Since 2011’s self-titled debut album, ‘electronic’ musician Benjamin John Power, aka Blanck Mass, hasn’t taken a breath, releasing two further albums, the critically acclaimed Dumb Flesh and World Eater. There has been a string of EPs and singles, collaborations with other artists such The London Symphony Orchestra (London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony) and Zola Jesus; countless remixes; a heavy touring schedule both solo and in support of other artists such as Sigur Ros and Slowdive, and he has more recently branched out as a producer for other musical acts.
An artist who will not succumb to ‘constraints of genre’ or pigeon-hole his sound, he chooses instead to navigate his way through myriad musical characterizations. As comfortable as he is writing three minute punk songs as he is composing 12 minute orchestral movements, if there is a common thread throughout it might be a healthy relationship with the darker side of reality. As a founding member of the duo Fuck Buttons he has taken the stark animalistic simplicity and primal energy of that band’s sound and honed his craft into something more otherworldly, rich in both melodic composition and textural exploration.
If Extra Terrestrials where to try to interpret human 20th century music, it might sound a little like the music of Blanck Mass.
