After a long hiatus, Ben Heyworth is back under his own name with new project, showcasing brand new material. He’s older, wiser, more acoustic and slightly less ginger, but still as melodic and soulful as ever. His songs lean into stories about the people, places and events that have shaped his life in Manchester UK, including the strange cornucopia of residents that live around the creative hotspot (and bakery central) Ancoats marina where he is currently based.
Musically, his deceptively complex songs sit in the same stable as Crowded House, Jordan Rakei, Damon Albarn, and Tori Amos, combining a nostalgic 90’s British indie sound with exceptionally smooth vocals and glorious harmonies, filthy organs, and what Ben describes as an “urban folk” influence; a contemporary twist on traditional English folk melodies and instrumentation.
The three track EP includes – “Narrowboat”, a muse on life and death on Manchester’s historic waterways, “Image of Roads”, which proposes a fictional American road trip, but is it real or is it all an illusion? – and “Creature Double Feature” which asks who are the distorted and fanciful characters you might see in the mirror?
The EP was recorded at Blueprint Studios, home the Manchester’s most famous contemporary band Elbow, and a place where Ben has not only recorded his own material over the years, but also worked as a producer and arranger for various wannabe indie rockers. Live gigs will come later in the year – watch this space!
Ben Heyworth has a long history of making music in Manchester, UK. He was the songwriting force behind the hotly tipped band Minorplanet in the early ’00s and then went on to release two beautiful and experimental electronic pop albums under the name “This Morning Call” in 2010 – 2014, released on the Swedish “Substream” indie label.
TRACKLIST:
“Narrowboat” – a poetic meditation on mortality and connection along Manchester’s historic waterways.
“Image of Roads” – a fictional American road trip unravels into existential musings.
“Creature Double Feature” – a surreal cast of characters reflect distorted selves in the mirror of urban life.
INTERVIEW
Q: What inspired Creature EP?
Ben: “These songs tell stories about the people and oddball personalities who’ve shaped my life around Ancoats Marina. I wanted something stripped-back, captured live, more real than anything I’ve done before.”
Q: What’s changed since your last project?
Ben: “Everything. I’ve moved away from electronic music. This is raw, acoustic, no safety net. Just me and the guitar — and it’s terrifying but beautiful.”
Q: What’s next?
Ben: “More songs, more stories. I’ve already written the next two EPs. There’s plenty more to come.”
