A combination of electro and ambient by Dean De Benedictis and yet-to-emerge artist, Roarkyd.

Photo - Roarkyd

Joylean - (Surface 10 vs. Roarkyd = Roarface)

This piece is comprised of parts that Dean created for his second collaborative album with Deborah Martin as duo Desensitized. The instrument tracks he donates to that project end up sounding wildly different from their original form, so Dean decided to make his own track with them as an unreleased free download to fans. Grab it while it's enabled.

(Image by Dean De Benedictis in 1997)

(unreleased experiment 2021)

Prayos - Dean De Benedictis (unreleased)

There is actually a full set of these Brand-X-meets-Dean-De-Benedictis rehearsal sessions on YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQkRl31K5YE
This track is a rusty-but-good Brand X rehearsal in 2004, with Surface 10 (Dean De Benedictis) on keyboards.  Guitarist John Goodsall was the only original Brand X member present in this recording (the originals consisting of Percy Jones, Phil Collins and Robin Lumley).  This version of the song Nuclear Burn was one of a handful of songs recorded during 2004 rehearsals involving the newer line up.  

Personnel:
Guitar - John Goodsall
Bass - Mick Stevens
Drums - Brock Avery
Keyboards - Dean De Benedictis

Nuclear Burn - De Benedictis' Rehearsals with Brand X

This is one of the first pieces that I will share that are essentially outtakes from an album that I will eventually finish called Salvaging The Future (SP Records). It's temporarily available here for free download.

Scratch Depth - Dean De Benedictis (STF extras)

This track was made as a functionality test for the aplication Garage Band, in 2011, by Dean De Benedictis (Surface 10).  It is considered alternative lounge, and is a combination of Jam Pack loops and custom-composed synth parts he did in Garage Band.  It's called "Overture Ala Garbage Band."

(photo by Lisa Mitterer)

Overture Ala Garbage Band - Surface 10

This was the score to a deep-space, futurist art piece turned music video and posted on Youtube in 2012. The music is by Surface 10 (Dean De Benedictis), originally titled "Heart Wrench Cosmos" and eventually titled simply "Cosmosis." It is available here for free download until the day when it either finds a bigger public home or ends up released on an official album.

To see the original video: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3eU3xb6LKs

To visit Dean's (Surface 10's) website: 
http://DeanDeBenedictis.com

(unreleased 2011)

Cosmoat - Surface 10 (Dean De Benedictis)

Those who know me know that one of my many/main influences is the electro side of the ECM jazz label during the 70s and 80s. These artists were some of the very first electro-acoustic ambient musicians, not to mention their musicianship was outstanding, even by today's standards.

So, here is a thoroughly crafted mix of vintage ECM jazz combined with 90s illbient artists. The main purpose is to start drawing attention to certain vintage ECM composers in a new and artistic light, but also serve as an illbient artists memento.  It's a long eclectic piece, showing many mentalities and textures. Leave it on in the background if nothing else; you will likely find it redeeming at some level.

Playlist of ECM main tracks and artists:

Terje Rypdal - from Descendre
Rainer Bruninghaus - from Freigeweht
David Torn - from Cloud About Mercury
John Surman - from Such Winters Of Memory
Eberhard Weber - from Yellow Fields
John Abercrombie - from Timeless
Terje Rypdal - from Odyssey
John Surman - from Upon Reflection
Pat Matheny - from Offramp
John Abercrombie - from Getting There
Mark Isham & Art Lande - from We Begin
Bass Desires - from (self titled)
Ralph Towner - from Solstice
Lyle Mays & Pat Matheny - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls

(Photo taken by me at Fitz Roy, Patagonia, 2008)

Winterational - Vintage ECM Jazz & Illbient (mix by Surface 10)

Painting by Marcial Coba, former Fateless Flows artist. 
His website: https://marcialcoba.carbonmade.com/

Blinded By The Big Picture

When Heavy Was A Good Thing - Surface 10 (dean de benedictis)

Lyrus is Dean De Benedictis (Surface 10) and Frank Prinzen (Phrezen). Hopefully this music will be on an album soon. Our last album was on Touched Records in England. It was called "Found In."

Suppose It Is - Lyrus (Surface 10 & Phexzen)

This was scheduled for the Fateless relaunch in 2011 but the relaunch didn't work out so now this track is awaiting a label. If anyone knows of an interested label please contact me, here or anywhere you find me.

http://deandebenedictis.com

The image is one of my experiments.

Surface 10 - Prototear

This is ambient music utilizing mostly voice samples I made using Logic, Alchemy, and ElectraX.  I'm basically going voice-sample-crazy, using them for practically every instrument, which I've been meaning to do for years. Intention is to be sentimental and slightly disturbing. That would be a sign that it's breaking through our comfort zones. 

Custom made Alchemy synth preset features chopped up whispers by Lisa Claire Mitterer, homage to ASMR.

These tracks will eventually be on a new album.  Stand by for more on that.

Recording Artist's Website:
http://Surface10.com

Image by Ellen Jantzen:
http://www.ellenjantzen.com

ASMR Tragedy Lines - Surface 10

(unreleased 2023)

Dedicated To Levels (ambient intro variation 1) - Surface 10

An excerpt of a recent live set at Steve Roach's Ambient lounge.

Dedicated To Levels - Live At The Ambient Lounge (excerpt) - Surface 10

Bireasoning - Surface 10 vs. Niture (live at Gate's Pass Sajuaro NP)

Element (Keep It Simple 1996) - Surface 10

Unreleased collaborative set in 2005 - Joe Jakob (Mr. Soon) and Dean De Benedictis (Surface 10). 
Mix and edited by Joe Jakob in 2005.

(unreleased)

Exocet (2005 full set) - Mr. Soon & Surface 10

(unreleased 2004-07)

Bortan, The Unfamiliar Home (2005) - Surface 10

The unreleased 90s collection, slowly shared.

(unreleased 90s)

Guiltrek (96) - Surface 10

A gem in the rough from years discovering the Kurzweil K2000

Eldain (unreleased 97) - Dean De Benedictis

First of it's kind ASMR ambient music piece by Dean De Benedictis (Surface 10), available on the International fundraiser compilation Touched Two.

Single Track:
http://touched.bandcamp.com/track/surface-vespers-and-cesnass

Entire album:
http://touched.bandcamp.com/album/touched-two

For A Good Cause

Surface Vespers And Cessnas - Dean De Benedictis

On the track entitled "VOC Transit," for the new International Emusic compilation entitled Touched Two, Surface 10 takes voice manipulated electronic music to a whole new level. 

Buy the track and support the cause, a fundraiser label for cancer research.
https://touched.bandcamp.com/track/voc-transit

Recording Artist's Website:
http://DeanDeBenedictis.com

Fundraiser Label

VOC Transit - Surface 10

John Trubee - guitar on guitar samples.
Dean - everything else.

http://surface10.com

Sacred Mop Rework - Dean De Benedictis (feat. John Trubee)

Recorded live in October of 2023, at the Century Room in Tucson.

Live At Steve Roach's Ambient Lounge (half set) - Surface 10 (Dean De Benedictis)

A new ambient-ish track created by stretching custom-made voice samples in Ableton.

Surface 10 is Dean De Benedictis. Art by him.
Recording Artist's Website:
http://DeanDeBenedictis.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dean-De-Benedictis

Bassid - Surface 10

Fluckdub - Surface 10

Respective - Surface 10

Ernie G. is a known hip hop producer and lifelong friend whom I regret not working with enough. Times change. 
(temp download)

Sit Alone - Ernie G. (Surface 10 Remix)

I'm returning to longform sets starting with Shadow Count, a semi-dark, semi bitter-sweet mix set of released and unreleased tracks 2012-25. Temp download. The set with visuals can be found on YT.

Youtube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqehdAOTBwk&t=49s

Shadow Count (Ambient Set) - Surface 10

This is one of several new ambient pieces (not yet shared) by Dean De Benedictis that contain manipulated voice samples used as the primary instrumentation.  

This music is soon to be released, but stand by for details on which album it will be on.  Also, more of these new ambient pieces may be shared here on this Soundcoud page before the actual album release so stay posted.

Recording Artist's Website:
http://DeanDeBenedictis.com

Photo by Dean in Patagonia 2008

Mac Took Air - Dean De Benedictis

This is one of a few tracks I will be posting that I've been working on for my next album Salvaging The Future, but that actually won't make it onto the album. I'm giving it away here for free now, until the day they make it onto another album.

-Dean

Artist's Website:
http://DeanDeBenedictis.com

unreleased 2018

Urban Glacier Fund - Dean De Benedictis (unreleased)

A deep-space take on Berlin-school-style electronic music. Improvised live in one take by Dean De Benedictis (Surface 10), using only his laptop keypad and software, while watching his colleague J-Walt perform 3D animation visuals in the same room. It was a multi media jam session.

Image by Ellen Jantzen
https://www.ellenjantzen.com/

Artist Website:
http://DeanDeBenedictis.com

unreleased 2013

Dedicated To Spontaneous Fantasia - Longform Keypad Improv (Part 1 - sequencer-style)

This is Dean De Benedictis' new collaboration with Frank Prinzen on Touched Music, just released. It can be found on the Touched Bandcamp page below. It includes remixes by Ruxpin, Karsten Pflum, Surface 10, Anders llar, Atraktta, Antonymes and Niture.

https://touched.bandcamp.com/album/found-in

Name: Lyrus
Album: Found In
Artists involved: Dean De Benedictis and Frank Prinzen

Found In (album sampler)

Buy Full Album

Lyrus - Found In (album sampler)

I spent 2 whole months working on this one friggin' track last year (2019) so that it could be included on my next Salvaging album on Spotted Rec. Turns out, it won't make it on the album. It's edgy, so not really Spotted material, more like Surface 10. Here it is, available for you guys until the day it's used for something official. The music is a fairly manic track but still a big production for being made on a laptop. It starts out like Steve Roach, and ends like The Chemical Brothers meets Black Eyed Peas or something. Plus there is a hidden track in the second half that sounds like Aphex Twin wondering into an opium den with an MPC60 (I love talking about my own music like it's someone else's). Download and enjoy it if you'd like, while that's possible. My momentary gift to you. Clarinet playing by Alexey Gorokholinsky from Kronodigger (found here on Soundcloud also).

Epic imagery by artist Claire Raymond, who did the cover art for my last album Salvaging The Present. Her website is at: 
https://www.claireraymondphotos.com/#/nacht/

-Dean
http://DeanDeBenedictis.com

(left out from STF)

Pachelbel Antiplus - Surface 10 (Dean De Benedictis)

This piece is from 2009. It is/was a slightly finalized version of deep texture ideas that Dean had offered Joe Jakub (Mr. Soon) to continue a collaboration they had been working on in the early 2000s. The collaboration was never finished, so Dean made use of the few track ideas that Joe was never able to contribute to. This piece is indeed just Dean, originally intended for his collaboration with Joe.

http://DeanDeBenedictis.com

Surface 10 (Dean De Benedictis)

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks