Ben Murphy's latest single, Seven Lives, touches on feelings of lost hope, personal stagnation, and the desire to excel beyond one's current situation – embodied by the line "This doesn't get me high anymore". The track is about seven childhood friends "now navigating the complexities of early adulthood" and their growing dissatisfaction amidst the comfort" of their hometown upbringing, with their once archetypal life they now feeling iterative and formulaic. Murphy explains that the inspiration for the song stemmed from his own experiences with anxiety and finding his place in the world. It is a candid depiction of disquietude that many of us unfortunately experience and sends a powerful message that any audience can get behind and empathize with.
Seven Lives kicks off with Ben's voice and a heavily processed guitar track, possibly layered with a synth. It's hard to tell what instrumental is actually playing these chords, and the ambiguity of the unique instrumentation adds to the identity of the overall sound. The drum sounds are acoustic and roomy, which helps to make the rhythm section feel live and natural. These organic tracks are all glued together with modern, clean production that blends real instruments with interesting effects and transitions. The guitar chords and drum tracks maintain the rhythm throughout each section in the arrangement, while Ben holds the forefront with his voice. There is an atmosphere to this song that is hard to put into words, and the production has a soft sweetness to it that is difficult to achieve with so many intricate layers. Murphy's vocal performance is crisp and locked-in, as Ben nails every single note and phrase. Before the final hook, there is an intimate bridge that strips down the production to just guitar and Murphy's main vocal. Arranging the song this way helps to make the last chorus hit hard and puts the listener through one last climax before the finish line.
Hailing from Northwest London, Ben Murphy is an artist, songwriter, and producer who is taking the British airwaves by storm with his infectious brand of indie rock/alternative pop music. Ben's journey with music started when he began playing the drums at just five years old and writing lyrics at age ten. Since then, he has gone on to pick up guitar and piano on his path to creating music that helps him "vent moments that hopefully relate to or just enjoy listening to". Murphy cites Sam Fender, Lewis Capaldi, and Holly Humberstone as some of the biggest influences on his sound and style as an artist. Ben is already making waves in the UK, having already been featured in Illustrate Magazine as a 24-year-old and titled "one to watch" by both BBC Radio 1 and BBC. When not working on his music, Murphy enjoys spending time with his three dogs and tossing back a few pints of Guinness.
Written By Dan Caddigan
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