It’s official: Ben&Ben have finally
released “Upuan,” the first single
off their upcoming sophomore album to be released under Sony Music.
Written in 2019, in Dumaguete upon
arrival at the hotel after one of their shows, their new song takes a nostalgic
look on young love, and as Ben&Ben describe it, “the palpable romantic
tension that arises from friendships that are formed by sitting next to each
other, and the adventurous conversations that ensue.”
Lyrically, “Upuan” draws breathtaking
imagery that interprets gestures in such lifelike ways, capturing a play of
details with romantic earnestness. The band points out, “we incorporated a more
visual style in the song, painting a picture for the listener and transporting
them to that familiar place, of falling in love with someone they just met,
whether that is in a classroom, by the beach, at a restaurant.”
It helps that they’re painting a picture
in the listener’s head with ethereal arrangements and soaring choruses that
swirl beautifully against a backdrop of naturalist setting: samples of birds
singing, the swoosh of the waves, and even the conversation of the trees. There
is magic in the way Ben&Ben fuse all these elements together to create a
cinematic landscape punctuated by poetry and inventiveness. It’s effortlessly
picturesque, while employing a level of commitment to make the audience feel
like they’re part of the experience, as if tapping into something personal and
is of utmost importance to their being.
In a joint statement, the nine-piece
collective said that the music of “Upuan” was conceived during a random jamming
session with no prior agenda as to how it would sound. “But to our surprise,
that first jamming brought about the soul of how Upuan sounds now. The
earthy, ethereal soundscapes, and that sense of sonic adventure came from the
fact that we just moved in together, and being in a new place surrounded with
summer vibes and nature elements, helped shape our expression of our new song.
We feel very blessed to be close to nature in this season and it’s almost like
a tribute to their beauty that we included them in the song.”
Written and produced by Ben&Ben,
co-produced/mixed by Jean Paul Verona, and mastered by Leon Zervos, “Upuan” was
recorded in the band’s home studio. Verona and sound engineer Sam Marquez
helped in the recording process, giving the song its final touches.
The acclaimed hitmakers are also
currently working on their second album. “Since the production of this song,
we're continuously working on all the other songs that will complete it. We're
really pushing forward in terms of experimentation and diversity of sound in
the songs.”
Ben&Ben’s “Upuan” is out now on all streaming
platforms worldwide via Sony Music.
