Benjamin Booker Returns: Benjamin Booker is back with new music after a seven-year hiatus, introducing “Lwa In the Trailer Park” from his upcoming album Lower. This track marks a departure from the blues-punk and Americana influences that defined his earlier albums. Booker has shifted towards a more experimental, noise-infused sound. Co-produced with Kenny Segal, the song pairs Booker’s melodic songwriting with raw, distorted drums and guitars. In hushed vocals, he sings, “No one will ever love me / I see the way they talk about people on this side of town.”

Benjamin Booker Returns with New Song

The release of “Lwa In the Trailer Park” comes with a striking music video created by Booker and Gerry Cisneros. The video follows Booker as he walks through a trailer park, eventually arriving at a building where a man is tied up inside. The video concludes with the first color shot: a close-up of a knife held in the air. Booker shared that the video was inspired by filmmaker Paul Schrader, whose focus on troubled characters deeply resonated with him. He also drew influence from Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le Samouraï and Charles Burnett’s Killer of Sheep while working on this project.

The Making of Lower

Lower, scheduled for release on January 24, 2025, follows Booker’s 2017 album Witness and his 2014 self-titled debut, both of which earned critical acclaim. Booker explained that finding the right sound for this album was a personal challenge. “I wanted to get to this sound, but I didn’t know how,” he said. “At some point, I decided I’d either find it or die trying.” He collaborated with Kenny Segal, known for his work with rapper Billy Woods, sending song files back and forth via email while living in Australia. According to Booker, Segal provided the missing piece that completed the project.

Tour and Future Plans

To promote Lower, Booker has announced a series of tour dates beginning February 2, 2025, at the Soda Bar in San Diego and ending March 7 at Siberia in New Orleans. Segal will accompany him throughout the tour. Reflecting on his creative process, Booker expressed optimism about the future. “I don’t know what I’ll do next, but now I know if I can imagine it, I can make it happen.”