The Latest EP From Pop Project Congrats Is Destined For Dancing.
Although Congrats is a new name to the scene, Ben Stewart, the face behind the alias is no stranger. The Slowly Slowly frontman has been embracing his pop side, taking on new challenges in the genre as they come. Settling well into the pop realm, Congrats has announced his latest EP “Pharaoh” featuring the focus track “Believe The Hype”. Produced by ARIA Award nominee Konstantin Kersting (Mallrat, Tones & I, Jungle Giants), the EP is thick with pop fuelled anthems.
We’ve already been handed a few slices of the EP, following single releases of “Russian Roulette”, “Lobotomy”, “Berserk” and most recently “Overthink”. All of which have been eaten up by fans, radio and media. Being described as “Darkly addictive” by triple j and praised by other influential media outlets like Depth Magazine, Happy Mag and The Music.
“I wanted these songs to feel classic despite being suited up in modern production, but I didn’t know if it was possible,” said Stewart. “I didn’t know if my songs would work inside a pop housing. I was listening to artists who push the boundaries of rap and trap music like Roddy Ricch, Yung Lean and Post Malone – I get the same feelings of excitement when I tap into the energy of their music as I did when I first found heavy music. I can feel the same pain and it has filled my sails for exploring new territory. I want to be uncomfortable again.”
While the entire album is filled with danceable songs, each in their own way, the focus track “Believe The Hype” features a chorus destined for dancefloors. It has peaks and valleys; verses relaxed and mellowed and a chorus that soars, electrified by Ben’s passion charged vocals.
Named after a desktop folder ‘Congrats’ on Stewart’s computer that was named to congratulate himself for completing 10 songs that fit within the style we now know belongs to Congrats, Stewart has taken an experimental direction with this project. Steering away from his roots as a punk kid, he is now channelling into new challenges and styles, collecting new fans along the way.
