Waltzer - "Lantern"

“Lantern,” the new single from Chicago’s Waltzer, burns as brightly as its title suggests. The song is brimming with character through its deluge of buzzing guitars and lyrics that focus on the challenges of maintaining focus in a fast-paced world where so much commands our attention. After an ominous-sounding intro of harrowing riffs and pounding drums, the song veers into more spirited territory, as the anthemic chorus mixes in more raucous guitars, explosive waves of heady, noodling riffs, and a furious rhythm. The resulting sound is massive. Sophie Sputnik, the dynamic songwriter behind the project, injects some well-crafted, metaphorical lyrics that detail her experiences with attention deficit disorder, including comparing her focus to the song’s title: “my attention span is a swinging lantern beating up a blinded beetle.” The single is accompanied by an animated claymation-looking video, which is quite a trippy and fun ride. You can stream it below!

“Lantern” will appear on Waltzer’s debut album, Time Traveler, which is set for release on January 29th via Side Hustle Records. You can pre-order the record on limited edition red vinyl via Bandcamp. Stream the track on your platform of choice. Keep up with Waltzer by liking her on Facebook and following her on Instagram.

In 2020, the Sputnik launched Waltzer TV, a monthly streaming variety show. To celebrate the release of Time Traveler, the next episode of Waltzer TV will air on January 28th in conjunction with Baby TV, the online streaming series of New York City venue Baby’s All Right.

Last February, Waltzer sat down for a chat and performed a few stripped-down tracks live on the Look At My Records! radio program. You can revisit that episode here on the site or via Spotify.