bennytheghost is one of the most outstanding rising names in pop music lately. His wild sound and amazing vocals have earned him acclaim from Sir Elton John and Zane Lowe. He’s also rocked the stage alongside major indie talents, including his long-time collaborators KiNG MALA, Upsahl, Tiffany Day, Hippo Campus, Remi Wolf, Still Woozy, Sam Austins, and Duckworth.
At an earlier stage in his career, his sound was more in line with traditional indie pop expectations. However, in recent times, his artistic name is proving to have been right all along, as he’s making moves, evolving towards a darker, edgier horror-inspired sound that nonetheless retains a fun and even absurdist slant.
Representing the aforementioned shift in his vibe, his newest track, “ANIMAL”, shows exactly what this new sound is all about, blending incisive commentary in his lyricism with a dark, infectious beat. The track was assembled in collab with none other than KiNG MALA, and it features a dystopian narrative in a world gone mad over profit where capitalism runs rampant.
“I take massive inspiration from JOJI whose songs are also incredibly dramatic and heartbreaking, while his character is so goofy, aloof, mysterious, and funny. A dichotomy that houses those two opposites is so compelling to me; that’s where I want to live,” Says the artist.
Musically, the track jumps out at you with its heavy, dark synth-wave vibes, particularly at the beginning, right before the track explodes into a pop kaleidoscope with exuberant vocals and enthralling hooks. “ANIMAL,” as I think you’d expect, features a strong, compelling beat and a raw, sensuous energy in its entire runtime. As the track ends, we’re left with a sinister synth outro with a familiar chord progression, one that will have you conjuring up images of 80s slasher films and 60s Universal Monsters alike. It’s just all-around the best song to welcome some Halloween vibes into your life this year.
Photos / Clement Thomas