Rising Bass Spotlight: Benji Robot weaves a blissful tapestry of sound in 5-track ‘Kutz EP’

Photo credit: KL Photos.

Here at Conscious Electronic, we love all things bass — breakbeat, downtempo, left-field, experimental, dubstep in all its forms, you name it. As the underground bass movement has begun its full ascendancy in the US, we’ve been keeping a finger on the pulse of up-and-coming bass artists the country over. As such, CE’s Rising Bass Spotlight seeks to shine a light onto the rising producers who’re honing their craft, galvanizing their movements, and attuning eyes, ears, heads, and bodies into all things low end.

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Benji Robot (real name Benjamin Roman) has perfected his wonky-bass trip-hop sound, never failing to experiment with outlying tunes and more unusual mixes. Like so many other brilliant electronic artists like him, Roman hails from Detroit, Michigan, where he launched his career back in 2017. Educated in audio engineering in LA, Benji uses eclectic Ableton Live performances paired with turntablist routines to create an improvised, freestyle experience. His live sets are the perfect mix of heavy and cerebral while paying tribute to the old and the new pioneers of electronic music.

Benji Robot’s latest offering to the underground bass community is a five-track journey of an EP that dips and twists in unexpected ways, while also making the listener question what they’re hearing at the same time. The Kutz EP is tastefully simple, with all the songs featuring a different crisply-crafted tone pattern that makes room for the tripped-out wubs layered over them.

While some may wonder if Kutz is a bit slow as a whole, this in fact is what makes the project so unique: the moments of ease and near silence allow for quiet reflection before getting lost in bass again. The EP’s intro offerings, namely “Protective Measures” and “Imprint,” are upbeat, nostalgic, and hopeful—a subtle contrast to the more deep and sleepy mood set by the final tracks “Pagoda” and “Broken.” Overall, the EP presents a blissful tapestry of sound that is powerful, emotional, and psychedelic.

Although Benji Robot may not have a packed-out discography just yet, his potential only speaks to his future success. He’s already gained a quick reputation in the underground for his experimental, abstract sound design, quality engineering, and powerful musical arrangement. Specializing in glitch hop, left-field, IDM, and downtempo, Benji’s larger auteur approach to sound design is precisely why CE is happy to include him as our next Rising Bass Spotlight feature.

Kutz EP is out now via Mean Mug Music.

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