| ♫ Ben Norderfeld - Aurelian [Album] | |||
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| 01. | Aurelian | 03:20 | |
| 02. | Past Memories | 02:37 | |
| 03. | Shape | 05:39 | |
| 04. | Ambiance de Lyon | 03:19 | |
| 05. | Blaksaeter | 04:25 | |
| 06. | Fusion | 04:32 | |
| 07. | In Place | 03:24 | |
| 08. | Space Arp | 04:30 | |
| 09. | Views | 02:55 | |
| 10. | Paralyzed | 06:37 | |
| 11. | Who What Where | 02:08 | |
| Stream on Spotify | ||
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| Stream on Youtube | ||
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| A message from Benno himself! |
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| 2026-01-28 |
Benno's journey into the wondrous world of Electronic Music began back in 1997. It's surprising in a way it's taken him until now to bestow upon us a project like this, without outside involvement or distractions; just music born directly from his imagination. For those of us that grew up with his music, this album is an incredible treat. Benno (alongside his Rank 1 partner Piet Bervoets) is the singlemost important factor in my musical upbringing and musical identity. Many kids grow up loving Rock, Metal or Indie bands; other swear by the words and hussle of the streets, idolizing Hip Hop formations/mavericks. There are those that swear by Jazz; Others sold their hearts to Soul. To me Benno is one of the greatest producers to have ever lived. His music has been a constant factor in the chaos that is human life since the early 00's. His music has reached me in many shapes and forms, through various collaborations that varied deeply in scope and sound. After 21 years I still feel like a kid on Christmas day whenever he announces a brand new track or project. Since September 2024 I've been treated to various tracks under a different alias of his called "BnO" whilst his trusty Rank 1 moniker delivered two brand new solo smashers in 2025. Then, in October 2025 he gave us Ben Norderfeld. His sonic evolution has been an icredibly fun and memorable journey to follow... Consider that he's been active in FOUR decades... It underlines the longevity and genius of this humble artist from the "Low Lands". Let's take a closer look at this special album he has crafted, an album which will be the first of many more! |
| Aurelian |
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| The very first Ben Norderfeld single and the title track of the album sets the perfect tone for the core of this project. It's a very dreamy track, using a clever interplay between a few core pads, lower range bass elements and a few gentle melodic-ish hooks. It's a very relaxing tune, very warm and full in terms of tone and mood. I've taken this one out for quite a few of my Autumn and Winter walks since October and I have to say it's just perfect for that: a walk through a quiet neighbourhood? Or maybe you wish to take a nice stroll through the park, past some water? This track is ideal for those moments. But you could just as well use it as the soundtrack for a documentary about the Infinity of the Cosmos... Ideally, title tracks are always memorable and thankfully with Aurelian, that is exactly the case. A very strong first impression! |
| Past Memories |
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| The next track was the third single released under this alias. Utilizing more melody than Aurelian, but in an equally subtle and serene manner, "Past Memories" honors its name due to its strong nostalgic tone... It's a very contemplative piece that makes one stand still for a moment and ponder life... Life, as much as time, is always moving, always fleeting. A moment is there in your grasp, you blink and it's gone. That can feel like a sad thing at times, but it doesn't have to be. It's just the way life progresses. I love Past Memories. It soothes me and allows me to pleasantly drown in my thoughts. |
| Shape |
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| Originally the ninth single, Shape feels a bit more experimental... It reminds me of an orchestra in the way the elements join in and out through the track: the arrangement of the core hook and the tones that join in and fade out whilst the guiding pad patiently waits in the back until it is time to join in with the flute: the main synth at 2:50 seems to introduce several others with a tone to them that sounds like they are "bent", reshaped. It's a strangely hypnotic ensemble at play here, melodic, but also slightly off, tone-wise? In a strange way it reminds me of bagpipes, but then a very subdued electronic variant in the way the tones are bent... I recall the very first play of Shape had me on the fence compared to its predecessors but earlier this week I sat in the bus to work and I was just fully captivated by it, fully immersed. It has a very strong hypnotic pull if you let it! Heh. Typical Benno-magic, replays WILL reward you! ;) |
| Ambiance de Lyon |
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| Is it very cliche to say this one gives me Jean-Michel Jarre vibes? I promise it's NOT because this is an ambient track with a French title! xD What I really like about this one is the sense of "anticipation" it breathes: something is afoot, something is about to happen. The light tugging bassrhythm, paired with the higher motif throughout create a slight tension that never truly reaches its climax. The suspense remains... And the padwork sounds so very JMJ to me: there is a particular sound that joins in from 1:17 onward that is most noticable between 1:23 - 1:25 and afterwards that sounds like the Legendary French Maestro. The melody itself has something contemplative about it, bordering between hope and sadness in a way... I can imagine this serving as the soundtrack to a streaming/tv series where the protagonists are coming up with a plan to turn the tide in their fight. |
| Blaksaeter |
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| December 5th 2025. I was up past midnight, it had just turned to Friday so obviously I refreshed Spotify eagerly so I could hear the fifth Ben Norderfeld single. I hit play and then turned to do some blogwork. That repeating motif from the very first second caught my attention. Then, a very beautiful, tender and heavily melancholic cello melody starts playing. The tone is serious in nature, concerned maybe. Then. 1:36. Suddenly the most heavenly Arp of Arps rolls into this track. I remember... I stopped what I was doing, my eyes widened and I uttered something along the lines of "WTF!' or "Oh my God!"... As the Arp gently but steadily built towards a crescendo and the cellos suddenly returned to back it, I was overcome with emotion, tears welling in my eyes. What is this incredibly melancholic piece of beautiful music unfolding in my ears right now?! This music so perfectly embodied the duality of life in 2025 for me: the duality of how amazingly beautiful life can be when at its purest and at the very same time it can exist next to an opposite fact, the fact that life can also be so very, deeply painful. We can have unforgetable times with loved ones, and those times are truly beautiful, but once you lose them, through death, break-up or your bond fading over time, those times become bittersweet. For me, "Blaksaeter" perfectly encapsulated the bittersweetness of my 2025. I usually do not allow to pick a Tune Of The Year from December due to recency bias when assembling my Top 30 of a given year but with Blaksaeter I had to make an exception as it was the only new track from this year that moved me to tears the way it did. And it still does, it did so twice today already... What a masterpiece... |
| Fusion |
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| The second Norderfeld single! Where Aurelian evokes images of a Autumn walk as a pale sun is about to set, "Fusion" calls forth images of the stars and endless blackness of Space... Its unrelenting motif, supported by fx that could be the electrical humming of your space vehicle's energy source as well as pads and echoing synth guidance create a perfect atmosphere for brooding, contemplating, ruminating... Life is an endless mystery, and a challenging one at times. I feel Fusion captures that wonder, mystery and struggle all at once. There is a curious contradiction to be mentioned here: even though it evokes Sci-Fi imagery in my mind, it sounds magical at the same time. With his contribution to the stellar (hehe) Moons Of Jupiter album as one half of Gaia, Benno proved that doing these ambient-style Sci-Fi like soundscapes are second nature to him, but somehow he always finds a new way to present mixtures of genres! This guy... :)) |
| In Place |
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| Oooh! The last tones of Fusion bleeding into the eight Norderfeld single! Love that about this album mix! Once again I have to nod to Moons Of Jupiter as I am getting those trippy vibes all over again... :D "In Place" calms me down. There is something very reassuring about its melody. The Breakbeat is a nice touch: not overbearing, or overly complex. It sounds just right. This is the kind of track that perfectly fits a Rainy Afternoon... At A Cafe for instance, but it could also be a walk outisde. There is an unspoken melancholy at play here, giving the track a slight sad edge in a way but maybe that's why it is so comfortinng to me? It feels like the musical equivalent of being comforted by an arm around your shoulder in times you need that. Beautiful track! |
| Space Arp |
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| *Starts grinning profoundly* Yes, yes, yes... "Space Arp"!! Norderfeld Numero 11! What can I say about this one? Shall we start with the size of my grin as I am typing this right now? Even though this is the Ben Norderfeld alias, this track is Trancy Benno de Goeij through-and-through: that magical pad melody and catchy bassline, backed by groovy percussion before the "Space arp" claims the stage, tells you you are about to go on a beautiful journey! I think Benno masters melancholy as strongly as he masters euphoria but man, euphoric De Goeij tracks hit with a vengeance!! I have to add, like its French-titled sibling, Space Arp reminds me of Jean-Michel Jarre too in a way. It has that inevitability to it that epic JMJ pieces have, the ones of which you KNOW you are not going to be able to resist their glorious tones... The same applies here, from the moment this track starts, you know it's going to be a special one! Alongside Paralyzed, this one might be the ideal "bridge" tracks to convince fans of Benno's Trance projects to take the leap into Norderfeld, if they are currently unfamiliar with Ambient, Chill-Out and experimental melodic Electronica. :) For me, this one is up there with Blaksaeter, Paralyzed and Fusion, one of the very highlights of this delicious album! |
| Views |
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| The tenth single takes us back to the Cafe on a Rainy Afternoon! But, having the presence of the piano, this one takes me back to Symsonic somewhat. If you've ever liked Rank 1's "T.T.C.", check this one out too. They aren't necessarily very similar but there are elements both lean on that makes them fit in the same playlist seamlessly. The use of the faded vocal in the background gives me an oldskool feeling, early '90s, Hip Hop records even... The piano is a great addition as the majority of the album has centeed around various synths and is predominantely Electronic. This organic touch is very nice. Great track to relax to! |
| Paralyzed |
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| Do you understand why a person becomes an absolute fanboy of a given artist? Consistent, Quality. And the ability to expand one's mind/tastes. Blaksaeter, is the Champion of this album for me. It was the fifth single. Guess what? "Paralyzed" was the sixth. I was NOT prepared to hear another brilliant piece of emotional music so soon after Blaksaeter. When I hit play on this one and the intro started, I was just smiling. The intro takes its time (as intro's should!! Remember those?? What happened to good habits in music? God I feel old *grumpy old man shakes fist at cloud*)... When that kickdrum hit, and it's just a kick! No other percussion elements, no crispy De Goeij hats or reverbating claps! Just a kick... A huge smile formed on my face. But when THAT ARP hit... Such gorgeous melodies, synths and pads just sweeping me through all sorts of emotions... Just one week after a mindblowing masterpiece?! I was just shaking my head in disbelief... How is this man, 23 years on from "The Anthem 2003" and 21 years on from "Opus 17" STILL doing this so effortlessly?! Releasing music that hits me in my core, and then casually repeating the trick in back-to-back singles?! HOW does he do it?! What does he eat?! Read?! Is there a secret meditation technique?! Does he have a 7th Sense?! Is he perhaps... An alien?! No. None of that. Do you know how he is capable of delivering consistent quality across FOUR decades? Because he loves what he does. And he does what he loves. And he is not afraid to ask himself: Why not? Why not make a track like something no one else has ever attempted before? This once-in-a-lifetime brilliance is enough to leave one "Paralyzed" in awe... ;) |
| Who What Where |
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| We end with the fourth single called "Who What Where". This is one of the most organic tracks on the album, and perhaps one of its most unusal as well: the cellos are haunting, with their slightly bending tones, backed by ever fiercer strings... It is a sweeping synergy of instruments building towards a powerful crescendo and once its peak is reached, the melody that winds it all back down has such a calming ring to it. It's an interesting contrast, the increasing intensity followed by that calm as the track reaches its end... Hehe it's strange to NOT hear Blaksaeter right after it, my head is used to it since I've spent the last two months or so listening to all the singles in order of release date. :) |
| In conclusion |
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| Aurelian is a special moment in Benno's career: many highs have come and gone, the Grammy Nomination in 2014 obviously standing as an unreal achievement that many aspiring artists can only dream of. But having been in this music business for so long, I am really happy to see our guy just chillin' and having the time of his life crafting an album like this, which is all about him having fun and fitting amazing motifs together like a musical puzzle. We are blessed that he hasn't decided to throw all his gear out yet and hopefully I get a few more years to feel like a kid on Christmas Day! As Benno mentioned himself, if you have enjoyed his music throughout the ages, you do NOT want to miss out on the Norderfeld Voyage. In particular, if you loved the Chill-Out tracks on Symsonic and the first 15-20 minutes on the Moons Of Jupiter album, you HAVE to check out this project! And if, like me, you thorougly enjoyed this incredible journey called "Aurelian", I have thrilling news for you: |
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| There are at least THREE more Norderfeld albums coming our way!! :D 2026 is going to be a great year for music, I feel it in my bones! Thank you Benno, for your continued excellence! |
| My channels |
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| Spotify (playlists) || Youtube (playlists) || Rank 1 Fan Blog || Symsonic1 Blog || Symsonic2 Blog |
| Hearthis.at/razormane |
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