Holland’s favorite instro-rock trio, The Space Age Travellers bounce back in 2022 with Satellite Shuffle. Showcasing a dozen new and original instrumentals, the album is a perfect showcase for Space Age Travellers founder, lead guitarist and principal composer BJ Baartmans. With BJ and co-producer and drummer / percussionist Sjoerd van Bommel leading the attack, the pair are joined by electric / acoustic bass player Gerco Aerts.

The 12-track Satellite Shuffle is a solid follow up to the band’s 2019 CD debut @Ventures In The Shadows as well as their 2020 release Spaceology. Every track here is memorable but clearly, the appropriately named lead-off track, the pandemic-era inspired “Cabin Fever”, is dazzling in a very Hank Marvin-inspired way.

By January 2022 the pandemic and lockdown was still impacting the music scene in Holland yet, with the band itching to get back in the recording studio, a new and refined Space Age Travellers sound began to emerge. With the band’s high-octane instrumental surf-noir sound presented in its full force, Satellite Shuffle retains their classic Euro-tinged guitar sound.

In various interviews BJ Baartmans has said that chief among his guitar influences are Bill Frisell, Ry Cooder, Jeff Beck, Wes Montgomery, Duane Eddy, Hank B. Marvin and others, yet hearing the music perfectly coalesce on Satellite Shuffle makes for an authentic listening experience. Even though Satellite Shuffle took just weeks to arrange and record, the album is meticulously crafted with the sound literally transcending musical genres and styles.

Satellite Shuffle still retains the band’s trademark vibe, yet the recording quality is better than ever with every nuance coming through loud and clear in the mix. With a dozen future guitar classics, Satellite Shuffle is clearly the best Space Age Travellers album yet.