Bio
Benny Smiles is an Irish songwriter/producer based in London. Known to his postman as Ross Fortune, his signature nostalgic sound combines 80s tinged dashes of M83, Stranger Things, and Com Truise.
Benny’s latest material follows a period of focus on his work in studio engineering, building a knowledge of old school recording techniques and equipment in some legendary recording studios, and learning first hand from some of the world’s most renowned record producers, songwriters, and artists. Having cultivated a collection of vintage analogue synthesisers along the way, he now returns with a newfound appreciation for sonics, analogue imperfection, and the soul that lives in electronic instruments.
When We Touch, the first single from his upcoming smol EP premiered on prominent Irish blog Nialler9 to an immediate warm reception, earning more than 900,000 streams and a placement in Spotify’s Retrowave/Outrun editorial playlist (currently boasting over 850k followers). His 2015 Hotline Miami Theme is featured in the same playlist, and when the track landed a sync in the hit video game Hotline Miami 2, it helped to garner an international following for Benny Smiles and over 5 million streams of his music.
Benny Smiles has supported artists including London Grammar and Ghostpoet, and performed at festivals including Electric Picnic (IRL), Indiependence (IRL), Castlepalooza (IRL), and Ireland Music Week.
Press
INDUBLIN.IE: “First [at Hard Working Class Heroes festival], to the Workman’s Club for one-man electro wonder machine Benny Smiles. Infectiously upbeat loops, guitar, and Bowie-esque vocals, with the occasional healthy dose of slap bass was warmly met by the crowd. Yet it was Smiles’ stage presence that really endeared him to those present. Informing us early in the set he had foolishly taken a valium to help fight off a flu; if he is this good when sick and under the influence you can only image how good he is when on top form. A definite highlight of the festival, how this guy isn’t already huge is a mystery.”
GOLDENPLEC: “[Somehow Yours Do] is a beauty of a track with hypnotising synths and a captivating video”
NIALLER9: “Benny Smiles has given me one of my favourite tracks of the last month already with ‘Sunday Morning’”
PUFFERFISH: “Playful, fun, fucking awesome… Benny Smiles is making funky electronic music that you can really enjoy. And we mean really enjoy.”
CHASSEUR MAGAZINE: “Benny is by far the most charming, energetic, addictive, unique and pleasurable acts of the [Hard Working Class Heroes] festival so far. He asks everyone to take “seven steps forward” and then proceeds to move and shake across the stage, never missing a note. The audience are in the palm of his hand throughout, truly captivated by his inescapable talent, showing many of the bands how it is done. Industry execs must be salivating at the prospects he presents.”
HOTPRESS: “‘Moonlight’ featuring Ham Sandwich’s Niamh Farrell is radio-friendly whimsy at its finest. Known to his postman as Ross Fortune, this shapeshifting musicmaker has covered a whole lot of musical ground…barely stepping a foot wrong”
GOLDENPLEC: “With [Sunshine / Moonlight] Benny Smiles shows that he is a diverse and talented artist. His willingness to use different instrumentation and sounds results in tracks that are varied and unique and aurally tantalizing. It is solid proof that he doesn’t have to rely on novelty to grab an audience’s attention.”
AOIFE MC RTÉ 2XM: “[‘Sunday Morning’ is] definitely, definitely my favourite of the whole podcast [Nialler9 Podcast 39]…it’s so much fun!”