Asia will release Indigo, their new studio album, on 6th November through Frontiers Music Srl, and ahead of that they’ve begun preparing the way with a series of singles, the latest being ‘Echo Of You’, along with an official video.
Co-founding member and keyboard player Geoff Downes commented on ‘Echo Of You’: “This song was part of the main writing sessions between Harry and I. It took on a whole different angle in the latter stages of development, with more of a focus on electronica and a spacey production. It’s a happy, uplifting tune, despite the nostalgic overtones of the lyrics, a love song with a twist. It all ends in a chaotic mix of counter themes and chord changes, and features a good old-fashioned fadeout as a nod to nostalgia, and I believe it’s a very fitting conclusion to the album, Indigo, hopefully leaving the listener on a high.”
The album has been a long time in coming, as Downes explained: “The initial writing period began in 2015, following the release of our previous album Gravitas in 2014. John Wetton and I started putting our ideas together, aiming to get into the studio once more. It was with great sadness that John became seriously ill during this time, and we put our plans on hold, and sadly John passed away before we could continue and complete it. So, it was always in my mind that at some point it would be a shame not to finish off some of these songs and finally release them as part of an Asia album.
“In 2023, when the tribute concert for John took place, I was so encouraged by the response to Asia‘s music that I viewed this as the perfect opportunity to re-establish not only the band, but also to reunite with our long-time supportive label, Frontiers, paving the way for us to get back in the studio,” he continued.
“So, Asia was back in the room, so to speak, and we were very fortunate to have recruited Virgil Donati and John Mitchell, both of whom had worked extensively with John before, as well as our new vocalist and bassist, Harry Whitley. The tours followed to great success throughout 2024 and 2025, and finally we sat down towards the end of last year to record the album. Working with these fine musicians was a great privilege, and the music just seemed to flow.
“The album was really a joy to make. I forged a close writing relationship with Harry, and I felt how great it was to be working with someone who had very similar musical influences and taste once again, just as I did with John. I feel that this is one of our best albums to date. The songs are deep in musicality, with a powerful and original performance, dynamics and strong lyrical undertones. It’s an album that hopefully our fans will widely appreciate, and support our cause to put Asia back on the map. Enjoy the ride!” Downes concluded.
Recorded throughout 2025 and produced by Downes and the band, with mixing and mastering handled by John Mitchell, Indigo is said to capture “the unmistakable spirit of Asia while injecting it with renewed vitality and purpose.”
At the heart of the album lies an emotional connection to the band’s history. Indigo includes some of the final compositions written by the late John Wetton, ‘Tattoo Indigo (Parts 2 & 3)’ and ‘Chesapeake Bay’, imbuing the record with a profound sense of continuity and tribute. The presence of Wetton is further felt through the vocal performance of Harry Whitley, whose tone and phrasing evoke a striking and deeply moving resemblance to the band’s original voice.
Indigo stands as a natural continuation of Asia‘s 21st-century output, while subtly weaving in the sonic DNA of the band’s classic early albums. From soaring melodies to richly layered arrangements, the album delivers the signature blend of accessibility and musicianship that defined the band’s early hits.
The album also features special guest appearances that elevate its scope: Yes and original Asia guitarist Steve Howe contributes acoustic guitar to ‘Chesapeake Bay’, while Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy performs on the bonus track ‘Tattoo Indigo (Part 3)’.
The band’s previous single and official video was ‘The Traveller (Into The Light)’, about which Downes commented: “The first track off the album is a high-power energy piece, with a few elements of prog trickery but retaining the accessible chorus block, which was always a signature of Asia‘s music from the very beginning.
“Harry and I started working on this as one of the early ideas that seemed to come together very organically. Virgil‘s dynamic and innovative drum parts drive the piece along, while John‘s soaring guitars keep the momentum. Harry‘s vocals are commanding and my keyboard parts hold the wall of sound together. It’s a song of great optimism, mainly about looking forward to the future and travelling into the light. Play it loud!”
The album’s full tracklisting is: ‘The Traveller (Into The Light)’, ‘Change Of Heart’, ‘Arcadia’, ‘Is This The Life?’, ‘Tattoo Indigo (Part 1)’, ‘Tattoo Indigo (Part 2)’, ‘Tattoo Indigo (Part 3)’, ‘Life In The Sun’, ‘Hymn For The Fallen’, ‘Night And Day’, ‘Valencia (The Ghost Ship)’, ‘An Elegy’, ‘Chesapeake Bay (Featuring Steve Howe)’, ‘On A Winters Night’, ‘Echo Of You’ and ‘Tattoo Indigo (Part 3) (featuring Mike Portnoy) (Bonus Track)’. It is available to pre-order now.
Following a resurgence of live activity across the US, Japan, and Europe, Asia are looking forward to taking to the road again.
