Benefits release rave-inspired new single ‘Divide’
When Benefits released their debut album, NAILS, people became obsessed with the messy, noise-driven chaos and anger that they fronted so passionately. Subsequently, news of a new album was met with excitement from fans; however, this news did come with a change of direction from Benefits, which people rightly wondered whether they would be capable of.
When you listen to their debut record, the persistent anger and frustration protrude. The new record still sounds like it will have traces of that, but sonically, it’s much more focused on electronic music. People were trepidatious about this shift; however, on their new single, ‘Divide’, Benefits prove this is a shift in style that they are more than capable of accommodating.
The track feels as though you’re stepping into the most aggressive and violent rave on the planet. Imagine Berghain has been pressed into a snow globe, filled with razors and shaken. The bass is persistent and banging, but it cuts sharp and feels relentless. It is met with emotive and dynamic vocals provided by both lead singer Kingsley Chapman and featured rapper Shakk, who deliver some killer lyrics.
There is a real coming together of sounds on this song. Benefits couldn’t have made NAILS again; doing so would have sounded repetitive and taken away from the rawness of that record. On ‘Divide’, we see a new side to them, one that embraces different styles of music but still packages and brandishes the rawness of their debut that made it stand out so much.
“’Divide’ is a punk song about society at war with itself over every conceivable issue,” said Chapman when discussing the track, “It’s angry about everything from war, inequality, misplaced patriotism and poverty; to greed and the industrialisation and monetisation of hate.”
‘Divide’ is the third release from the new album, which is shaping up to be an incredibly diverse record laced with electronic music, rap and spoken word all in a potent mix.
You can listen to the new single ‘Divide’ below.
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