Establishing the mood with textured drums with an 80s rock adjacency and an astral synth melody, Ben Heyworth opens Sleepwalker with conceptual lyrics and a pristine vocal production as he sings, “This time, I’m gonna lose myself, I’ll take my time… Does it feel right? I’m gonna hide myself, maybe I’ll find myself outside…”
We are immediately enthralled by the narrative, curious to see where the track is heading. We appreciate the nostalgic elements, but the actual sound design is super clean and progressive, manifesting a sense of throwback futurism.
In essence, Sleepwalker, which was originally written in 2006, blends influences from Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, and New Order. It invites us to step into a liminal space, which is a dreamlike state where notions of reflection and escapism collide. The instrumental segment is out of this world – cinematic in nature, perfect for a movie like Limitless, but also giving elements of psychedelia and William Orbit vibes.
We learn that the song was written and produced entirely by Ben Heyworth in his home studio, with mastering handled by Gary Hadfield at Blueprint Studios. The production is highly meticulous, yet organic. It captures the experimental energy that defines the concept of the track. The sublime outro leave us yearning for more.
Musically, the song is a daring exploration of what Ben describes as “trance rock”. He tells us how this borrows heavily from acid house, trance, and electronic dance music with the interplay between live guitars and electronic textures. Ben’s influences are clear, yet there is no doubt that he is manifesting a sonic universe unto his own.
Naturally, we are in awe, and have added Sleepwalker to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream Ben Heyworth‘s wide discography, including Creature Double Feature, and Narrowboat.