The music scene across the pond is alive and thriving, however, acts from North London are often left out of the conversation. Recording artist and North London native BenjiFlow is putting his neighborhood on the musical map with a unique talent that you can’t deny with the release of his latest EP The Thrill (via DMY). Known for his ability to get people out of their seats and to the dance floor, The Thrill executive produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Juls, is filled with high-spirited energy and Latin influences making it one of the most enjoyable projects of the year.
Calling The Thrill an R&B project feels dismissive of the effortless blends of multiple styles of musical influences from all over the world. London is known for its melting pot of culture, so by no means is BenjiFlow the first artist to draw inspiration from songo, afrobeat, or tango but with the addition of his silver tongue and distinguishing instruments, this EP stands out right now.
When discussing the inspiration behind the project with Mira Postolache of Fucking Young Magazine shared, “[The Thrill] is the story about my relationship with some women. The beautiful experiences I’ve had with them, the encouragement I got from them, the times I’ve had to express they’re wonderful.”
The second track on the EP, “She’s Not In Love” produced by PRGRSHN, showcases BenjiFlow’s romantic pursuits with infectious energy. The track is carried over by the poignant energy you need as a background soundtrack to a fun night out. The basslines are engaging and horns are a nice change of pace from the mainstream R&B or even today’s beloved afrobeat sound. On top of this, “She’s Not In Love” is one of the better songs lyrically on the project with lines like, “cause tonight/ what’s wrong is right” and “in love she never fail / So I take this L/ ‘cause she’s not in love.”
One of the few tracks that included a guest feature, “My Bella” is an amazing dance song equivalent to WizKid’s “Essence” with Tems. Lagos-based singer Oxlade brings forth a rich texture and then creates an amazing creative chemistry with BenjiFlow. The xylophones and the dynamic voice of Oxlade makes a musical environment that is next to impossible to escape. Occasionally on the track, BenjiFlow’s rap skills will seep into the flow adding a delightful dynamic. Although the chorus is a bit redundant, as the duo sings “my bella (beauty)” repeatedly you cannot help but like this song.
The remaining nine tracks present plenty of passion with the exception of “My Bag”. The self-produced track sticks out as a low point for BenjiFlow. When comparing it to his previous work, from his lyrics, flow, and vocals this song lacks imagination. If this was BenjiFlow’s attempt to feed the TikTok algorithm or its many music curators, he was certainly unsuccessful.
The MiniKingz collective co-founder has continuously focused on uncovering a fresh addictive groove in his music. On The Thrill, he successfully accomplishes this and more all under the twenty-five-minute mark. Though the album rushes by rather quickly, The Thrill feels magical despite the moments of repetitiveness. . In today’s music market is run by drill music whose core nexus is to depict how ridged or void of emotion an artist can be not many artists make happy music. With that said, it’s great to see that BenjiFlow has dedicated himself to take the opposite fork in the road and doing it well.
The Thrill is available where all music is streamed including Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music. What did you think of BenjiFlow’s EP The Thrill? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
If you want to connect with BenjiFlow online checkout him out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
