Lazarus Benson – “Red” Feat. DJ Nyke

Lazarus Benson – “Red” Feat. DJ Nyke – Single Review

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Lazarus Benson…somewhere back in 2022 in the summer of last year with his single “Relapse” I believe.  He pretty much disappeared from a ton of pages online shortly after that track got put out, but bo matter whether it’s behind the scenes or currently in your speakers, it’s a safe bet that the guy is always up to something with his music.  Enlisting the support of DJ Nyke for his latest cut called “Red,” it seems like Lazarus is set to make his return real soon in 2023.

As to whether or not “Red” is the track that you’ve been waiting for from the guy…honestly it’s a lot harder to say.  Quality-wise in terms of the production and whatnot, there’s not really anything I can hear that I’d complain about…all that’s perfectly in-line.  The main hooks of the chorus are pretty strong too…that checks out…I think he’s got some memorable stuff goin’ on there.  Verses-wise…I feel like there are a few standout moments along the way for ya…it’s not a song that’s devoid of entertainment, though arguably it’s a bit more of a lateral move than you might expect after spending so long away.  Basically, I’m not opposed to anything I’m hearing on “Red” to the point where I’d complain about it, but I don’t know that I’m really hearing enough to want to jump up & down and rant & rave about it either.

Thematically, Lazarus is rooted in his tortured thoughts.  That’s where he’s been in the past, that’s where he is in the present, and chances are, that’ll be where he’s at in the future as well.  Making music can be a genuinely effective tool in battling against our negative thoughts…if that’s what you want it to be.  Stylistically however, sometimes you stumble across an artist like Benson that doesn’t seem like he quite wants to cast off the dark cloud that constantly hangs over top of him…and once we’ve heard enough of his material to get a grip on what he wants to create, we kind of have no choice but to recognize he’s always going to be digging into the darker corners of who he is.  Whether that means he’s using music as a form of self-healing/therapy, or he’s simply in love with the sadness to the extent that he’s embracing the pain with open arms…I suppose the only person that knows for sure would be the man himself, though I suspect there are a few clues for you left behind in the interview we did in 2021.

Essentially, “Red” is alright…it’ll get him a passing grade from most I’m sure.  Like I said, I’m not hearing anything that would really warrant anyone complaining about…it’s more about whether or not it’s a track that does much to push Lazarus forward, or whether making this single has challenged him as an artist beyond what we’ve heard from him already…and I think there’s room for debate there for sure.  The production aspect is tight, the material is familiar, the performances are…hmmm…almost too controlled in a way I’d say.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to sound professional, and “Red” achieves that – but at the same time, you’ve got some elements of wildness like what you find in the backing vocals for example, that seem to come out subdued for how wild they probably should be.  Guest bars from DJ Nyke are very good, no issues there…and like I was saying earlier, I think the main hooks of this song work well enough too.  Lazarus is leaning pretty hard on’em…those chorus hooks basically carry a very large part of “Red,” which leaves him in the position of having the people that respond to’em really like what they hear, and other people listening with a bit more of an obstacle to navigate…but there’s always some kind of risk to everything we do in that regard, no matter what it is that we create.  Anyhow.  I’ll say this – it does seem like those main hooks are going to be memorable months down the road, and that genuinely counts for something…that’s never an easy thing to pull off with all this music out there around us every day, so that’s a good thing.  I’m always gonna be the guy to push Lazarus with his creativity, because I know he’s still searching for that truly groundbreaking moment where clarity comes and he can visibly see that pathway forward for his music.  I don’t think we’ve quite reached that point with “Red” just yet, but it is a good song.  I probably want a little more outta the man than most considering I know what Lazarus is capable of when he’s at his most inspired/how long he’s been gone for…but there’s enough here to keep most of the masses entertained.

Find out more about Lazarus Benson at Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LazarusBensonMusic

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