James Bene is set to release his single “American Warrior” on November 22. The track is energetic, powerful and with plenty of anthemic punch to it. On it listeners can hear that James is a matured artist who exudes confidence. This work is undeniably impressive, as his multi-dimensional artistic talents mix with his sumptuous vocal range, showing just the kind of control the singer-songwriter has over his creation. James is an American singer-songwriter living in Los Angeles who has been writing, playing and composing music since he was a child. A natural performer, he earned a BFA in Music from The Catholic University in Washington D.C and later toured as a performing artist in musicals, plays and other theatrical platforms.
James Bene’s strength in writing a gorgeous melody and complementing it with shimmering synths shine through strongly, making “American Warrior” every bit as captivating as some of the best 80’s electro-pop hits. But James isn’t merely content in acknowledging past pop culture without any further expansion, as ultimately his sound is firmly embedded in the here and now. First of all, the production on this track is absolutely pristine – every reverb-soaked layer of retro synthesizer sounds perfectly placed in the mix, balanced by melodramatic drum patterns.
James’ vocals are at the forefront, and at their strongest, as he finds a very good and endearing balance, flipping between mid and high-range excursions, allowing a sweetly gentle delivery to ignite into fiery bridges and choruses. All of which greatly suits him.
The 80’s synthwave and electro-pop movements undeniably shape the core of this single, but James Bene brings real talent and wit, to let “American Warrior” grow in its own right. He is to be applauded here for creating such a well-rounded nostalgic trip on the one hand, and a fantastic modern pop record on the other.
Throughout “American Warrior”, James Bene is able to bring in and out, multiple textural layers on a whim, giving the track an abundance of sonic variance without losing momentum. Using euphoric cycling melodies, and mesmerizing modulating synths, James sweeps you away into this record’s landscape. The evolving sounds exist on a whole other plane, compared to his contemporaries, with its masterfully sculptured sonic integrity, harnessing your heart and mind.
“American Warrior” is as beautiful a piece of throbbing, melodic music as you could hope to hear this year. It’s hard to describe the boundary-pushing-genre-bending-heights James Bene reaches here. The musical art from this inspiring and uplifting track, perfectly encapsulates the raw beauty of retro soundscapes, while eclipsing most synth-driven modern pop fare. James’ voice does the rest, in marvelously seducing audiences with its captivating tones.
“American Warrior” is at once nostalgic and uplifting, emotional and euphoric, as epic as it is accessible, and as sophisticated as it is primal. The track feels effortless and natural – from the pristine vocals and the momentum-pushing beat, to the shimmering synths and retro electro-pop influences. James Bene can be proud of this flawless record which no doubt will receive the replay button treatment… over and over again.
OFFICIAL LINKS:
www.jamesbene.com (Spotify pre-save, mailing list, news)
Instagram @Jamesbene
https://mailchi.mp/63583ef4b21e/jamesbenemusic (American Warrior EPK)
