‘Drank and Kites and Tomorrow’ is the new single by Australian outfit perth, taken from their forthcoming sophomore album "What’s Your Utopia?" (Nov. 14th 2013).

There’s a triumphant yet subtle majesty to ‘Drank and Kites and Tomorrow’ as the track summons forth glowing brass arrangements, reverb-drenched vocals and skittering breakbeats crafted from found sounds. What begins as an addictive dream-pop tune with a wonderfully bucolic atmosphere builds into a krautrock jam reminiscent of Neu! and Caribou if they’d used ocarina and Casiotone. This opening to their forthcoming sophomore album is a delicious portal into perth’s incandescent musical universe.

perth’s new album "What's Your Utopia?" (Nov. 14th 2013)  manages to meld psychedelic pop, folk-laced electronica and shoegaze into a beautifully cohesive statement – a tribute to the idea of a fond place, or utopia, quietly residing in 'no place', beyond ourselves. The band’s magic lies in their ability to refract the individual members' unique sensibilities through an experimental lens.

Free Download

perth - 'Drank and Kites and Tomorrow'

Contour - Magpies

Written by Dear Desert
Produced by Darragh Nolan (Sacred Animals) and Dear Desert

Give It Up

buy it here: http://spacerecordings.bandcamp.com

Voyager

NEW SINGLE When We Touch streaming everywhere now: https://smarturl.it/streamwhenwetouch

Instagram: bit.ly/2RMNl58

Benny Smiles is an Irish synthwave/retrowave producer based in London. Favouring electronic instruments, vintage synthesisers and drum machines, his most recent work nods to M83, Neon Indian, and Com Truise. Think Stranger Things / Drive / Hotline Miami soundtracks and you’re most of the way there.

“When We Touch” marks Benny's fourth release, and is the first single from his forthcoming “Fearless Leadership” EP. It follows the "Hotline Miami 2 EP”, which is featured in the cult video game Hotline Miami 2 and in Spotify’s Retrowave / Outrun editorial playlist, both of which have helped to garner an international audience and more than 5 million streams of the EP across various platforms.

Benny’s latest material follows a period of focus on his work in studio engineering, building his knowledge of old school recording techniques and equipment in some legendary recording studios, and learning first hand from some of the world’s most renowned record producers, songwriters, and artists. Having cultivated a collection of vintage analogue synthesisers and audio processors along the way, he now returns with a newfound appreciation for sonics, analogue imperfection, and the soul that lives in electronic instruments.

Prompted by the tongue-in-cheek artwork, the most pressing question about the Fearless Leadership EP thus far has been “is your face really that small?” And the answer is... it could be.

Benny Smiles has supported artists including London Grammar and Ghostpoet, and performed at festivals including Electric Picnic, Indiependence, Castlepalooza, and Ireland Music Week.

Hotline Miami Theme

Red Lights

Garden Of Eden

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3ezMUFp

Instagram: https://bit.ly/2RMNl58

Benny Smiles is an Irish synthwave/retrowave producer based in London. Favouring electronic instruments, vintage synthesisers and drum machines, his most recent work nods to M83, Neon Indian, and Com Truise. Think Stranger Things / Drive / Hotline Miami soundtracks and you’re most of the way there.

“When We Touch” marks Benny's fourth release, and is the first single from his forthcoming “Fearless Leadership” EP. It follows the "Hotline Miami 2 EP”, which is featured in the cult video game Hotline Miami 2 and in Spotify’s Retrowave / Outrun editorial playlist, both of which have helped to garner an international audience and more than 5 million streams of the EP across various platforms.

Benny’s latest material follows a period of focus on his work in studio engineering, building his knowledge of old school recording techniques and equipment in some legendary recording studios, and learning first hand from some of the world’s most renowned record producers, songwriters, and artists. Having cultivated a collection of vintage analogue synthesisers and audio processors along the way, he now returns with a newfound appreciation for sonics, analogue imperfection, and the soul that lives in electronic instruments.

Prompted by the tongue-in-cheek artwork, the most pressing question about the Fearless Leadership EP thus far has been “is your face really that small?” And the answer is... it could be.

Benny Smiles has supported artists including London Grammar and Ghostpoet, and performed at festivals including Electric Picnic, Indiependence, Castlepalooza, and Ireland Music Week.

Fearless Leadership

When We Touch

The When We Touch (Reworks) EP showcases three diverse Irish talents, each lending a unique and creative reimagining of Benny Smiles' single. Ex-Le Galaxie synth maestro Fakenamé delivers a floor shaking Italo-Disco interpretation, with lyrical themes around physicality and human connection that feel particularly resonant in the era of Covid-19. Former Enemies band member and producer EHCO treats us to an awe inspiring filmic rework that would make Jon Hopkins proud, while indie-pop junkie Dashoda references the bass tones of New Order’s Peter Hook to bring us a Twin Shadow infused daydream. On the experience of hearing such fascinating and intensely musical reinterpretations of his work, Benny says: “It’s amazing. Truly as close as I’ll come to smelling my own farts through someone else’s nose.”

Philip White’s tongue-in-cheek artwork for When We Touch has prompted some hilarious reactions on social media, while his new cover for the Reworks collection seems to take the gag a step further.

Benny's latest release follows a period of focus on his work in studio engineering, building a knowledge of old school recording techniques and equipment in some legendary recording studios, and learning first hand from some of the world’s most renowned record producers, songwriters, and artists. Having cultivated a collection of vintage analogue synthesisers and audio processors along the way, he now returns with a newfound appreciation for sonics, analogue imperfection, and the soul that lives in electronic instruments. Benny cites the Stranger Things and Drive soundtracks, along with artists from the Hotline Miami video games, as major influences on his new work. Fans should also expect to hear notes of Neon Indian, M83, and Com Truise.

______________________

EHCO: “It is unfortunate and painful that we can not touch in this time, physical human interaction is necessary to our existence, but this is temporary. I miss hugging the people I love, but taking a break from things we love, whether by choice or not, refreshes our senses, refreshes what it means to us. It may sound strange but this physical reset is one thing that I am grateful for amongst the difficult times we’re experiencing. Its going to be an unknown beauty for us all when we can be close to one another again.”

Dashoda: “Absolutely loved reworking Benny’s latest. Now, back to quarantine and doing laps of the garden!”

When We Touch Rework (Dashoda Remix)

Benny Smiles is an Irish synthwave/retrowave producer based in London. Favouring electronic instruments, vintage synthesisers and drum machines, his most recent work nods to M83, Neon Indian, and Com Truise. Think Stranger Things / Drive / Hotline Miami soundtracks and you’re most of the way there.


“When We Touch” marks Benny’s fourth release, and is the first single from his forthcoming “Fearless Leadership” EP. It follows the “Hotline Miami 2 EP”, which is featured in the cult video game Hotline Miami 2 and in Spotify’s Retrowave / Outrun editorial playlist, both of which have helped to garner an international audience and around 5 million streams of the EP across various platforms.


Benny’s latest material follows a period of focus on his work in studio engineering, building his knowledge of old school recording techniques and equipment in some legendary recording studios, and learning first hand from some of the world’s most renowned record producers, songwriters, and artists. Having cultivated a collection of vintage analogue synthesisers and audio processors along the way, he now returns with a newfound appreciation for sonics, analogue imperfection, and the soul that lives in electronic instruments.


Prompted by the tongue-in-cheek artwork, the most pressing question about the Fearless Leadership EP thus far has been “is your face really that small?” And the answer is… it could be.


Benny Smiles has supported artists including London Grammar and Ghostpoet, and performed at festivals including Electric Picnic, Indiependence, Castlepalooza, and Ireland Music Week.



INDUBLIN.IE: “First [at Hard Working Class Heroes festival], to the Workman’s Club for one-man electro wonder machine Benny Smiles. Infectiously upbeat loops, guitar, and Bowie-esque vocals, with the occasional healthy dose of slap bass was warmly met by the crowd. Yet it was Smiles’ stage presence that really endeared him to those present. Informing us early in the set he had foolishly taken a valium to help fight off a flu; if he is this good when sick and under the influence you can only image how good he is when on top form. A definite highlight of the festival, how this guy isn’t already huge is a mystery.”

 
GOLDENPLEC: “[Somehow Yours Do] is a beauty of a track with hypnotising synths and a captivating video”

 
NIALLER9: “Benny Smiles has given me one of my favourite tracks of the last month already with ‘Sunday Morning’”

 
PUFFERFISH: “Playful, fun, fucking awesome… Benny Smiles is making funky electronic music that you can really enjoy. And we mean really enjoy.”

CHASSEUR MAGAZINE: “Benny is by far the most charming, energetic, addictive, unique and pleasurable acts of the [Hard Working Class Heroes] festival so far. He asks everyone to take “seven steps forward” and then proceeds to move and shake across the stage, never missing a note. The audience are in the palm of his hand throughout, truly captivated by his inescapable talent, showing many of the bands how it is done. Industry execs must be salivating at the prospects he presents.”

 
HOTPRESS: “‘Moonlight’ featuring Ham Sandwich’s Niamh Farrell is radio-friendly whimsy at its finest. Known to his postman as Ross Fortune, this shapeshifting musicmaker has covered a whole lot of musical ground…barely stepping a foot wrong”

 
GOLDENPLEC: “With [Sunshine / Moonlight] Benny Smiles shows that he is a diverse and talented artist. His willingness to use different instrumentation and sounds results in tracks that are varied and unique and aurally tantalizing. It is solid proof that he doesn’t have to rely on novelty to grab an audience’s attention.”

 
AOIFE MC RTÉ 2XM: “[‘Sunday Morning’ is] definitely, definitely my favourite of the whole podcast [Nialler9 Podcast 39]…it’s so much fun!”


bennysmilesmusic[at]gmail[dot]com

When We Touch Rework (Dashoda Remix)

Benny Smiles

Related tracks