Brooklyn-based independent alt-rocker Moon Walker has done the thing that independent artists are supposed to dream about but rarely pull off: he made the album he’s been wanting to make since he first wore out his copies of “The Wall” and “The Black Parade.” WASTELAND COUNTRY, his fifth record in five years, is out today, and it lands with the kind of cinematic confidence usually reserved for artists three labels deep into a major rollout.

Speaking of labels — yes, that’s part of the news too. After independently releasing five records and quietly building a fanbase of 700K+ monthly Spotify listeners, 150M+ streams, and a TikTok footprint north of a million followers, Moon Walker has officially signed to 10K/Atlantic Records. Consider it less of a deal and more of a soft launch into the next phase of an already prolific career.

WASTELAND COUNTRY opens with “DISAPPEARING ACT,” a strings-led synth-rock overture that functions as a thesis statement for the entire record. “I knew I wanted something that set the tone and introduced the musical motif we hear throughout the record,” Moon Walker shares. “It ended up becoming super menacing, which I think makes it a very appropriate intro for this particular project.” Menacing is the right word — the track is eerie, theatrical, and unmistakably designed to be heard front-to-back.

Stream WASTELAND COUNTRY on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5HSv4G0KqBkfMrhz7nz5n9

Across eleven tracks — including the surprise-dropped fourth single “SANDBOX,” built from an out-of-tune piano and a low hum of broadcast news bleeding in from the background — Moon Walker and producer Harry Springer go full maximalist. Cinematic string sections (arranged by Martin Kutnar), stacked harmonies, wailing guitar solos, and bombastic arrangements stack on top of the biting social commentary fans have come to expect. “This album is everything that I enjoy, everything I do, and everything I am, to the highest possible extent,” Moon Walker says. “As a singer, guitar player, producer, songwriter and instrumentalist this is my best foot forward in every possible way.”

The record isn’t stopping at audio, either. A companion film, also titled WASTELAND COUNTRY and directed by Madison McConnell, arrives May 22. Starring Moon Walker alongside John Amedro as Mr. Jones, the film brings the album’s cast of characters into the visual world Moon Walker has been quietly building all along.

WASTELAND COUNTRY (LP) Tracklist:
1. DISAPPEARING ACT
2. HAPPY FACE
3. I DON’T WANNA BE SAVED
4. SANDBOX
5. YOU’RE NEXT
6. WASTELAND COUNTRY
7. SUPERNATIONALIST
8. NOT EVEN HUMAN
9. PARADE
10. THE WORLD YOU BUILT
11. EVERYBODY GOES TO HEAVEN

The final leg of Moon Walker’s high-octane U.S. tour kicks off May 31 in Lansing, MI at The Green Door, snaking through Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Omaha, Wichita, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Boise, Midvale, Colorado Springs, and wrapping June 21 in Denver at the Marquis. Given that this spring’s run racked up multiple sold-out nights, waiting on tickets is the kind of disappearing act you don’t want to pull.

Moon Walker Summer 2026 U.S. Tour Dates:
May 31 — Lansing, MI — The Green Door
June 2 — Chicago, IL — Subterranean
June 3 — Milwaukee, WI — X-Ray Arcade
June 4 — Minneapolis, MN — The Cedar
June 6 — Omaha, NE — Barnato
June 7 — Wichita, KS — The Wave
June 9 — Phoenix, AZ — Rebel Lounge
June 10 — Los Angeles, CA — Lodge Room
June 11 — San Francisco, CA — Bottom of the Hill
June 13 — Portland, OR — Hawthorne Theatre
June 14 — Seattle, WA — Vera Project
June 16 — Spokane, WA — The Chameleon
June 17 — Boise, ID — Shrine Social Club
June 18 — Midvale, UT — The Pearl on Main
June 20 — Colorado Springs, CO — Black Sheep
June 21 — Denver, CO — Marquis

WASTELAND COUNTRY is the sound of an artist who has been telling you exactly who he is for five albums straight, finally handed the keys to the big room — and immediately deciding to burn it down on his own terms. Press play, grab a ticket, and meet him in the wasteland.