Blasting off on a dance rock hybrid fueled by old-school synths as well as movies like Gravity and Planet Earth re-runs, it might seem like Moonwalker hail from a different universe altogether at first listen. That’s precisely the charm of this New York quartet—Rob Crews [vocals], Mark Neidhardt [guitar], Bryan Witt [bass].
“We really love atmospheric sounds,” explains Mark. “For this band, much of the writing took place while watching outer space movies and nature documentaries. That really gave the music a different dynamic. The name says it all. It takes this space fascination and ties it into the dance aspect.”
Moonwalker first came to life in January 2017. Rob and Mark had just dissolved their previous band Reckless Serenade. In addition to playing Warped Tour 2016, the musicians spent three years cultivating a devout fan base with a series of independent releases, including the Out Here EP. The latter yielded the viral track “Pretty Monster,” which amassed over 166K Spotify streams. Along the way, Reckless Serenade earned praise from Alternative Press, AXS, and many more.
As the group amicably parted ways, Rob and Mark linked up with Bryan and Jake, bonding over a shared vision.
“We were all on the same page,” Mark continues. “We wanted to see how far we could take this. Everybody had the same mindset of taking things super seriously and not messing around.”
Within a month of joining forces, the four band mates found themselves in Toronto’s Rattlebox Studios with producer Brian Moncarz [Circa Survive, Silverstein]. Moving at light speed, they cut their first three songs.
“We didn’t want to lose any momentum by taking too long,” adds Rob. “We totally bypassed the whole analysis-paralysis phase, dove right in, and started to figure out the strengths of the band while we were grinding it out.”
Idobi debuted the cinematic anthem “The Way of the Future” with its lush instrumentation, intergalactic infectiousness, and expansive vocal delivery which, as Rob puts it, “Explores the complexities of being human.”
Premiering via The Huffington Post in April, “The Show” illuminates the bright and brilliant bombast at the heart of Moonwalker. Shimmering keys give away to robust guitars and an unshakable refrain, introducing their singular style in the process.
“The lyrics are about the importance of surrender sometimes,” admits Rob. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been writing a story of how I thought my life was going to go and things should happen. It’s changed a million times. If you let go, it’s a little easier to take on life. It’s a love note to just surrendering to how crazy everything can be.”
Meanwhile, “Seeker” gallops along on an energetic groove awash in spacey textures, evincing the group’s strengths.