Ramesh, the frontman of former indie-rock heroes Voxtrot, recently returned with sophomore album Eternal Spring, his first new album in eight years. We previously shared the lead single and title track and today we turn our focus to “Valentino.”
The track sees Ramesh tackle a more dance-friendly and electronic vibe, with a bit of an early LCD Soundsystem feel to it, with the spoken word-esque vocals that lead the charge. It’s a track that is inspired by Ramesh’s experiences in gay clubs and the contrast of going for a good time but also hoping to find something more. As he explains below:
The song is a stream-of-consciousness meditation on my many experiences in gay clubs — and in clubs in general — balancing the impulses of hedonism and the longing for deeper connection. When I first started going to legendary Glasgow club Optimo (Espacio) at age 19, I was blown away by the dark alien-sounding records they played…one prime example being Throbbing Gristle’s Hot on the Heels of Love; the mood felt sinister yet simultaneously filled with joy. I have experienced this same dualistic essence in most of my favorite clubs, such as Berlin’s Berghain | Panorama Bar and Paris’s now-defunct How to Kill the DJ. Sonically, this song is an homage to those places — it weaves through darkness and uncertainty, builds to an explosive climax, and finally resolves to a kind of peace, a letting go.
Find “Valentino” streaming now below and the entire album available to stream / purchase at Bandcamp.
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