ÄSTRA releases “Time Doesn’t Stop.” Credit to Mercado Negro.
Los Angeles, California (May 1, 2025)- There’s no slowing down, and no rewinding — that’s the message at the heart of “Time Doesn’t Stop,” the newest release from ÄSTRA, the genre-defying project of Colombian-born, Los Angeles-based artist Guillermo Morales Vitola. The track is a jolt to the system: raw guitar textures, insistent drums, and an unrelenting sense of forward motion that mirrors the frenzied tempo of everyday existence.
Written, produced, and recorded entirely by Morales, “Time Doesn’t Stop” is more than just another single — it’s a mission statement. Built on instinct and mood, not market trends, the song channels the pressure of modern life into a sonic burst that’s both tightly controlled and emotionally volatile. “I was just chasing a sound that felt alive,” Morales explains. “The lyrics came after — about the rush we live in every day.” That honesty bleeds through every note.
As the fourth and final single leading up to the upcoming album EXHIBIT 8 (out June 26), “Time Doesn’t Stop” marks a turning point for ÄSTRA. Though the track features vocals recorded with former collaborator Zach Adams, the project is now fully Guillermo’s — a one-man force with a singular vision and no interest in coloring inside the lines. What began as a creative outlet after years spent behind the scenes is now a fully-formed soundscape: brooding, propulsive, and deeply personal.
Previous singles “ABC,” “The Well,” and “Easy Ride” hinted at the contours of this sonic world, but “Time Doesn’t Stop” is where it crystallizes — hypnotic repetition meets existential tension in a way that demands attention. It’s music that lingers long after the last note, an echo of the anxiety and adrenaline that define life today.
With a background that includes collaborations with alt-rock giants Enrique Bunbury and Alfonso André, plus a thunderous debut at Mexico’s Vive Latino festival, Morales is no newcomer to ambitious artistry. But with EXHIBIT 8, he’s not angling for algorithmic approval or industry applause — he’s building something honest and lasting.
ÄSTRA is an invitation to feel deeply, to lose yourself in noise that actually means something. And with “Time Doesn’t Stop,” Guillermo Morales Vitola proves that sometimes, the most powerful music doesn’t try to chase the moment — it captures it as it is, chaotic and all.
EXHIBIT 8 arrives June 26. Until then, hit play on “Time Doesn’t Stop” — and don’t blink.
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