Walker & Royce Unveil New Label Series, SPLITS, with 2-Track EP
Walker & Royce have long conjured excitement with their every move – and their budding label, Rules Don’t Apply, promises the same buzz and brilliance. Today, the duo presents their latest creation in the form of SPLITS, a new RDA release series. SPLITS 001 is led by their Ardalan-collab project, Escapade, and features a reunion between VNSSA and Lenny Kiser.
Walker & Royce: “The idea came together one day in New York City when Ardalan was in town and Gavin took him all over the city – on an escapade. Ardalan and I started it in the studio, then sent it to Sam, who worked on it and finished it remotely. The idea started with deep movie quotes, particularly the movie “Taxi Driver”. We were originally trying to sample the line from the movie and ended up just re-recording it.
Walker & Royce have defined their career with three simple words: Rules Don’t Apply. This ethos is reflected in their genre-straddling studio output, and in their eponymous radio show, which puts other risk takers on display. Now, Walker & Royce take Rules Don’t Apply to new heights with its new record label. The SPLITS series offers two singles from two artists that are paired and released as an EP. A nod to DIY punk bands releasing split 7-inch records, RDA aims to keep that collaborative spirit alive.
On “Animals”, Walker & Royce and Ardalan form like Voltron to deliver a primal banger lathered with growls, thick lasers and searing synth licks. The track kicks off with an escalating progression, driven by a reverberating siren and nuanced whistles. “Animals” is more sample-driven than typical W&R releases, influenced by prodigal production up-and-comer, Ardalan. The collaboration embeds the feeling house lovers are eager to explore in the late hours – energizing listeners and dancefloors to keep pushing.
On “When Will I See You”, we witness yet another perfectly balanced collaboration from VNSSA & Lenny Kiser. Their memorable & iconic bass line is brilliantly complimented by Neon Super Black’s vocals. The track charms with melodic elements and arps, but channels a harder, driving energy.
“Lenny is very easy to work with,” said VNSSA. “He’s open to new ideas and making changes and is always willing to try something different, which I think is such an important quality to have as a producer. When you take chances and break the rules, that’s when the magic happens.”
Rules Don’t Apply is a fitting progression in Walker & Royce’s artistic journey. With a focus of quality and innovation regardless of genre or style, they can now focus their decade-plus of underground influence into nurturing the next generation of trendsetters.
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