Friday sees Dream Pop rising star Mac Benson release his second EP ‘Coming of Age’.
The five track EP stretches across a variety of different influences combining to make a poppier sounding record than anything previously seen by the solo artist.
Earlier this week, I sat down with Mac to ask him about the new EP as well as how it came about.
The EP has been two years in the making for Mac Benson after the release of 2018’s ‘Love and All it’s Colour’.
The record covers the themes of love, friendship, loss and growth over the last few years of Benson’s teenhood.
‘Looking back on the last year retrospectively it kind of does feel like a transitional period of my life, and as if the period of time these songs are about are their own little era.’
Musically the EP is also inspired by a particular period with Benson pointing to various pop records released late last year.
Whilst influenced by pop, the EP takes the form of a mixed bag highlighted by the wide array of influences from within the genre.
‘I took a lot of inspiration from pop musicians who I like and grew up on: Lorde, Frank Ocean, The 1975, Taylor Swift, Bleachers. Quite a mixed bag really.’
However, ‘Coming of Age’ sees a change of direction from the singer songwriter, as heard in lead single ‘Divine’.
The single described as the darkest on the record is a perfect starting place for those wishing to preview the vibe of the EP.
However, whilst the track is a darker song, Benson makes clear that there is light on the record as well as a more electronic feel than previous releases.
‘I feel like all the others are a bit lighter in comparison (Divine), at least in terms of the production. Everything’s very electronic on this one though, definitely a departure from the last EP.’
Benson has also experimented with new ways of writing for the record, particularly building a greater understanding of the structure of pop songs which has helped him hone in on his own specific style.
‘To begin with I don’t think I was really that good as a pop writer and I didn’t really have the confidence to try and write to that kind of structure, but while making the EP I feel like it’s just grown into my natural way of doing things.’
A highlight of the singer songwriters work are his lyrics which often go into deep and personal places however according to Benson lyrics come easy due to their honesty.
‘I don’t know how else to do it, I’ve tried writing fictitiously but it just never works for me. I’m a huge overthinker, definitely more dramatic than I’d like to admit and am never short of stuff from my life to draw from.’
‘A lot of the time I’ll actually realize how I’m feeling through writing. Like I’ll just write things subconsciously, sometimes I’ll finish a whole song and be like ‘oh I guess that was what was up’, it can be really cathartic sometimes.’
It is this approach to songwriting which makes Mac’s music incredibly relatable, endearing and most of all amazing.
Mac Benson’s new EP ‘Coming of Age’ is out now on Bandcamp.
Follow Mac on Instagram here: macbenson_
All photos were taken by Shona Radcliffe make sure to follow her on her Instagram for more amazing photography: shonaradcliffe
Humbug North East 