UK Based Singer-Songwriter Ben Lawrence Releases Album Created After Death of His Twin Brother
Ben Lawrence has released his debut record ‘O Wide World’, a thirteen track album divided into three acts that take the listener on a narrative expedition through Ben’s story of losing his twin brother to cancer. The album draws together cinematic indie folk, heart wrenching ballads, stunning orchestral instrumentals and synth laden pop tracks to take the listener on an adventurous journey through his life to now.
In 2016, Ben Lawrence’s twin brother, Dan, passed away from cancer, aged twenty five. Having spent their formative years writing songs, playing in bands and crafting films together - Ben’s desire to continue creating thought provoking art led him to write songs about his experience, processing his grief and finding hope in the aftermath of bereavement. These songs lay dormant until in 2020, the pandemic hit.
Ben Said: ‘I had experienced this tragic loss, and then the pandemic hit and it seemed like lots of people were experiencing grief and loss in a way we hadn’t felt before. It was as though these songs now meant something to other people too, so I felt like I needed to make this record’.
Ben began developing his sound at his home studio in Norwich, UK, building on his roots in indie pop, folk and rock, crafting nine full length songs and three instrumentals. Then in 2021, armed with an album full of songs, Ben began searching for collaborators to help him bring this poignant and ambitious project to life.
After a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that raised over £10,000, Ben built links with Iain Hutchison, a producer based at his studio, GloWorm, in Glasgow. In 2022, Ben and his band travelled to Glasgow four times, spending over a month in the studio with Iain, crafting the sound and shape of the album. Iain also travelled to Norwich, where they recorded a full string section. Additional strings were recorded in Billericay, along with additional tracking sessions in Norwich and collaborations from musicians as far as Redding, California.
Over 2023, Ben and Iain worked tirelessly to mix each track, spending countless hours and late nights fine tuning each song. The result is a magnificent eclectic collection of songs, shaped into a story that is bound to move you to tears, make you dance and open your eyes to the beauty of life. The album touches on themes of nostalgia, mental health struggles and a desire to keep adventuring, even in the face of loss.
Ben said: ‘My hope is that this album connects deeply with those who have suffered bereavement, but also that it becomes a soundtrack of hope to people’s everyday lives. This album has been an incredibly life affirming project for me’.
Ben’s sound intricately weaves together 60’s folk and americana, surf rock, pop and indie, to produce a truly unique experience of modern nostalgia. A deja-vu in music. It’s big, bold and deeply introspective, an invitation to find your adventure again. O Wide World was released on November 24th 2023, preceded by six singles and two music videos, which can be viewed on Ben’s Youtube Channel.
