🎙 Episode 7 – “The Conjuring Tapes”: When Found Footage Finds You

Ever wonder what would happen if you popped in an old VHS… and saw yourself staring back? This week, we’re diving headfirst into the cursed, claustrophobic world of The Conjuring Tapes, the indie found footage anthology from Robert Livings and Randy Nundlall Jr. that turns déjà vu into pure dread.

Two women cleaning out a late friend’s belongings discover a stack of unmarked tapes — but these aren’t just ghostly home videos. Each one shows them living out different horrors: séance gone wrong, influencer ghost hunts, cult encounters… all captured in unsettlingly crisp 4:3 footage. The question isn’t just what’s on the tapes — it’s why they’re in them.

We’ll break down how stars Brenda Yanez and Samantha Laurenti seamlessly shift between alternate selves, why the shaky handheld visuals feel more voyeuristic than chaotic, and how the film’s slow-burn pacing pays off in psychological paranoia rather than gore. Plus, we’ll talk about that nesting-doll narrative that folds reality in on itself like an M.C. Escher nightmare.

So grab your popcorn (and maybe a crucifix) as we hit play on The Conjuring Tapes — the horror anthology that might just make you afraid of your own reflection on tape.

In this episode, Asteria Echoes dives into Prima Queen’s debut album The Prize, celebrating the London duo’s seamless blend of old-school indie rock charm and fresh, emotionally charged storytelling. Hosts explore how Louise Macphail and Kristin McFadden craft witty yet vulnerable portraits of modern relationships across eleven tracks, from the empowering title song to fan favorites like Mexico and upbeat breakup anthem Oats (Ain’t Gonna Beg). They unpack the album’s thematic core of self-worth, its playful touches in tracks like Meryl Streep, and the duo’s ability to balance intimacy with infectious hooks. Drawing comparisons to peers like The Big Moon and influences such as Laura Marling, the discussion praises The Prize as a confident, consistent debut that cements Prima Queen’s place in the UK indie scene and hints at an even brighter future.

In Episode 5 of Asteria Echoes, host Atanaria dissects Prime Video's "The Pickup," a lackluster buddy action comedy starring Eddie Murphy as a veteran armored truck driver and Pete Davidson as his bumbling rookie partner. Hijacked by Keke Palmer's scheming heist mastermind for a $60 million casino score, the film promises thrills but delivers stale chases, wasted cameos (including Marshawn Lynch and Roman Reigns), and zero laughs—despite Murphy's recent successes like Dolemite Is My Name. Tune in for our breakdown of the script's napkin-level quality, mismatched genres, and why this 94-minute dud earns a dismal 3.5/10. Is this the worst movie of this year? We discuss!