Lithium Magazine

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We hear it from our elders all the time, but it never really sticks: “Stay in school.”
 
But this credo stuck with Ben Wilkins, and provided influence for what will surely be one of the most remarkable debut albums of 2011. His self-titled full-length utilizes his vast array of influences and experience, creating a timeless and incredibly flushed-out debut that brings to mind the ‘70’s, a time when grand and orchestrated pop music was celebrated.
 
“What inspires me about that era is the way music was produced,” says Wilkins. “There was something special about the grooves, the distinctive sounds of the recordings and the entire band playing live in the studio. We tried to achieve the same natural atmosphere while recording; I wanted the songs to breathe."

And breathe they do. Wilkins’ unique combination of piano-driven pop, soulful rhythms and grand orchestration produces songs that grow with every listen. Simply put, Ben Wilkins is an album that will surely appeal to a wide variety of music lovers; a direct result of Wilkins as a genuine music lover himself whose time studying has given him a unique appreciation and understanding of music.Wilkins was approached by acclaimed engineer Pascal Shefteshy (Sarah McLachlan, Rufus Wainwright) to record an album and you can hear the fruitful results of two artists working towards one goal: an ageless and enduring classic pop record.
 
Born and raised in Ontario, Wilkins moved to Montreal to study music at McGill University. He majored in Classical Trumpet and soaked up as much composition, arranging, singing, theory and jazz harmony as possible, spending countless nights sneaking into the piano studios after hours to write songs. Upon graduation, he received a scholarship to study Mandarin in China, and spent the better part of a year at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the Beijing Language and Culture University.
 
Ben Wilkins self-titled debut was released on October 18th via Milagro Records.
 
www.benwilkinsmusic.com
www.milagrorecords.com

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