Ben Watt

Ben Watt first appeared in 1981 as a young nineteen-year-old experimental songwriter-singer-guitarist. 1982’s 5-track EP <a href="spotify:album:5EwEefHAOWga34fYUrZaJY" data-name="Summer into Winter">Summer into Winter</a> featured <a href="spotify:artist:5iksmHDN2qZQcgFfXqIXtT" data-name="Robert Wyatt">Robert Wyatt</a>. His early work culminated in his sparse atmospheric debut album <a href="spotify:album:4h4SztkCFmYZOQpUD7kLR2" data-name="North Marine Drive">North Marine Drive</a> (1983, UK Independent Album Chart, No 9).

In 1983 he put solo plans on hold to perform and write full-time with <a href="spotify:artist:7xFnmid57ZE6iWEXdEXO3b" data-name="Tracey Thorn">Tracey Thorn</a> in their recently-formed duo <a href="spotify:artist:13ccXrK7AmXb4TddMkE7jy" data-name="Everything But The Girl">Everything But The Girl</a>. The band stayed active until 2000. They delivered twelve UK Top 40 singles and seven UK Top 20 albums. 1995’s global hit Missing reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Top 100.

As Everything But The Girl quit on a high at the end of the nineties, Ben moved into record production, DJing and clubland. He launched his own award-winning electronic record label Buzzin&#39; Fly (see <a href="spotify:playlist:4KN5S7vn1xqouzsZL2BIDW" data-name="Best of Buzzin' Fly Records">Best of Buzzin' Fly Records</a>) in 2003 and was was nominated for Outstanding Contribution to Dance Music at the DJ Magazine Best of British Awards 2009, and as Best Deep House DJ four years running (2008-2011) at the global DJ Awards held in Ibiza.

In 2013 he put Buzzin&#39; Fly on ice and returned to his earliest roots in folk, jazz and art-rock to record the award-winning solo album, <a href="spotify:album:2ywpY80U7kv9Kr6HuPATiW" data-name="Hendra">Hendra</a> (2014).

The album <a href="spotify:album:7HSdX3hm9TdDPelS1LiVq7" data-name="Fever Dream">Fever Dream</a> came out in 2016. The Guardian commented: ‘In his early fifties, he is making some of the best music of his career.’

Storm Damage was released in 2020. &#39;Enthralling’ 9/10 (Uncut). &#39;Beautiful and nuanced music-making&#39; (Sunday Times). &#39;His finest album yet&#39; ★★★★½ (Music OMH)