Ben Denny Mo Talks New Single, Future Plans And More

Ben Denny Mo is a British singer-songwriter currently based on the Maltese island of Gozo, where the sun, sea, and Mediterranean spirit seep into his music. He has released his single ‘September’ and spoke to JLTT: 

 

When did you begin singing/songwriting?

I started singing at around the age of 6 and started playing the guitar when I was 13 – at which point I also started to write songs.

 

What is your earliest musical memory?

Not so much a memory, but my parents told me that when I was 3 they had taken me with them to a festival in Portugal up a mountainside. There was a steel band playing and they lost sight of me in the crowd. They finally found me by the stage with some metal sticks, tapping along to the rhythm of the band.

You have your new single ‘September’ out now. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

 

The song was written in Gozo and was influenced by my re-falling in love with the island and the memories that I had with growing up there. Gozo doesn’t really have seasons, and will go from being a very warm climate to being a lot cooler very quickly when winter period comes. I likened this to meeting someone over the summer months and falling in love, only for that person to have to return home when September comes.

 

You have your upcoming vinyl EP The Norfkl Tapes, due October 2025. How did you want to approach the making of the EP?

It has been a long time in the making. There were lots of plans pre-Covid, with recordings waiting to be released either as an EP or album. Everything went on hold with Covid and I was mainly restricted to doing live streams from my bedroom. Rather than revisit what was then older material, The Norfkl Tapes consists mainly of more recent recordings done at a local studio in Norfolk close to my where my parents live.

 

We did two recording sessions. In the first I was looking for something that was more raw and different to the earlier recordings that had been with backing musicians. Songs such as Asylum reflect this. For the second session we went for a much more commercial radio friendly sound. The songs are a mix of stories about pain, hope and love. I have also included Medusa from earlier recordings – which was a song about the goddess Medusa.

I didn’t want to simply forget about the earlier recordings, so the EP (which is being released on vinyl), will also include a 13 track CD which contains 4 older songs.

 

Where did you record the EP and who produced it?

Seven of the songs were recorded at Crystal Sounds Studio in North Norfolk, under the watchful eye of Jack Murphy (Youth Killed It). Medusa was recorded at Grange Farm Studio on Norfolk border, That Sound studio in London, and Abbey Road. It was produced by Rhys Downing who had worked as an engineer for Mark Ronson, and more recently was a co-writer for The Last Dinner Party’s debut album.

 

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?

Recording and mastering songs with Rhys at Abbey Road was great fun. Rhys used to work at Abbey Road, so once we had finished for the day we were given the grand behind the scenes tour of Studios 1 and 2. We got to meet a leading Mexican jazz musician who was recording in Studio 2 and I was invited to jam with them alter that night at a gig in London, but had to decline due to recording commitments the following day and need to save my voice.

Probably not repeatable the conversations Jack and I used to have at Crystal Sounds studio. Let’s just say he has a great sense of humour.

 

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

For the tracks recorded with Jack at Crystal Sounds Studio we were pretty clinical in the approach. We focussed on vocals and main guitar parts, before overlaying with additional vocals and guitars. Jack then added his own magic in building sound where needed. I used a Yamaha AR5 for the acoustic tracks which as a slightly deeper/mellow sound to my usual stage acoustic.

 

With Rhys it was very different as we had a full set of musicians on board, including a horns section. Rhys has some rare microphones which he would bring out for different parts of the song. At one stage to get the right percussion sound he was looking for he put the drums in the studio corridor to get the right echo effect.

 

Which of your new EP tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

 

Happiest is probably September – being a love song makes it easier to sing than my break-up songs! Angriest is probably In The Breakdown. It reflects feelings following a break-up. We did a video for the song but when showing to people they all said it was too dark and might scare people away!. Most reflective songs are probably Change My Eyes and You & I. I wrote You & I soon after a difficult break-up, looking back at what went wrong. I remember it being very emotional the first time I played it live.

 

Was it a difficult EP to write?

 

The songs came along individually over a period of time. The main challenge with writing new songs is being in the right frame of mind. Most of the time I will develop a new riff on the guitar which is then expanded into a chorus and verse. Lyrics will then come later.

 

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

I hope that the audience remember me and felt something during the performance. It’s important when performing live to leave everything out there on the stage so that the audience is feeling the same emotions as I do when performing the songs.

 

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

I love using Shure SM58 for vocals – it seems perfect for my style and range of vocals. Plus it is virtually indestructible. I rely heavily on 2 acoustic guitars – my Faith and my Yamaha classical guitar. I also occasionally use a Yamaha AR5 acoustic guitar which is kept in the UK.. If I am playing electric, then I have a Fender Strat and a Heritage Les Paul for the loud stuff. I have a set of Boss 500 pedals for delay, reverb and modulation and a vintage overdrive pedal. I love the crazy sounds I can get from a Strymon Cloudburst. I use a Fishman Loudbox Artist amp when playing live. I experiment with a Quad Cortex but have not yet used it live.

 

How do you look after your voice?

Like a rockstar!

It’s always a challenge as my voice range is quite high, so singing live for 2 hours can take its toil. I steam my voice before big gigs. I use Olbas and half a lemon in water – the acid comes out of the skin and this helps to dislodge mucus when inhaling. I also do breathing exercises in a hot shower and going up and down stairs.

 

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

Interesting question. Would possibly be about something romantic as always writing songs about relationships. I’ve just finished reading Stephen King’s book Fairy Tale which is about different emotions and dealing with loss. I enjoy fantasy based stuff and could see In The Breakdown as the sort of song that would work as part of a film score for Fairy Tale.

 

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

 

Hometown is split between Gozo and UK.

 

In the UK it is Fakenham in North Norfolk.

 

Gozo is easier to describe. I’m staying in a place called Nadur. Tranquil, hot, blissful, humid, beautiful.

 

Fakenham is very different. In winter it will be wet and cold. The town feels very tired and has been dying for a number of years with shops closing.

 

Do you have any live dates in the UK/Europe planned for 2025/2026?

I play regularly in Gozo and Malta with my band and also solo. We’ve been fortunate to play some of the island’s biggest festivals this year, twice being the main support act. Whether playing in front of 3,000 people or 50, it is always fun playing live.

 

Hoping to do a live show in UK as part of EP release but will be dependent on when I can get back to the UK. I hope to be back their in the Autumn to record some new songs.

 

What makes Ben Denny Mo happy and what makes you unhappy?

Currently nursing a baby duckling that was rejected by its mother – that makes me happy. Playing live and enjoying the sunshine in Gozo. Unhappy is having to work in a very hot kitchen in the heat of the summer.

Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By  LPR Agency

Ben Denny Mo’s new single ‘September’ is out now.

Listen Here: https://open.spotify.com/track/6GJ6NExYWq72vS30spo3eR?si=3f82dd70310c4539&nd=1&dlsi=3e5b64f5748c4490

Official Website: https://bendennymo.com/