Far Caspian

With his new album Autofiction, Joel Johnston aka Far Caspian deals with personal lows – and finds new strength. After his Crohn's diagnosis in 2021, he struggled with the new reality of life, accompanied by OCD and anxiety. Songwriting became a tool for him to deal with the illness. ‘I don't let any of this rule my life anymore,’ he says. The song Lough puts it in a nutshell: ‘Your mind changed from a fear to a song’ – a feeling of liberation.

The lyrics are more open and direct than ever – about mental health, self-acceptance, healing and grateful relationships. ‘I just wanted to be understood,’ says Johnston. That's why this time he let go of perfectionism and self-criticism and wrote intuitively: ‘If it feels good, it's good enough.’ The result is his most honest album – made for himself, not for the audience.

After the debut Ways To Get Out, Johnston founded the label Tiny Library Records and built his own studio in Leeds. There he also produced other acts - a creative break from Far Caspian that kept him inspired. At the beginning of 2025, he returned to his own songs with a fresh outlook and produced Autofiction entirely by himself.

Musically, the album moves between melancholic indie pop and lively guitar sounds - influenced by bands such as Broken Social Scene or Supercar. Highlights such as First Day or An Outstretched Hand are personal declarations of love to his partner, who even sings on the title track. In Whim, Johnston looks back on a spontaneous night drive with friends – a moment that symbolises hope and mindfulness for him today.

With Autofiction, Johnston has found his way back to himself – and to the joy of music. It is an album about acceptance, courage and the decision not to live in fear, but in the now. With new music in his luggage, Far Caspian is now returning to Berlin for an exclusive concert.

Monday, September 22
Kuppelhalle
Doors: 7 pm / Start: 8 pm
Tickets