The first single from his forthcoming album, 'i love you on the internet'.
Melbourne indie, noise-folk experimentalist walt has unveiled the cinematic, chilling new single ‘lightfoot’ ahead of their debut album, set to be released at the end of this year.
The solo studio project of Alex, walt is built from a diverse genre palette, marrying ‘60s pop with post-punk influences.
An atmospheric voyage, the four-minute and 27-second track opens eerily before building in momentum and intensity, backed throughout by Alex’s delicate vocals and chilling harmonies.
Guided by a cinematic style of songwriting and immersive instrumentation, ‘lightfoot’ mixes swirls of synths, steady percussion and hypnotic melodies, while meticulous production pulls it all together for an escalating, intense ride.
Crafting something truly magnificent (and utterly unique), the soundscapes alone have us mesmerised while influences like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Beatles, Throwing Muses and Shellac surge and flourish throughout the track. While the vocal delivery is instantly engaging, this track is one where the true meaning comes from the instrumentation, rather than in the lyrics.
“In terms of lyrical meaning, I don’t really understand too much what I’m talking about on ‘lightfoot’, the lyrics came out very quickly and I was just reacting to some images in my head and different ideas of motion,” Alex says. “I think the clearest idea of what I was trying to achieve was just this idea of pushy but blissed-out motion.”
Starting out as a four-piece noise band five years ago, walt has evolved, invoking an entirely new dynamic as a solo studio project, allowing multi-instrumentalist Alex to expand his creative ideas into a more slowed down, acoustic version of himself.
“I write, record and perform everything on this track and the upcoming album, except for some great fiddle playing by James Titherington on the last track ‘Omayra’,” Alex explains. “I think it’ll keep being a solo studio project and I’ll get a live band together when the world finishes ending and gigs start up again.”
The track was mixed by Aden Senycia (Flower Drums, Munik, Nicholas Allbrook etc.) and mastered by William Bowden (Gotye, The Living End and our Kylie), alongside Jessicca Bennett who tracked the drums at Love Shack Studios in Footscray.
Sombre and haunting, yet strangely beautiful, ‘lightfoot’ is a transcendent slow burn. It might take a few listens to digest it, but once you do, you will love it.
Check out ‘lightfoot’ below.
You can find walt on Spotify.
