinevere Tully shortly afterwards. A few months after releasing Pink Balloons, Tully left Ekko Astral, citing “a negative toll on [her] physical and mental health” and a desire to focus on her solo project, Rosslyn Station.
This is a developing story.
