Walt Disco: Fresh adventures, muscular music and touring with OMD
Walt Disco singer Jocelyn Si is waxing lyrical about RAK Studios. The legendary London outlet has seen its share of top records cut beneath its roof over the years, but for the star, it offered something more to them and their bandmates when they regrouped in pursuit of new ground.
“For me, it feels like a limitless world of possibility when you’re in the studio,” they say, charmed grin stretching out behind the camera.
“One hundred percent. I’m sad it’s kind of only ever once a year! I wish it was basically every month that we got to do it.”
Greater things are to come from the Glasgow glamtronica favourites.
For now, the single Coupe de foudre - effectively “thunderbolt”, or “love at first sight”, depending on your French - has laid a down platform that the band hope can help take them on fresh adventures - and perhaps unknown quarters.
“This is sexy, chaotic,” Si notes. “The sound is quite muscular. We’ve experimented with that before, but we’ve used different sounds to try and achieve it.
“We’ve relied more on electronic matters. I think we were really interested to see how much we could rely on the sound we just make in a room as a band.”
Walt Disco’s return to the studio comes after a lengthy stint on the road over the past few years supporting British synth titans Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, on both sides of the Atlantic.
Si waxes lyrical about Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, and admits shared time has offered a learning curve.
“We aspire to that level,” they say. “We always have. When you get so much better at working with the people that you’re meant to work with, it becomes hard to imagine doing that with anybody else.”
They are more ambiguous on whether the experience has shaped the band’s approach to their craftsmanship.
“Maybe the writing hasn’t been accessible enough before, but we’ve still had that dream. It feels more tangible right now.”
The band’s trip across two continents has opened their eyes, particularly in the position where they can help make-or-break the evening of punters waiting to be converted. Si points to OMD’s own fandom as inspiration for their efforts.
“There’s not a doubt in my mind that they wouldn’t be touring unless the fans gave them the desire to do so,” they add.
“I think one of the first things they said to us is that the audience makes the show. It’s a wonderful experience, when everyone is on the same wavelength.”
Time is up, with a spin for the new single once more. Do they fear the risk of losing their identity?
Si tilts their head. “We don’t want to lose that sprinkle, but… it’s got to be a sprinkle, more than a weight. It feels like we’ve been searching for this band for a long time.
They grin again, this time coy with a nudge.
“We’ve not quite found it before, but we’ve got our finger on it now.”
Walt Disco play at Hebden Bridge Trades Club on Saturday (Jun 27).