Trace Mountains

Dave Benton, better known as the mastermind behind Trace Mountains, is grounded in his new songwriting. This tender tune makes me want to lose myself somewhere in the forest to sit back and gently sink into the melody. The instrumentals change and ebb throughout the song. Sometimes they are cozy and funky, and at other times, they sound a little wavy and futuristic. At one point in the song, Benton’s voice quavers as if he is nervous or on the verge of tears. The shakiness felt emotional to me, and it’s something I've never heard in a vocalist. Benton is the co-founder of the lo-fi group, LVL UP, that has since parted ways. “Absurdity” is from his 10-track album,Lost in the Country, and this work follows his 2018 debut album,A Partner to Lean On.