Ben Denny Mo Turns Struggle into Strength on New EP ‘The Norfkl Tapes’
Listen to The Norfkl Tapes Here
Ben Denny Mo is a British singer-songwriter whose journey has carried him from the Norfolk countryside to the Maltese island of Gozo, where the rhythms of the sea and Mediterranean sun seep into his music. Blending acoustic folk, pop, and soul with a storyteller’s heart, his sound has been compared to Jonah Kagen, Dave Matthews Band, and John Martyn, equal parts raw emotion and groove-led instrumentation.
His new EP, The Norfkl Tapes, captures the essence of Ben’s artistry: a marriage of deeply personal storytelling with dynamic, textured arrangements. The 8-track EP was primarily recorded with producer Jack Murphy (Youth Killed It) at Crystal Studios in North Norfolk, expanding on Ben’s acoustic demos with layers of guitar, drums, and keys. One of its standout tracks, “Medusa”, came from sessions with Rhys Downing (Mark Ronson, The Last Dinner Party) at Grange Farm, That Other Studio, and Abbey Road, where the EP was mastered by Christian Wright (Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Blur). The EP will be released on vinyl, and each purchase will come with a bonus 13-track CD from the sessions.
“The record is shaped by my dyslexia,” Ben shares. “It was the reason I turned to music in the first place. At school, I wasn’t allowed into certain classes because they didn’t understand dyslexia or think I was smart enough. Picking up a guitar showed me that none of that mattered.” The title, The Norfkl Tapes, reflects this part of his story, offering a subtle nod to the misspellings that once defined his struggle, now reclaimed as a source of strength.
Thematically, The Norfkl Tapes traces the highs and lows of relationships—love found and lost, the thrill of new romance, and the wreckage of toxic connections. Songs like “In The Breakdown” and “You and I” wrestle with the pain of letting go, while “September” celebrates fleeting love and tender memories, and “Lay Me Down” talks of falling in love, but having to let them go for the good of both of you. Others, like “Asylum”, widen the lens to the struggles of people Ben has observed around him, while the vibrant “Change My Eyes” and myth-inspired “Medusa” bring playful energy to the collection.
Known for his unconventional “two capo” guitar style and soulful, raspy vocal delivery, Ben’s performances are as intimate as they are anthemic. On stage, he’s graced Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival, Secret Garden Party, and London’s Omeara, while radio support has included two Record of the Week slots on local BBC Introducing and spins on BBC 6 Music. With his band Barefoot Lions he has performed at several festivals in Gozo and is a regular face on the local music scene.
When not writing or performing, Ben works as a chef on Gozo, feeding the soul in more ways than one. His story is one of perseverance and self-belief: of turning obstacles into art, and of finding light, rhythm, and connection in the breakdowns.
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