The Young Benjamins, a Saskatoon-based four-piece, are celebrating the recent release of their self-titled three song EP, and are quickly making a name for themselves in local circles.
The group formed when front man Neusha Mofazzali moved from England to Saskatoon four years ago, and coalesced around seasoned musicians Enver Hampton (bass) and Vaero Poulin (violin). Rounded out by drummer Kuba Szmigielski, The Young Benjamins have brought a different perspective to a rapidly expanding prairies sound.
“Moving to Canada from England really inspired me to write songs, because the whole move brought out a handful of different emotions that eventually led me to put them into a musical perspective,” says Mofazzali. “I used to just write lyric-less songs on the piano and guitar, until I moved to Canada and for some reason the transition to the prairies helped with expanding my song writing.”
Musically the band falls somewhere in-between traditional folk and indie rock. The instrumentation is telling of the genre but the arrangements are at times reminiscent of the angularness of math rock but without sounding dated.
Alternating between footstomping anthems and sleepy folk dirge-ballads, according to Mofazzali, The Young Benjamins hope to carry their current momentum into the summer tour circuit.
“We have few shows coming up in February,” says Mofazzali. “On the 3rd we are playing with Father Figures at Amigos and on the 19th we are playing at Lydia’s with Fountains of Youth. As for the near future, Young Benjamin’s are working on a tour of the States after the album is released, and playing a few more shows across the province. We are looking to do a mini tour in April after we release a single.
“I can’t wait to go on tour and play festivals.”