Artist Benge, also known as Ben Edwards, has today released his 2008 album 20 Systems on digital formats.
The album is a collection of 20 tracks recorded on 20 synthesisers produced within a 20-year span, a record Brian Eno described as “a brilliant contribution to the archaeology of electronic music“.
Benge has recently released his 2008 CD-only album ’20 Systems’ digitally. The album is a masterful showcase of 20 synthesisers from a 20-year span.
Benge describes 20 Systems as an attempt to display the synthesiser as it has changed throughout the late 60s to the 80s. Edwards composed each track using only the instrument in question. He writes:
“Each track is the pure sound of an individual instrument, with no additional processing, sequencing or effects applied to any of the recordings. If a system was equipped with an in-built sequencer, it was used, and there are several examples of sound-on-sound processes, where a track is made up of multiple layers of the same synthesizer.”
Benge’s record is part historical archive and part a showcase of his skills in composition and sound design. There are some incredibly beautiful tracks, a stand-out being the featured piece for the 1975 Moog Polymoog (track 8).
Though originally released in 2008 ’20 Systems’ had not been available on digital formats until today, with the original record being released on CD-only.
‘20 Systems’ is available for free streaming on Bandcamp, or available for download for $9USD.
