ESSER at Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor West), Monday (August 10), 10 pm. $15. 416-870-8000.
Though he’s about to embark on a gruelling tour, Ben Esser, more commonly known by his surname, sounds oddly at ease.
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“I’m trying to do as little as possible right now,” he chuckles over the phone from his East London flat. “Also I’m trying to move as little as possible.”
Esser, an accomplished producer, singer and songwriter at 23 years old, has made big waves since releasing his synth- and hook-heavy pop masterpiece, Braveface, this past spring.
Chocolate Industries, a niche imprint that’s also home to the Cool Kids and Ghislain Poirier, released the debut, and his signing remains somewhat of a mystery, even to him.
“I had breakfast with [Chocolate Industries CEO] Seven today,” says Esser, “and he would not tell me how he found my music.”
Esser’s bastard pop sound – he cites hip-hop, UK garage, reggae and his father’s rare groove collection as influences – is at home on the quirky label. But his penchant for performing impromptu PA solos onstage – as he did at Wrongbar during NXNE in June – means that he’s best experienced live.
“That’s me referencing something close to home,” he says. “When I was growing up, [UK] garage was the big thing. I actually started off making electronic music and playing with keyboards.”
Esser’s taken this DIY approach one step further by creating a series of mixtapes that are downloadable on his MySpace page. The mixtapes – he’s made four, so far – are sent to fans on his mailing list.
“They’re a product of my crate-digging,” Esser explains. “Each track is given context. It lets people know what I’m listening to.”
Growing up in the ska-loving county of Essex, Esser favours a style of dress that reflects the large SHARP (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) presence there. Many have tried to emulate his look, which he finds flattering.
“Some people have looks that belong to them, while others look like they’ve been styled, d’you know what I mean? I think that has a lot to do with where the clothes come from [geographically].
“Certain looks need to be approached with respect.”
Interview Clips
Tell me about your personal influences
What sort of musical influences are you looking at for your next record?
Tell me about your mixtapes
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