Having served as bass player for dozens of different artists—most notably Big D and the Kids Table, which he’s been a member of since 2013—Ben Basile is finally stepping out on his own with his first album of original tunes called Benergy. The new album is due to be the debut release from Wiretap Records’ new offshoot imprint label Sleep Walk Sounds, which will specialize in soul, roots reggae/rocksteady, jazz funk, Americana, indie, and more.
“’Benergy’ is a pun that one of my bass students came up with,” Basile explains. “I was explaining to my student what it means to play “on top of the beat” which means playing just slightly early to push the feel of the bassline. ‘When I play ska punk, like with Big D and The Kids Table, it’s all about playing on top, playing with momentum and energy. Pushing the music the entire time.’ Her response was: ‘Benergy?’ with a smile. We shared a laugh, and I wrote it down for later.”
Today, Basile is debuting his single “Mountain Road” off the upcoming album a day before the song hits streaming services. A rocksteady/classic ska track that reminds us of the continued vitality of a very old sound, “Mountain Road” brings ska back to its roots with a renewed vigor, making for one really exciting track. “‘Mountain Road’ was written to represent where I am now in life,” explains Basile. “It’s literally the road I live on currently.”
Check out the track below.
You can pre-save the single here. Follow Basile on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
Photo courtesy of Ben Basile
