Charlotte Rose Benjamin Releases New Single 'Slot Machine'
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Today, Brooklyn-based artist Charlotte Rose Benjamin released a new single "Slot Machine" from her forthcoming debut album, Dreamtina, which is set for release on April 22.
The song pairs jaunty guitar hooks with Benjamin's stream of conscious, lighthearted lyrics about unrequited love and the "inbetween" feeling of being a millenial/gen Z cusp. The video was shot by Benjamin and frequent collaborator, Hlif Olafsdottir, documenting a leisurely day on a Williamsburg Ferry, a Chinatown Arcade, a Dime's Square dive bar and their favorite downtown karaoke spot.
Benjamin describes "Slot Machine" as a "Sunday-morning-strolling-through-a-New-England-Beach-town kind of song," relating it to her hometown of Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. "I think there's a waspy country club vibe that comes to mind when people hear that I'm from Martha's Vineyard," explains Benjamin. "That definitely exists, but most people who are privileged enough don't choose to live there in the off season. I always identified more with the towny girls from the movie Mystic Pizza. I had a wonderful childhood, but living on an island can be incredibly isolating. My music has changed so much since I left, but I think I'll always have a little bit of a twang in my writing because of where I grew up." On recording the video, Benjamin says "My best friend Hlif and I got day drunk and took the Williamsburg Ferry into Chinatown with a camcorder and a dream."
Self produced alongside her bandmates, Nardo Ochoa, Matti Dunietz and Zoe Zeeman, Charlotte Rose Benjamin's debut album finds her analyzing her identity in correlation to romantic relationships and in comparison to "Dreamtina," a fictitious namesake for the effortlessly-perfect girl you see and aspire to be. Under the Radar broke the news of the album, premiering the pyromaniac-puppet-show video for her song "Satisfied," calling the song "an irresistible power pop hook, paired with instantly quotable lyrics."
Previously released songs, "Cumbie's Parking Lot" and "Heat Stroke Summer," were released as an a-side/b-side single last Summer, receiving praise from Clout Magazine, which called out Benjamin's "acerbic wit and penchant for crafting fun and memorable indie rock tunes." The Deli named "Heatstroke Summer" its Song of the Summer. Her songs "deep cut" and "Cumbie's Parking Lot" were featured on Spotify's Fresh Finds: Indie playlist for more than 10 weeks. Last week, Benjamin performed alongside Japanese Breakfast and Weyes Blood in The Unfinished Fest showcase at the acclaimed SXSW festival.
Benjamin's debut EP Party City (2020) was released with Moshi Moshi/Neon Gold records. It received airplay on BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 1 with Jack Saunders naming the title track his 'Next Wave.' Party City also received praise from Clash Magazine and BlackBook Magazine and was featured on Spotify's Global New Music Friday playlist.
That same year, Benjamin performed background vocals on Gus Dapperton's album, ORCA, and starred in videos for his breakout hits "I'm Just Snacking" and "Post Humorous." Outside of her musical endeavors, Benjamin has appeared in ads and magazines as a model (a campaign for Ralph Lauren funded most of the album). Her eye for fashion and vintage sense of style also landed her in a "What I Love About Me" piece in Marie Claire in 2019.
As Benjamin sings in her new single, "If I let you play me like a slot machine / maybe I'll win sometimes." With Dreamtina, Benjamin is eyeing the jackpot.
