Mr Experience

After humble lo-fi beginnings in the Australian art-pop underground, Donny Benet has expanded his cult-like following across the globe with a resonant array of danceable repertoire dealing with love and affection. For Mr Experience, Donny envisioned a soundtrack to a dinner party set in the late 1980s. While his earlier recordings drew inspiration from DIY pop conspirators such as Ariel Pink and John Maus, Donny channeled the stylings of Bryan Ferry and Hiroshi Yoshimura as the impetus for new material, evident on the intimacy found on 'Girl Of My Dreams' and its lush production (with a soothing whistle-along chorus for good measure).

Sincerity has been a key component of Donny Benet's output since the beginning. His songs deal with genuine emotion served on a kitsch platter. An alter-ego manifested in the beginning of the 2010s, Donny has blurred the lines of artifice to create a back catalogue that can embrace and challenge - often simultaneously - the notion of irony in art.

With a legacy in Sydney's music community, working with Sarah Blasko, and tightknit collaborators Jack Ladder and Kirin J Callinan, Donny Benet is accustomed to collaboration on the stage and in the studio (most notably on the 2014 full-length release Weekend At Donny's). For Mr Experience, the process was one of relative seclusion due to globetrotting. Though inspiring musical reference points were gathered from European promoters, the appreciation for sincerity in the US was an indication that Donny was on the right path for what should come next.

The first course of action was to ensure his songwriting was emboldened with a greater sense of purpose, both musically and lyrically. In the formative years of showcasing talent, Donny was confused by the lack of musical chops displayed by his elders. As time went on, he realised his forebears weren't lacking in chops, they were simply more selective in brandishing them. It's that mentality which shapes Mr Experience, created through a process of refinement in an intense two-year period which left around 30 compositions shelved.

The creme de la creme was bottled into Mr Experience, ten tracks chronicling personal and musical growth while retaining an irrepressible charm. Wholesome lead single 'Second Dinner' sets the scene, and the menu, to form a musical bridge from Donny's previous output. The opening title track espouses the benefits of wisdom, a motif which carries into 'Moving Up' and its cavalcade of bass and synth melodies. Speaking of basslines, 'Negroni Summer' is a dizzying showcase of Donny's bottom end chops. There's high impact drama on 'One Night In Paradise', both in instrumentation and tender croon. The multi-course serving leads to the lush instrumental aperitif 'Waterfall (Love Scene)', a track that could set a sensual mood in any '80s action flick.

With Mr Experience, Donny Benet serves up new flavours to satisfy even the most refined palates.