There seems to be no limit to the tactics used by upward-bound indie artists to garner a following, but BenZel’s strategy warrants a bravo or two. BenZel surfaced in 2012, self-described as two teen Japanese girls who connected online over their love of ankle socks which, as it does, led them to collaborate in music production. This story is corroborated on their SoundCloud self-description, on their Facebook page, and most entertainingly in their 2013 interview with Do Androids Dance?.
For better or worse (worse, in my opinion) their ruse has been squashed, and the teen sock-lovers have been replaced with producer duo Benny Blanco and Two Inch Punch. BenZel has been sparing with their releases, but an alleged jam with Diplo and collaboration with Jessie Ware might lead one to believe the momentum of their creative output has only just begun.
For now, we have a few collaborations, remixes, and originals to grasp onto, with “Wasted Love” as a favorite among them. Led by UK vocalist Stevie Neale, the track moves with a bouncy grind, imbued with enough dissonance to keep things nice and weird.