Romattic take the traditional love song somewhere considerably messier on ‘Candy Smoking’, an infectious alt-rock exploration of obsession, romantic status and knowing a relationship is doomed but refusing to walk away.
The song follows a character hopelessly devoted to a woman despite increasingly loud warnings from friends and family that his feelings aren't being returned. Crucially, he knows they might be right. “She's stripping off my senses, but I don't want to believe that,” he admits, capturing the uncomfortable contradiction at the track's centre.
Formed by singer-songwriter Theodor Andreas Halmrast and now operating as a collaboration with producer Tommy Duong, Romattic combines contemporary alt-pop and rock with nostalgic 80s and 90s textures and flashes of classic-rock influence.
Catchy, knowingly uncomfortable and refreshingly cynical, ‘Candy Smoking’ turns romantic desperation into a sharp commentary on why we sometimes cling to love long after it stops loving us back.
Have a listen to 'Candy Smoking' in the player below.