Ben Murphy’s new song “I Don’t Recognise You” is a heart-wrenching narrative, exploring stories of disconnection and separation. This track has a special way of bringing multiple character’s experiences back to one shared want. Through a combination of slice-of-life scenes and slightly altered choruses for different speakers, listeners are left to feel like they are peering into the worlds of people who are going through the same complex emotions. The song begins with lonely thoughts in a crowded place; the narrator feels unseen in the early morning rush of the London underground. This person then becomes an observer, and listeners become people-watchers alongside him, as he witnesses what seems like the turning point towards the end of a relationship between a man and woman.
The first chorus is a plea, coming from the woman, begging to recognise her partner. With the words “there’s no one behind your eyes, abandon ship when I’m stressed”, the abandonment she feels in her relationship emits a genuine sense of pain. In the following verse is the tale of a father having abandoned his son, and the chorus begs for recognition in a whole new way. The speaker of this chorus is the father, wanting to recognise his son. A line from this piece that cuts like a knife is “I don’t expect your forgiveness. I was selfish, young, and scared”. It puts forward a massive sense of loss and regret, not excusing the father’s abandonment, but explaining his situation. The final story, through the bridge of the song, is far less literal. It focuses on self-recognition. The words ask listeners to look behind the strong exterior, to peer deeper into the place where “every window shimmers gold”. It gives clues that the speaker in this verse is the son from the former with lines like “what he left is not for sale”. The final chorus refers to recognising the character’s reflection, and a sense that all is lost comes in words of doubt and hesitance. The song ends with a strong will to try, the same as the other choruses, with the words “I’d do anything”.
Ben’s breathy, low, and brooding vocals are accompanied by an octave-higher layer of a background vocal track. This brings a depth to the sound. The way his vocals flow through notes, rising higher at the end of certain words, shows an emotive flexibility to Ben’s voice. Palm-muted acoustic guitar strumming brings an overarching and consistent warmth throughout the entire song. Percussion only joins in sparingly, but when it does, it brings force to the words. It emphasizes the strength in the metaphors throughout the bridge. A soft glowing electronic pulse repeats throughout the end of the verses and the chorus, sounding almost like a musical breath in the background. The guitar grows in volume, changes patterns, and even slows to a single strum per bar towards the end of the tune, truly emulating the emotional climbs and falls in the journey of the lyrics. Closing the song, twangy guitar plucking reminds listeners of the innate humanness in the song through its sound.
Ben Murphy is a 24-year-old musician based in North-West London, who has reached 10, 605 monthly listeners on Spotify. BBC Radio 1 and BBC Introducing called him “one to watch”, and it's easy to see why. His voice is absolutely captivating, and paired with his lyrics that tackle important themes of identity and mental wellness, his songs deliver important messages in a way that sticks with listeners long after the song has ended. Ben released his first song, “All I Do”, in 2022, and continues to create music. He has collaborated with other artists, having featured on Anna Stevens’ song “So Vain”. Check out the links below to find his other songs and learn more about this heartfelt artist!
Written By Hanna Kowal
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