With the scent of fresh paint in the air after a brand new launch of, well, just about everything, it seems we may have a brilliant newcomer to the Canadian pop music scene. Ontario-raised and Montreal-residing Ben Wilkins released his new EP, “Back Of My Head” just last week to an unsuspecting global online audience.
While Wilkins brings a certain degree of familiarity in this piano-based pop delight, there is something a bit more distinct and unusual about his music that has really drawn us in. It may be the comprehensive use of strings and horns, the quirky lyrics, the doubled up vocals, or the cinematic song structure (could easily fit into the ‘I Heart Huckabees’ soundtrack), but one thing is certain: Ben Wilkins makes you feel good. Really, really good.
A song that incorporates Wilkins’ minty fresh vocals with intricately arranged strings, brass, winds, and orchestral percussion, “Through To You” captures the best elements of multiple genres and puts them in a warm melting pot of delicious treats. The video (also doubling as the splash page to his website), does a wonderful job of capturing your attention, while keeping things simple in a single room with a stationary camera.
We have fallen in love with Montreal over the past year ourselves, so when Ben Wilkins was brought to our attention via one of our Canadian friends, we had to take a listen. Oh Canada, how jealous we are of your beautifully cohesive and collaborative music scene!
You can download the mp3 for ‘Through To You’ here: http://soundcloud.com/papergardenrecords/ben-wilkins-through-to-you/download