Glasgow’s Walt Disco today release brand new single and video “Jocelyn” via Lucky Number, the third track to emerge from their forthcoming second album The Warping, out June 14th following the band’s ‘cynical disco banger’ “You Make Me Feel So Dumb” and their wistful comeback single “Pearl”. The band also today announce a November headline tour of the UK and Europe with dates including Glasgow’s SWG3 Warehouse and London’s Bush Hall
“Jocelyn” is a tender meditation on childhood, identity and the parent-child connection. Taking the form of a dreamlike conversation between co-songwriter and singer Jocelyn Si and their mother, “Jocelyn” digs into the isolation of hiding a part of yourself and the euphoria of allowing it to shine through. The track, says its namesake, is “about recognising the version of yourself that you love. And it’s not always easy to have that be the one that faces the world.”
“Lyrically it’s a dreamlike internal conversation between my mother and I, from small talk to mannerisms I’ve had since childhood. Such conversations come to mind when you change your name and gender; but it doesn’t erase these memories. I hope to live in a world where parents can allow themselves to understand the upset they may feel when a child makes this decision but can love and support them all the same “
The band adds; “Everyone has a side of themselves that at some point, or maybe always, they feel they need to keep hidden away. This track explores the isolation of hiding a part of yourself and the euphoria of the times when you can let it out. The despairing lyrical matter of the verses opens into the joyous choruses, it’s meant to feel transformative to represent the idea of leaving your shame in the past and finding the strength to start anew.”
Written on both sides of the Atlantic, from Los Angeles and Austin to Glasgow and London, ‘The Warping’ is a significant step forward from a band who have already seen strong success with debut album Unlearning. On The Warping, deft lyricism takes in deeply personal issues and writes them large, transposing feelings of envy, fear, joy and hope out of individual experiences. Yearning for another self is a recurring dream on The Warping, as they explore gender dysphoria and envy with radical honesty, accepting them as two tangled threads in the same experience.
Taking the cinematic glam of their debut and pushing it further, the band brought in classically trained orchestral musicians. Sonically, the horns, woodwind and swelling string sections lend an entirely new level to the Walt Disco sound – one that feels both fantastically organic and technically accomplished. While the foundations were laid during pre-album recording sessions at Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music’s studio the songs themselves largely come together in collaboration. The Warping was co-produced by the band and Chris McCrory, with engineering from The Vale studios’ Chris D’Adda, and the instrumentation is almost entirely analogue.
Speaking about the new album the band explain “With ‘The Warping’ we explore themes of change, growth and dealing with the complex struggles that feature in anyone’s life. It feels like our most biographical body of work yet, listening to it now is like looking at a snapshot of a moment in time for us as people and as a band.”
They continue; “This album is a roadmap of our vulnerabilities in a way, but it feels good to be so honest with our music and lay everything on the table with both our lyrics and arrangements. That acceptance of one’s emotions and honesty with oneself is what we’d hope people can take away from listening to ‘The Warping’.”
‘The Warping’ Tracklist:
Seed
Gnomes
Come Undone
The Warping
You Make Me Feel So Dumb
Pearl
Black Chocolate
Jocelyn
The Captain
Weeping Willow
I Will Travel
Before The Walls
Pre-order/pre-save The Warping here: https://found.ee/thewarping
WALT DISCO HEADLINE TOUR
10/11/24 – Leeds, UK – The Wardrobe
11/11/24 – Manchester, UK – YES
13/11/24 – Nottingham, UK – Bodega
14/11/24 – Birmingham, UK – Institute 3
15/11/24 – Bristol, UK – Rough Trade
16/11/24 – Brighton, UK – Dust
18/11/24 – Hamburg, Germany – Nochtspeicher
19/11/24 – Cologne, Germany – Blue Shell
21/11/24 – Frankfurt, Germany – Brotfrabik
22/11/24 – Berlin, Germany – Prachtwerk
23/11/24 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Bitterzoet
26/11/24 – Paris, France – Hasard Ludique
28/11/24 – London, UK – Bush Hall
29/11/24 – Newcastle, UK – Zerox
30/11/24 – Glasgow, UK – SWG3 Warehouse
UPCOMING LIVE DATES SUPPORTING OMD:
09/09/24 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
11/09/24 – Vancouver BC – Orpheum
12/09/24 – Seattle WA – Moore Theatre
13/09/24 – Portland OR – Roseland Theater
15/09/24 – Oakland CA – Fox Theater
17/09/24 – Las Vegas NV – House of Blues
19/09/24 – Los Angeles CA – Greek Theatre
20/09/24 – Los Angeles CA – Greek Theatre
21/09/24 – San Diego CA – Balboa Theatre
24/09/24 – Salt Lake City UT – Union Events Center
25/09/24 – Denver CO – Paramount Theatre
27/09/24 – Dallas TX – Majestic Theater
28/09/24 – Austin TX – The Moody Theater @ ACL Live
29/09/24 – Houston TX – Bayou Music Center
4/10/24 – Minneapolis MN – First Avenue
5/10/24 – Chicago IL – Riviera Theatre
6/10/24 – Royal Oak MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
8/10/24 – Toronto ON – History
9/10/24 – Cleveland OH – House of Blues
10/10/24 – New York NY – Terminal 5
12/10/24 – Huntington NY – The Paramount
13/10/24 – Boston MA – House of Blues
15/10/24 – Glenside PA – Keswick Theatre
16/10/24 – Washington DC – Lincoln Theatre
18/10/24- Atlanta GA – Buckhead Theater
19/10/24 – Orlando FL – The Plaza Live
20/10/24 – St Petersburg FL – Jannus Live
Festival dates
20/05/24 – Leipzig, Germany, Wave Gotik Treffen
01/06/24- Leeds, UK – This Must Be The Place All Dayer
02/06/24 – London, UK – Mighty Hoopla
9+10/06/24 -Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark – Frigjort Festival
Connect with Walt Disco:
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Photo credit – Izzy Leach