A newish musician you need to know: Ben Mixon

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I tried hard to make a joke about how Ben Mixon's last name predestined him to a career mixing songs, but nothing quite flowed. Which could not be said of his new album "Waters." Aptly named, the whole album flows. Mixon is young in his years but his commitment to his craft is commendable. His second self-produced his album, following up on 2015's "From Greenery with Love" EP, mixes his own vocal tracks with ambient electronics. Each song elides from one track to the next in an atmospheric haze of longing. The ache in Mixon's voice is strong but doesn't overpower the score and evokes the feeling of exploring a cave, being acutely aware of the sensorial world within. A major theme of the album is one of longing for a love departed, as with the tracks "I was sleeping when you left me" and the introductory track, "She keeps me warm" which does well to set this mood, seeking for what came before and what one is now seeking. An especially interesting track is "Beneath" with shades of Bjork in the latter half.

The album as one organic composition shows Mixon's mastery of conjuring atmosphere and plays well with a pot of tea and latenight studies. I look forward to seeing where Mixon takes his production work, whether remaining a solo recording artist or collaborating with the likes of other ambient mixologists.

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Special thanks to Ben Mixon for entrusting a musically illiterate professor with the tracks for listening. Follow Ben on Twitter @benmixon, Instagram, Spotify or on Soundcloud. Stay tuned for more tracks to be release on iTunes/iMusic, as well.

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