The UK duo Bent always held a special place in our heart. While their albums sold well in the mainstream market during the chill-explosion of the later 90s and early 00s (and even got name checked by the likes of Sir Michael Caine, Nicole Kidman and Gerard Butler), their music was grossly overlooked by electronic music purists. Today it is clear that many sample-based downtempo, balearic and even chillwave producers owe a great deal to the sound pioneered by Bent. While may of their contemporaries struggled to release picture perfect, squeaky-clean digital chill anthems, Bent used analogue equipment, dusty vinyl samples and a lo-fi aesthetic to create a truly unique sound that was both anchored in their time as well as forward thinking. They could be described as a more poppy Boards of Canada, a vintage Air France or a more minimal Avalanches. A couple of months ago the band unveiled some unreleased songs from 1998 on their soundcloud page. We've selected our two favorite below. Here's hoping there's something new in the books too.
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