Album Review : Rich Bennett - On Holiday
- Written by Rob Barker
When it comes to defining sounds, there’s nothing that fits the description of ‘soporific, uninspired and downright dull’ quite as well as the words ‘Lift Music’. Not merely confined to elevators, this upbeat yet wholly unexciting form of slow, smooth jazz is designed to put shoppers, doctor’s patients and those trapped inside a metal box hanging from wires into a state of calm relaxation, though anybody who’s been subjected to it for half an hour straight while on hold to a call centre will tell you it has totally the opposite effect.
Given Lift Music’s reputation as one of the most soul-destroying forms of music it seems odd that an artist, without being paid a large amount, would produce it, much less of their own accord. Rich Bennett is, however, one such man. Bennett claims that since birth he has been exposed to the soft, lulling tones of muzak, taking inspiration from it and forming his own sound around it, which seems like a far stranger reaction than embarking on a killing spree or forming a small supermarket in his bedroom in which to house the drab sounds emanating from his memories.
On Holiday is Bennett’s second release, combining his love for background music with a slightly darker tinge, and is the first of his recordings to feature his own vocals. For the most part that seam of mediocrity runs through the record but at times Bennett really does create something interesting. The album’s third track, ‘Wild Ride’, takes a step away from the mundane, combining Kraftwerk like midrange synth rhythms with delicately sung vocal harmonies. Although the song is let down by an unmemorable chorus, it shines in the verses, showing what Bennett is really capable of producing.
Bennett’s intention with On Holiday is to take the listener on a journey, evoking feelings of summer and joy, before casting doubt on the entire experience by shifting to a more morose sound. While this idea of contrast is made clear by the album closer, ‘Green Memories’, complete with ambient strings and woodwind instruments, the idea doesn’t quite come to fruition, with the cheesy upbeat sounds of the initial tracks overpowering the slight sadness expressed further in to the album.
Ultimately Bennett had a great idea with On Holiday, offsetting his love for the processed, familiar sounds of lift music with somewhat darker and less pop friendly sounds. Unfortunately for listeners this does mean enduring the muzak in order to feel the benefit of the journey Bennett takes them on, and this is a sacrifice many will simply not be willing to make.