With introductory singles ‘Mood’ and ‘Transformer’ inaugurating Romeo Walker as a prolific, experimental musical figurehead, Benjamin Witt (The Chemist, collaborator with Pond, Empire of The Sun & Meg Mac) has forged onward under the Walker moniker, delivering a smooth, Cuban-rock-fusion titled ‘Ketchup’, in preparation for his debut album ‘The Shape Up’.
Radiating warmth and vibrance from sultry guitar lines, paired with Cuban-inspired percussive elements grooving underneath, ‘Ketchup’ is luscious and oscillating. Inspired by rap and beat poetry, Romeo Walker spits surrealistic jive talk about foredoomed characters, who are compromised by their self-indulgence and oblivion.
Speaking openly about the new release, Romeo Walker explained, “‘Ketchup’ is a cautionary tale as old as time. You can find it in the bible or you can find it carved into the wall of a public bathroom cubicle. Reap what you sow, what goes around comes around, talk shit get hit etc. 'Ketchup' is informed by Cuban music, indie rock, hip hop, Chinese Erhu music and experimental music.”
Having shared connections with a multitude of artists over an already illustrious career, Romeo Walker rejoined close friend & producer Sam Ford (Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, POND, Abbe May) to record ‘Ketchup’ in parallel with his forthcoming debut album ‘The Shape Up’. Both were composed south of Perth, WA, allowing Walker to clear his mind of distractions; spending the evenings cooking, composing & recording. On return to the city, he joined Sam Ford at Tone City Recording and re-recorded the final iterations of the tracks. Unbridled authenticity flows throughout the record, made solely to satisfy Romeo Walker’s impulse to compose and create.
He continued, “The record was composed and the demos were recorded whilst I was living alone in Dawesville, about 90km south of Perth. I didn’t really know anyone nearby, so I was free from distraction. My nights consisted of cooking, & recording. I then re-recorded the songs at Tone City with one of my best buds, Sam Ford (engineer/co-producer), over a two week party. We then caught up when we could to finish off the mixes etc, this epoch is known as “the slog”. It’s a record made without any purpose other than satisfying the impulse to create. We only had one disagreement over the entire process."
Romeo Walker sees acclaimed Australian musician Benjamin Witt return with a collection of new songs and a further development of his exploratory approach to music. Renowned for initial work in The Chemist and two solo LPs (touring with Methyl Ethel & The Drones), demand for his studio prowess led to Pond, Empire of The Sun & Meg Mac, all seeking collaboration.
His debut album ‘The Shape Up’ is scheduled for an April 13th release. The record is a culmination of Walker’s influences, experiences and exploits throughout an on-going, illustrious career. Guided by psychedelic pop, experimental music, Ethiopian Jazz & Cuban grooves, the album forms a noir-esque, rock record to be released in collaboration with Perth label Tone City Records.
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