Benbo

Multi-instrumentalist and cartoonist Benbo is set to release his new single Gravity Pulls Me Down 22nd September via PKLZD.

Tipped by Pigeons & Planes, Eddy Temple Morris and BBC Introducing, and co-signed by Cooking Vinyl, the former London resident has flown the capital to somewhere in the north of the UK that he will only describe as ‘The Bunker’, where he has amassed over four days worth of unreleased music over a vault of various hard drives.

Gravity Pulls Me Down, the first cut off his forthcoming mini-album Everything Is Fine is an off-kilter, psychedelic tinged alternative pop wonder and Ralph will be playing it on the Radio KC Indie Show on Sunday 13th August.

Speaking about the track, Benbo said, “It’s about depression I think, how you can be feeling high because for once everything is going lovely and then something happens to puncture your happy feeling and you’re on your way back down to the ground. Also there’s something in there about true love, I used to think it was about true love winning in the end but upon listening to it again I’m not sure whether it’s actually about the love in question being unrequited.”

Breaking off from a long-time quest to complete the perfect debut album, the reclusive artist Benbo will release his his new 9-track mini-album Everything is Fine – a meticulously-crafted 20-minute alt-pop journey through space-fuelled plans to escape personal and global disaster - on the 29th September. 





Also included on the promo CD’s is Bleep This aka F This one of the album’s most radio friendly tunes (in edited form) that highlights just how caustic a ninety second pop fix can be, when you put your heart and soul into it.

The release will feature collaborations from the likes of long-time Ralph's Life favourite Kat Five of Feral Five fame, writer A.K. Benedict (Doctor Who) and audio collector Gr3n (Cathay Tapes); plus production/mix by Marta Salogni (Frank Ocean/MIA) and mastering by Grammy-winner Mandy Parnell (Björk) and Bob Macciochi (DJ Shadow).

Mono Life

Now Ralph always likes to check out a band or artist with their very own rock dog and Mono Life (aka musician/DJ/producer Mark Osborne) from Hull fits the bill with the very lovely Beryl who's looking a bit mean and moody in the picture, kind of like her old man's brand of synth based, heavy beats.  These are well represented by the 'Mono Sound' EP due to be released 11th April.

Mono Sound is a highly addictive track with it's heavy beat pulsing throughout the track, accentuating the lighter almost dance-floor electronica and it has featured recently on local BBC Introducing.  

If this taster EP with superb remixes by Endoflevelbaddie, AbeZilla, Cat Sized Panda and Sham Getz is a reflection of the debut album due out later this year, we're in for a real treat.  Jen and Ally on BBC 1 Introducing were so impressed they gave Mono Life a spin on their show recently.




Here's a fascinating collaboration with fellow east coast producer Cat Sized Panda with Mono Life doing a 'Deep Space Remix' of Panda's track 'Seraphim'.  Self-styled knob twiddler Cat Sized Panda aka John Sorensen-Jones has also been the subject of some interest BBC Intro-wise with the release of a debut single and album.







Mono Life's sound was born in the 90's with diverse influences such as Orbital, Leftfield and DJ Shadow combining to bring to you a unique and often sci-fi infused sound, well represented by a track like 'Dark Star Theory' with its 'Blade Runner'-esque narrative.  Such is the quality of the track it managed to sneak its way onto BBC Radio 6's Tom Robinson 'Extra gems' track listing last week.







There's going to be launch party for the EP in @Fruit (62-63 Humber Street, Kingston-on-Hull) 8th March with a live performance by Mono Life and DJ sets by Robbo, Pete Robinson and Sizzle Sisters.  Get in there and get on the dance floor!

After that 'The Skull' will be playing The Urban Bar in London's Whitechapel with Abezilla on the 30th March.