Settling in Brighton, exciting new producer Benji Boko proclaims to carve his music from records found in the second-hand shops and flea markets he frequently visits. Add to this an extended fascination for fairytales and cartoons and we have a lengthy debut preaching fresh, melodic, twisted hip-hop, infused with both reggae and pop tips.

Interestingly many tracks are built around Benji’s odd thought process. That is either a charm or a curse, depending how your ear works. His love for using a looping beat as a foundation in many of his tracks can occasionally tire to annoying repetition. ‘The Eagle’, ‘Screw That’ and ‘Take a Stand’ are the biggest culprits.

On the other hand, when Benji adds a bit more variation and extends the loop, we see another face to his coin; ‘No.1 sound’ with Ricky Rankin will ignite summer carnival memories, strumming comparisons to The Nextmen or DJ Yoda, while laidback and dubby ‘Slow Junkie’ is a dreamy success.

‘Charuuna’ has that bubbling two-step vibe stemming from signature electro keys and a clever little vocal sample, and ‘Bokomainia’ is another nice instrumental number.

But it’s the two early tracks ‘Glider’ and ‘Where My Heart Is’ that will leave with the biggest fulfilment. Both big stand-outs, ‘Glider’ is wonderfully fulfilling, bursting with festival rhythms and uplifting electronic ingredients. While the chilled, chart-dominating hit ‘Where My Heart Is’ plays the prefect tempo for the smooth poetry of dance legend Maxi Jazz.

Innovative live DJ shows have won Benji Boko a huge fan base worldwide with taste-makers Rob Da Bank and Zane Lowe hailing his arrival, and this debut in many ways will go someway to ensuring he stays favourite. We look forward to hearing more.

words Amy Thompson

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Benji Boko website
Tru Thoughts website