English rock supergroup Asia returns with Indigo, its first studio album in 12 years

Asia’s history is almost too perfectly engineered to be true: four musicians drawn from major progressive-rock acts of the 1970s — John Wetton of King Crimson, Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), Steve Howe of Yes and Geoff Downes of the Buggles — came together in 1982 to form a supergroup that quickly became something much bigger.

Their self-titled debut reportedly sold as many as 80,000 copies a day. Talk about being in the “Heat of the Moment,” as the hit conquered MTV. Downes had already helped make history on the channel with the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” the first music video played on MTV. Roger Dean’s artwork also became inseparable from Asia’s visual identity.

Then came changes. Wetton gave way to John Payne on lead vocals as the 1980s became the 1990s, and Asia continued producing chorus-driven, highly melodic rock.

In 2006, the original four reunited for three albums and tours before members once again began peeling away. Wetton died in 2017, following the release of Asia’s 2014 studio album, Gravitas.

Cut to 2026, and Downes has Asia back in the studio with a new lineup and a substantial run of live performances behind it. Indigo is the band’s first studio offering in 12 years.

“The Traveller (Into the Light)” is a hot track. Frankly, it should have been held until the album arrived. There is a freshness to the mix and sound that gets lost somewhat in the YouTube video’s audio. Hearing it properly on the record makes a difference.

“Change of Heart” sounds almost as though some of the same presets from 1982 have been pulled back off the shelf. There’s nothing wrong with that. Then comes “Arcadia,” a track that could have opened the record — or ended it, given how strong it is. There’s a Top Gun soundtrack quality to it, and given Asia’s pedigree, it’s right in the pocket.

“Is This the Life?” contains perhaps the best melody on the record. The almost-title track, the epic “Tattoo Indigo,” takes things somewhere else. Divided into three parts, it finds Asia at its most progressive, moving through jazz-blues and fusion territory. Guitarist John Mitchell delivers some Steve Hackett-like bends towards the end, while drummer Virgil Donati gets a terrific showcase.

The second part of “Tattoo Indigo” especially evokes Wetton. That should come as no surprise: despite his death in 2017, Wetton is credited as a co-writer. The three-part piece clocks in at exactly 11 minutes.

“Life of the Sun” brings solid, soaring guitar work, while “Hymn for the Fallen” continues the journey.

“Night and Day” is anthemic Asia. “Valencia (The Ghost Ship)” takes a different route, particularly in its narrative lyrics. Rhythmically, it may be the most Yes-sounding track on the record. An Elegy is a fine interlude that could have worked as an introduction to “On a Winter’s Night.”

“Chesapeake Bay”, featuring original member Steve Howe, may be the fullest example of Harry Whitley embodying Wetton’s spirit. It’s a good track, and one of the moments when the band’s history feels particularly close without simply becoming nostalgia. “On a Winter’s Night” delivers more majestic material, reminiscent of some of the longer, grander pieces from the Wetton reunion albums of 2006 and 2012.

Vocalist Whitley is a fine example of a next-generation performer finding his place in an established band. Asia had been around for 13 or 14 years when Whitley was born in 1995.

Then comes “Echo of You.” This may be the best-sounding track on the record. Along with “The Traveller (Into the Light),” it proves Asia remains relevant to music in 2026 in a way that goes beyond simply putting the old logo back on a new album.

“Imagine Indigo” had to be a 44-minute, two-sided vinyl record. What makes the cut? What doesn’t? It would make for a nice, tight collection.

Indigo sprawls a little. But hey — it’s been more than a decade since the last studio album.

Asia is not really an album-experience band in the same way Yes can be. A few of the Payne-era albums reached the point where it was about the album rather than the individual songs, but early Asia was built on singles: “Heat of the Moment,” “Go, Only Time Will Tell,” “Don’t Cry” and even 2012’s “Face on the Bridge.”

Indigo seems to be a bit of both. There are the radio-ready songs, but also longer, more experimental pieces that allow the musicians to stretch. That is the most interesting thing about this new collection.

Original member Downes may be one of the best examples of a progressive-rock artist from an earlier era adapting to the digital-file age. In 2026, three distinct Downes projects are arriving: new albums from Asia and Yes, along with Trauma, the sixth album from the Downes Braide Association.

This collection also underlines how important Downes and Wetton were as writing partners — a duo capable of locking into great tunes time and again, as in sync as Lennon and McCartney or Jagger and Richards. A third part of “Tattoo Indigo,” featuring Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater on drums, is also available as a bonus track.

Indigo fits completely into the Asia aura, if you will. The Payne-era albums were good stuff, but there was always that longing for Wetton, Palmer, Howe and Downes.

Indigo doesn’t erase or replace either chapter of the band’s history. Instead, it shows how Asia can sound when its history is allowed to evolve.

Asia’s new album, Indigo, arrives Nov. 6.

Watch the official video for Arcadia here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy9wwFKJSPw.

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