Ben Kessler Tells a Coming-of-Age Story Still Being Written With 'Violet'
Photo: Working Holiday
Indie singer-songwriter and producer Ben Kessler has been BUSY this year. After the release of his 2021 debut EP Crusie Control, he has wasted no time giving fans another collection of moving, gut-punching, heart-string-pulling songs that examine the highs and lows of love, vulnerability, self-doubt, and self-acceptance. Violet is the soundtrack of a coming-of-age story still being written, and its author tells his story with his heart on his sleeve.
Kessler's vocal cuts through a rich combination of smooth synthesizers and intricate classical guitar arrangements. He addresses relationships, self-doubt, and his struggle with anxiety with an unexpected air of optimism, combining conversational and poetic lyrics through a unique blend of organic and electronic textures with his rough-hewn vocal tone challenging his tight melodies. "Violet is a collection of songs written over the last year in the same room where I started creating music," shares the 24-year-old artist. "This year has been a slow, transitional one — I've spent a lot of time processing the life I've lived to this point and imagining the kind of life I want to create for myself. Violet is the color I see when I close my eyes and do all this dreaming — it is my most scared, introspective space. And I'm anxious to share these pieces of myself with the world."
The record starts on a more mellow and spacey note with "April." Kessler laments a past love, being stuck "in between," feeling nostalgic, and finding himself unable to move forward. The record takes an upbeat but still emotional turn with "Graffiti" before transitioning into the previously released "Default." The vulnerable track is impeccably produced with oscillating sonics and distorted vocals, detailing the complicated feelings and situation of having to pretend to be someone else for someone to love you. Kessler's vocals shine on heartbreaking lines like, "Factory resеt / If I change all of my default settings / Would I be someone you need then? / Want you to want me when I'm not pretending."
The enigmatic "Just Like Me" and the punchy "I Could Do This All Night" are solid bops that lead into the slow burn that is the EP's eponymous closer. It starts with intricate and gentle acoustic guitar riffs with soft supporting instrumentals that build into a blanket of sound that envelops listeners. Cascading percussion and synths overwhelm the sonic background as Kessler's soft-spoken vocals grow into a self-assured ballad about leaving behind a love that only served to hurt him.
Violet blends soulful tradition, R&B swagger, pop charisma, and singer-songwriter spirit with lush instrumentation and electronic, alternative adventurousness. Fresh off a collaboration with Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda and a European tour with frequent collaborator Lizzy McAlpine, Kessler is a rising star that continues to shine.
Listen to Violet below:
