Miami native Benda is back on Bassrush Records with his vicious three-track sophomore EP ‘Beat The Block.’
The project serves as a follow-up to his heavy-hitting ‘Hostile Homicide’ EP, which arrived on the label earlier this year. The latest offering picks up where he left off, blurring the boundaries of bass and dubstep with a brutish brilliance.
Leading the pack comes the aptly named “Bone Breaker.” Opening with an otherworldly eerie undercurrent, Benda builds the anticipation with thumping drums that crescendo into murderous screaming vocals. From there, the track goes straight for the jugular, exploding into a headbanging anthem that’s scored by pounding kicks, blistering bass, and maddening sound design. The refined break possesses a cinematic appeal that acts to accentuate the impact of the destructive finale.
Switching the scene comes the title track alongside Florida rapper Simon Said. “Beat The Block” flexes Benda’s genre-bending talents as it expertly moves between rap banger and dubstep devastation. The track expands on the chemistry displayed in their previous collaboration “Kingdom Of Hearts.” Booming 808s, rolling hi-hats, and a gritty melody lay the foundation for Simon Said’s smooth yet deadly delivery. The violence of his bars is multiplied in the drops with industrial sound design, metallic stabs, and speaker-shaking bottom-end.
Offering an exhilarating finale, Benda connects with up-and-coming Canadian riddim talent HAMRO to take listeners to the “Crypt.” Transcending boundaries, the standout single is a hybrid heater in its rawest form. Ethereal and emotive melodies conjure flashes of forlorn spirits with malicious intent. High-pitched vocal harmonies, a trap-leaning bridge, and rap vocal cues enhance the soundscape before giving way to the grave-rattling riddim climax. Merciless and savage, the drops attack like a bloodthirsty beast in the night, devouring its prey and leaving nothing but bones behind.
“With this project, I had a foreign approach than my most recent EPs. Some of these records were started on a tour bus, and the others came together while I had a broken hand and toe; hence the title ‘Bone Breaker.’ Working with Simon Said. is always a breeze; the man can put bars on anything you put in front of him. Also major S/O to the Canadian king HAMRO for being on ‘Crypt’ with me. Everything about that song came together so naturally, we seriously had too much fun making it. You can find HAMRO on select dates on the ‘Beat the Block Tour’ with me this fall!”
The anticipation around the EP has been building relentless force as the featured tracks have already enjoyed tastemaker support from Excision, Sullivan King, DJ Diesel (Shaq), LAYZ, and more. Benda is currently amidst his headline tour across North America with upcoming dates at 45 East (Portland), Wish Lounge (ATL), Soundbar (CHI), Loft (MN), Discopussy (LV), DNA Lounge (SF), Darkstar (Phoenix), and Larimer Lounge (Denver). He also has a handful of festival appearances planned for the last leg of 2023, including stops at EDC Orlando and Countdown.
Making his destructive return to Bassrush, Benda continues to push the envelope while delivering with brutish force on ‘Beat The Block.’
Benda’s ‘Beat The Block’ EP is available on all platforms via Bassrush Records.
